Berean Standard Bible
Numbers 31:3
3So Moses told the people, “Arm some of your men for war, that they may go against the Midianites and execute the LORD’s vengeance on them.
Numbers 31:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the Lord of Midian.
- New International Version (NIV)So Moses said to the people, “Arm some of your men to go to war against the Midianites so that they may carry out the Lord’s vengeance on them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)So Moses spoke to the people, saying, "Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian to execute the Lord's vengeance on Midian.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm some of yourselves for war, and let them go against the Midianites to take vengeance for the Lord on Midian.
Context of Numbers 31:3
1And the LORD said to Moses, 2“Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people.” So Moses told the people, “Arm some of your men for war, that they may go against the Midianites and execute the LORD’s vengeance on them. 4Send into battle a thousand men from each tribe of Israel.” 5So a thousand men were recruited from each tribe of Israel—twelve thousand armed for war.
Read all of Numbers 31Numbers 31:3 word by word
וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־הָעָ֣ם לֵאמֹ֔ר הֵחָלְצ֧וּ מֵאִתְּכֶ֛ם אֲנָשִׁ֖ים לַצָּבָ֑א וְיִהְיוּ֙ עַל־מִדְיָ֔ן לָתֵ֥ת נִקְמַת־יְהוָ֖ה בְּמִדְיָֽן׃Read the interlinear
- So Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- toldדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- toldאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- the peopleאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Armחָלַץchâlats · to armH2502
- Armאֵת'êth · withH854
- some of your menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- for warצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · army: warH6635
- that they may goהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
- againstעַל‛al · uponH5921
- the Midianitesמִדְיָןmidyân · MidianH4080
- and executeנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
- the LORD’sיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- vengeanceנְקָמָהneqâmâh · vengeanceH5360
Cross-references for Numbers 31:3
- Exodus 17:9So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on the hilltop with the staff of God in my hand.”
- Numbers 25:11“Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned My wrath away from the Israelites; for he was zealous for My sake among them, so that I did not consume the Israelites in My zeal.
- Exodus 17:16“Indeed,” he said, “a hand was lifted up toward the throne of the LORD. The LORD will war against Amalek from generation to generation.”
- Leviticus 26:25And I will bring a sword against you to execute the vengeance of the covenant. Though you withdraw into your cities, I will send a plague among you, and you will be delivered into the hand of the enemy.
- Judges 5:2“When the princes take the lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, bless the LORD.
- 2 Kings 9:7And you are to strike down the house of your master Ahab, so that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets and the blood of all the servants of the LORD shed by the hand of Jezebel.
- 2 Kings 10:30Nevertheless, the LORD said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in My sight and have done to the house of Ahab all that was in My heart, four generations of your sons will sit on the throne of Israel.”
- Jeremiah 46:10For that day belongs to the Lord GOD of Hosts, a day of vengeance against His foes. The sword will devour until it is satisfied, until it is quenched with their blood. For the Lord GOD of Hosts will hold a sacrifice in the land of the north by the River Euphrates.
- Jeremiah 50:28Listen to the fugitives and refugees from the land of Babylon, declaring in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the vengeance for His temple.
Commentaries on Numbers 31:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Avenge the Lord of Midian - It was God's quarrel, not their own, that they were now to take up. These people were idolaters; idolatry is an offense against God; the civil power has no authority to meddle with what belongs to Him, without especial directions, certified in the most unequivocal way. Private revenge, extension of territory, love of plunder, were to have no place in this business; the Lord is to be avenged; and through Him the children of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Avenge the Lord of Midian - The war against the Midianites was no ordinary war. It was indeed less a war than the execution of a divine sentence against a most guilty people. Doubtless there were many among the Midianites who were personally guiltless as regards Israel. But the rulers deliberately adopted the counsel of Balaam against Israel, and their behests had been but too readily obeyed by their subjects. The sin therefore was national, and the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-5Each tribe sent 1,000 men to the battle. This allowed everyone to gain combat experience and share the victory.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. Arm some of yourselves--This order was issued but a short time before the death of Moses. The announcement to him of that approaching event [Nu 31:2] seems to have accelerated, rather than retarded, his warlike preparations.Read the comment
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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Commentaries