Numbers 31:7

Numbers 31:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they warred against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses; and they slew all the males.
• New International Version (NIV)They fought against Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses, and killed every man.
• English Standard Version (ESV)They warred against Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses, and killed every male.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And they warred against the Midianites, just as the Lord commanded Moses, and they killed all the males.

Context of Numbers 31:7

5So a thousand men were recruited from each tribe of Israel—twelve thousand armed for war. 6And Moses sent the thousand from each tribe into battle, along with Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, who took with him the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for signaling. Then they waged war against Midian, as the LORD had commanded Moses, and they killed every male. 8Among the slain were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword. 9The Israelites captured the Midianite women and their children, and they plundered all their herds, flocks, and goods.

Numbers 31:7 word by word

וַֽיִּצְבְּאוּ֙ עַל־מִדְיָ֔ן כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיַּֽהַרְג֖וּ כָּל־זָכָֽר׃Read the interlinear

• Then they waged warצָבָאtsâbâ' · to serveH6633
• againstעַל‛al · uponH5921
• Midianמִדְיָןmidyân · MidianH4080
• asכַּאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · as whichH834
• the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• had commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
• and they killedהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
• everyכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• maleזָכָרzâkâr · maleH2145

Cross-references for Numbers 31:7

• Deuteronomy 20:13When the LORD your God has delivered it into your hand, you must put every male to the sword.
• Judges 21:11This is what you are to do: Devote to destruction every male, as well as every female who has had relations with a man.”
• 1 Samuel 27:9Whenever David attacked a territory, he did not leave a man or woman alive, but he took the flocks and herds, the donkeys, camels, and clothing. Then he would return to Achish,
• 1 Kings 11:15Earlier, when David was in Edom, Joab the commander of the army had gone to bury the dead and had struck down every male in Edom.
• Judges 6:1Again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; so He delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years,

Commentaries on Numbers 31:7

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-12Verses 7-12 The Israelites slew the Kings of Midian. They slew Balaam. God's overruling providence brought him thither, and their just vengeance found him. Had he himself rightly believed what he had said of the happy state of Israel, he would not have thus herded with the enemies of Israel. The Midianites' wicked wiles were Balaam's projects: it was just that he should perish with them, Ho 4:5. They took the women and children captives. They burnt their…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7The Israelites killed all of the Midianite men in the particular groups they attacked from their camp in the plains of Moab (31:12). They did not destroy all the Midianites who were part of the larger Midianite alliance (compare Judges 6–8). The number of animals and virgins mentioned in Numbers 31:32–35 shows that the 12,000 Hebrews fought a large enemy army.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. they slew all the males--This was in accordance with a divine order in all such cases (De 20:13). But the destruction appears to have been only partial--limited to those who were in the neighborhood of the Hebrew camp and who had been accomplices in the villainous plot of Baal-peor (Nu 25:1-3), while a large portion of the Midianites were absent on their pastoral wanderings or had saved themselves by flight. (Compare Jud 6:1).Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 31:7

• Massacre
• War

In the dictionaries

• Moses
• Prey
• Purify
• Abel-Shittim
• Balaam
• Numbers, Book of
• Slave; Slavery
• Zimri (1)

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