Numbers 31:3

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

1The Lord said to Moses, 2“Get even with the Midianites for what they did to the Israelites. After that you will join your ancestors ⌞in death⌟.” Moses said to the people, “Some of your men must get ready to go to war against the Midianites. The Lord will use them to get even with Midian. 4Send 1,000 men from each of the tribes of Israel.” 5So 1,000 men from each tribe were supplied from the divisions of Israel—12,000 men ready for war.

Numbers 31:3 word by word

וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־הָעָ֣ם לֵאמֹ֔ר הֵחָלְצ֧וּ מֵאִתְּכֶ֛ם אֲנָשִׁ֖ים לַצָּבָ֑א וְיִהְיוּ֙ עַל־מִדְיָ֔ן לָתֵ֥ת נִקְמַת־יְהוָ֖ה בְּמִדְיָֽן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
• spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• unto the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Armחָלַץchâlats · to armH2502
• someאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• of yourselves unto the warצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · army: warH6635
• and let them go against the Midianitesמִדְיָןmidyân · MidianH4080
• and avengeנְקָמָהneqâmâh · vengeanceH5360
• and avengeנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068

Cross-references for Numbers 31:3

• Exodus 17:9Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men. Then fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill. I will hold in my hand the staff God told me to take along.”
• Numbers 25:11“Phinehas, son of Eleazar and grandson of the priest Aaron, turned my fury away from the Israelites. Since he stood up for me, I didn’t have to stand up for myself and destroy them.
• Exodus 17:16He said, “Because a hand was lifted against the Lord’s throne, he will be at war against the Amalekites from one generation to the next.”
• Leviticus 26:25I will bring war on you to get revenge for my promise ⌞that you rejected⌟. When you gather in your cities, I will send plagues on you and you will fall under the control of your enemy.
• Judges 5:2Praise the Lord! Men in Israel vowed to fight, and people volunteered for service.
• 2 Kings 9:7You will destroy the family of your master Ahab. I will get revenge on Jezebel for shedding the blood of my servants the prophets and all the Lord’s ⌞other⌟ servants.
• 2 Kings 10:30The Lord said to Jehu, “You did what I consider right, and you did it well. You did everything I wanted done to Ahab’s family. That is why four generations of your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel.”
• Jeremiah 46:10That day belongs to the Almighty Lord of Armies. It is a day of vengeance when he will take revenge on his enemies. His sword will devour until it has had enough, and it will drink their blood until it’s full. The Almighty Lord of Armies will offer them as sacrifices in the north by the Euphrates River.
• Jeremiah 50:28Listen! Fugitives and refugees from Babylon are coming to Zion to tell about 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

• Midian
• Moses
• Midian; Midianites
• Midian, Midianite
• Prey
• Purify
• Abel-Shittim
• Avenge; Avenger
• Balaam
• Numbers, Book of

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