Numbers 31:4

Numbers 31:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war.
• New International Version (NIV)Send into battle a thousand men from each of the tribes of Israel.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)You shall send a thousand from each of the tribes of Israel to the war."
• New King James Version (NKJV)A thousand from each tribe of all the tribes of Israel you shall send to the war.”

Context of Numbers 31:4

2“On behalf of the people of Israel, take revenge on the Midianites for leading them into idolatry. After that, you will die and join your ancestors.” 3So Moses said to the people, “Choose some men, and arm them to fight the Lord’s war of revenge against Midian. From each tribe of Israel, send 1,000 men into battle.” 5So they chose 1,000 men from each tribe of Israel, a total of 12,000 men armed for battle. 6Then Moses sent them out, 1,000 men from each tribe, and Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest led them into battle. They carried along the holy objects of the sanctuary and the trumpets for sounding the charge.

Numbers 31:4 word by word

אֶ֚לֶף לַמַּטֶּ֔ה אֶ֖לֶף לַמַּטֶּ֑ה לְכֹל֙ מַטּ֣וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל תִּשְׁלְח֖וּ לַצָּבָֽא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Of every tribeמַטֶּהmaţţeh maţţâh · tribe: rodH4294
• a thousandאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• shall ye sendשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• to the warצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · army: warH6635

Cross-references for Numbers 31:4

• Leviticus 26:8Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand! All your enemies will fall beneath your sword.
• Judges 7:2The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength.
• 1 Samuel 14:6“Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer. “Perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!”

Commentaries on Numbers 31:4

• 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. 1-541-2. the Lord spake unto Moses, Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites--a semi-nomad people, descended from Abraham and Keturah, occupying a tract of country east and southeast of Moab, which lay on the eastern coast of the Dead Sea. They seem to have been the principal instigators of the infamous scheme of seduction, planned to entrap the Israelites into the double crime of idolatry and licentiousness [Nu 25:1-3, 17, 18] by which, it was hoped…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 31:4

• Armies

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Prey
• Purify
• Abel-Shittim
• Balaam
• Moses
• Numbers, Book of
• 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