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

1Adonai spoke to Moses saying, 2“Take vengeance on the Midianites for Bnei-Yisrael. Afterward you will be gathered to your people.” So Moses spoke to the people saying, “Mobilize some of your men for battle. They will go out against Midian to carry out Adonai’s vengeance on Midian. 4Send into the battle 1,000 men from each of the tribes of Israel.” 5So from the thousands of Israel 1,000 from each tribe were assigned, 12,000 in all.

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 men, go out, and fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”
• Numbers 25:11“Phinehas son of Eleazar son of Aaron the kohen has turned away My anger from Bnei-Yisrael because he was very zealous for Me among them, so that I did not put an end to Bnei-Yisrael in My zeal.
• Exodus 17:16Then he said, “By the hand upon the throne of Adonai, Adonai will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”
• Leviticus 26:25I will bring a sword upon you that will execute the vengeance of the covenant, and you will be gathered together inside your cities. I will send the pestilence among you and you will be given into the hand of the enemy.
• Judges 5:2“When leaders take the lead in Israel, when people freely offer themselves, bless Adonai!
• 2 Kings 9:7So you will strike down the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of Adonai shed by Jezebel.
• 2 Kings 10:30Now Adonai had said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in executing what is right in My eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in My heart, your sons of the fourth generation will sit on the throne of Israel.”
• Jeremiah 46:10For that day belongs to my Lord Adonai-Tzva’ot, as a day of vengeance, to avenge Himself against His foes. The sword will devour and be satisfied and will drink its fill of their blood. For it will be a sacrifice for my Lord Adonai-Tzva’ot, in the northern land by the river Euphrates.
• Jeremiah 50:28The sound of fugitives, escaping out of the land of Babylon— declaring in Zion the vengeance of Adonai our God, 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