Numbers 31:3

31:2 Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.

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.

KJV

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Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian, to execute Yahweh’s vengeance on Midian.

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.

And Moses spoke to the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves to the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the LORD of Midian.

31:4 Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war. Of: Heb. A thousand of a tribe, a thousand of a tribe

What does Numbers 31:3 mean?

Numbers 31:3 is a verse in the book of Numbers, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include מֹשֶׁה (Môsheh), דָבַר (dâbar), עַם (ʻam). It connects to 1 cross-referenced passage elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

And

MosesמֹשֶׁהMôsheh/mo-sheh'/H4872Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver

spakeדָבַרdâbar/daw-bar'/H1696perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue

unto

the

people,עַםʻam/am/H5971a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock

saying,אָמַרʼâmar/aw-mar'/H559to say (used with great latitude)

Armחָלַץchâlats/khaw-lats'/H2502to pull off; hence (intensively) to strip, (reflex.) to depart; by implication, to deliver, equip (for fight); present, strengthen

someאֱנוֹשׁʼĕnôwsh/en-oshe'/H582a man in general (singly or collectively)

yourselves

unto

the

war,צָבָאtsâbâʼ/tsaw-baw'/H6635a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (specifically, hardship, worship)

and

let

them

against

the

Midianites,מִדְיָןMidyân/mid-yawn'/H4080Midjan, a son of Abraham; also his country and (collectively) his descendants

and

avengeנָתַןnâthan/naw-than'/H5414to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

the

LORDיְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâh/yeh-ho-vaw'/H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of God

Midian.מִדְיָןMidyân/mid-yawn'/H4080Midjan, a son of Abraham; also his country and (collectively) his descendants

Commentary on Numbers 31:3

HENRY_FULL · Numbers 31:1–3

ng of the People. ( b. c. 1452.) 1 And it came to pass after the plague, that the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying, 2 Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, throughout their fathers' house, all that are able to go to war in Israel. 3 And Moses and Eleazar the priest spake with them in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying, 4 Take the sum of the people, from twenty years old and upward; as the Lord commanded Moses and the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt. Observe here, 1. That Moses did not number the people but when God commanded him. David in his time did it without a command, and paid dearly for it. God was Israel's king, and he would not have this act of authority done but by his express orders. Moses, perhaps, by this time, had heard of the blessing with which Balaam was constrained, sorely against his will, to bless Israel, and particularly the notice he took of their numbers; and he was sufficiently pleased with that general testimony borne to this instance of their strength and honour by an adversary, though he knew not their numbers exactly, till God now appointed him to take the sum of them. 2. Eleazar was joined in commission with him, as Aaron had been before, by which God honoured Eleazar before the elders of his people, and confirmed his succession. 3. It was presently after the plague that this account was ordered to be taken, to show that though God had in justice contended with them by that sweeping pestilence, yet he had not made a full end, nor would he utterly cast them off. God's Israel shall not be ruined, though it be severely rebuked. 4. They were now to go by the same rule that they had gone by in the former numbering, counting those only that were able to go forth to war, for this was the service now before them. 5 Reuben, the eld

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Numbers 31:6

And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand.

Topics

Desert, Journey of Israel Through The Midianites

People & places in this verse

People

Moses

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Numbers 31:3.

1 Chronicles 12:23

And these are the numbers of the bands that were ready armed to the war, and came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the LORD. bands: or, captains, or, men: Heb. heads

1 Chronicles 12:24

The children of Judah that bare shield and spear were six thousand and eight hundred, ready armed to the war. armed: or, prepared

1 Chronicles 12:8

And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains; of war: Heb. of the host as swift: Heb. as the roes upon the mountains to make haste

1 Chronicles 5:18

The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skilful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war. valiant: Heb. sons of valour

1 Chronicles 7:40

All these were the children of Asher, heads of their father's house, choice and mighty men of valour, chief of the princes. And the number throughout the genealogy of them that were apt to the war and to battle was twenty and six thousand men.

2 Chronicles 17:18

And next him was Jehozabad, and with him an hundred and fourscore thousand ready prepared for the war.

2 Kings 25:19

And out of the city he took an officer that was set over the men of war, and five men of them that were in the king's presence, which were found in the city, and the principal scribe of the host, which mustered the people of the land, and threescore men of the people of the land that were found in the city: officer: or, eunuch were in: Heb. saw the king's face principal: or, scribe of the captain of the host

Exodus 3:1

Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.

Frequently asked questions

What does Numbers 31:3 say?

Numbers 31:3 (King James Version) reads: "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."

Is Numbers 31:3 in the Old or New Testament?

Numbers 31:3 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Numbers.

Reflect

As you read Numbers 31:3, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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