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Numbers 31

Num. 31:3 KJV (With Strong’s)

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And Moses
Mosheh (Hebrew #4872)
drawing out (of the water), i.e. rescued; Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
KJV usage: Moses.
Pronounce: mo-sheh'
Origin: from 4871
spake
dabar (Hebrew #1696)
perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
KJV usage: answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, X well, X work.
Pronounce: daw-bar'
Origin: a primitive root
unto the people
`am (Hebrew #5971)
a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
KJV usage: folk, men, nation, people.
Pronounce: am
Origin: from 6004
, saying
'amar (Hebrew #559)
to say (used with great latitude)
KJV usage: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech), utter, X verily, X yet.
Pronounce: aw-mar'
Origin: a primitive root
, Arm
chalats (Hebrew #2502)
to pull off; hence (intensively) to strip, (reflex.) to depart; by implication, to deliver, equip (for fight); present, strengthen
KJV usage: arm (self), (go, ready) armed (X man, soldier), deliver, draw out, make fat, loose, (ready) prepared, put off, take away, withdraw self.
Pronounce: khaw-lats'
Origin: a primitive root
some
'enowsh (Hebrew #582)
properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the more dignified 120); hence, a man in general (singly or collectively)
KJV usage: another, X (blood-)thirsty, certain, chap(-man); divers, fellow, X in the flower of their age, husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some ( X of them), + stranger, those, + their trade. It is often unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in apposition with another word . Compare 376.
Pronounce: en-oshe'
Origin: from 605
of yourselves unto the war
tsaba' (Hebrew #6635)
from 6633; a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized for war (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (specifically, hardship, worship)
KJV usage: appointed time, (+) army, (+) battle, company, host, service, soldiers, waiting upon, war(-fare).
Pronounce: tsaw-baw'
Origin: or (feminine) tsbadah {tseb-aw-aw'}
, and let them go against the Midianites
Midyan (Hebrew #4080)
Midjan, a son of Abraham; also his country and (collectively) his descendants
KJV usage: Midian, Midianite.
Pronounce: mid-yawn'
Origin: the same as 4079
, and avenge
nqamah (Hebrew #5360)
avengement, whether the act of the passion
KJV usage: + avenge, revenge(-ing), vengeance.
Pronounce: nek-aw-maw'
Origin: feminine of 5359
nathan (Hebrew #5414)
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
KJV usage: add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, X avenge, X be ((healed)), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, + cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, X doubtless, X without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), + lie, lift up, make, + O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X pull , put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), + sing, + slander, strike, (sub-)mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, + weep, + willingly, + withdraw, + would (to) God, yield.
Pronounce: naw-than'
Origin: a primitive root
the Lord
Yhovah (Hebrew #3068)
(the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
KJV usage: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
Pronounce: yeh-ho-vaw'
Origin: from 1961
of Midian
Midyan (Hebrew #4080)
Midjan, a son of Abraham; also his country and (collectively) his descendants
KJV usage: Midian, Midianite.
Pronounce: mid-yawn'
Origin: the same as 4079
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More on:

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Midian; Midianites,
Moses,
War

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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Arm some.
Ex. 17:9‑13• 9And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.
 10So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
 11And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
 12But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
 13And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. (Ex. 17:9‑13)
avenge the Lord.It was God's quarrel, not their own, that they were now to take up.
These people were idolaters, and had seduced the Israelites to practise the same abominations.
Idolatry is an offence against God; and the civil power has no authority to meddle with what belongs to Him, without especial directions, certified, as in this case, in the most unequivocal manner. Private revenge, ambition, or avarice were to have no place in this business:
Jehovah is to be avenged; and through Him, the children of Israel, (ver. 2,) because they were nearly ruined by their idolatries.
If Jehovah, instead of punishing sinners by earthquakes, pestilence, or famine,is pleased expressly to command any person or people to avenge his cause, this commission justifies, nay sanctifies, war, massacre, or devastation.
Though none at present shew such a commission, yet the Israelites could; and it is therefore absurd to censure Moses, Joshua, and Israel, for the dreadful slaughter made by them.
God himself passed sentence of condemnation, and employed them merely as ministers of his vengeance; and unless it could be proved that the criminals did not deserve their doom, or that God had no right to punish his rebellious creatures, such objectors only shew their enmity to God by becoming the unsolicited advocates of his enemies.
Num. 25:11,13• 11Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.
 13And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel. (Num. 25:11,13)
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Ex. 17:16• 16For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. (Ex. 17:16)
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Lev. 26:25• 25And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. (Lev. 26:25)
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Judg. 5:2,23• 2Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.
 23Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty. (Judg. 5:2,23)
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2 Kings 9:7• 7And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, at the hand of Jezebel. (2 Kings 9:7)
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2 Kings 10:30• 30And the Lord said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel. (2 Kings 10:30)
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Jer. 46:10• 10For this is the day of the Lord God of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord God of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates. (Jer. 46:10)
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Jer. 50:28• 28The voice of them that flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the Lord our God, the vengeance of his temple. (Jer. 50:28)
• War is found in the wilderness (though it is not characteristic of it) whenever we fall into the snares the enemy there lays for us. There are always conflicts in the heavenly places in order to the enjoyment of the things promised there. But in the wilderness it is patience which is in exercise. (“Numbers 31” by J.N. Darby)
• If there be failure, if we fall into idolatry, if we commit fornication with the world by yielding to its baits, if in any way whatever we contract friendship with the world in the desert, we make wars for ourselves, without having even the advantage of acquiring, in this kind of warfare, any spiritual ground. (“Numbers 31” by J.N. Darby)

J. N. Darby Translation

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And Moses spoke to the people, saying, Arm from amongst you men for military service, that they goa against Midian to execute Jehovah’s vengeance upon Midian.

JND Translation Notes

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a
Lit. "be."