Numbers 31:1
New International Version
The LORD said to Moses,

New Living Translation
Then the LORD said to Moses,

English Standard Version
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Berean Standard Bible
And the LORD said to Moses,

King James Bible
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

New King James Version
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:

New American Standard Bible
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

NASB 1995
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

NASB 1977
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Amplified Bible
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Christian Standard Bible
The LORD spoke to Moses,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The LORD spoke to Moses, “

American Standard Version
And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

Contemporary English Version
The LORD said to Moses,

English Revised Version
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The LORD said to Moses,

Good News Translation
The LORD said to Moses,

International Standard Version
Later, the LORD told Moses,

Majority Standard Bible
And the LORD said to Moses,

NET Bible
The LORD spoke to Moses:

New Heart English Bible
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

World English Bible
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And YHWH speaks to Moses, saying,

Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jehovah will speak to Moses, saying,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

New American Bible
The LORD said to Moses:

New Revised Standard Version
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
AND the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And LORD JEHOVAH spoke with Moshe and said to him:
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Vengeance on Midian
1And the LORD said to Moses, 2“Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people.”…

Cross References
Exodus 17:8-16
After this, the Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. / So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on the hilltop with the staff of God in my hand.” / Joshua did as Moses had instructed him and fought against the Amalekites, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. ...

Deuteronomy 25:17-19
Remember what the Amalekites did to you along your way from Egypt, / how they met you on your journey when you were tired and weary, and they attacked all your stragglers; they had no fear of God. / When the LORD your God gives you rest from the enemies around you in the land that He is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you are to blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!

Joshua 13:21-22
all the cities of the plateau and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon until Moses killed him and the chiefs of Midian (Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba), the princes of Sihon who lived in the land. / The Israelites also killed the diviner Balaam son of Beor along with the others they put to the sword.

1 Samuel 15:2-3
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘I witnessed what the Amalekites did to the Israelites when they opposed them on their way up from Egypt. / Now go and attack the Amalekites and devote to destruction all that belongs to them. Do not spare them, but put to death men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”

Judges 6:1-10
Again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; so He delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years, / and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. / Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east would come up and invade them, ...

1 Chronicles 4:43
and struck down the remnant of the Amalekites who had escaped. And they have lived there to this day.

Psalm 83:9-18
Do to them as You did to Midian, as to Sisera and Jabin at the River Kishon, / who perished at Endor and became like dung on the ground. / Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, and all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna, ...

Isaiah 63:1-6
Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah with crimson-stained garments? Who is this robed in splendor, marching in the greatness of His strength? “It is I, proclaiming vindication, mighty to save.” / Why are Your clothes red, and Your garments like one who treads the winepress? / “I have trodden the winepress alone, and no one from the nations was with Me. I trampled them in My anger and trod them down in My fury; their blood spattered My garments, and all My clothes were stained. ...

Ezekiel 25:12-14
This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because Edom acted vengefully against the house of Judah, and in so doing incurred grievous guilt, / therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: I will stretch out My hand against Edom and cut off from it both man and beast. I will make it a wasteland, and from Teman to Dedan they will fall by the sword. / I will take My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel, and they will deal with Edom according to My anger and wrath. Then they will know My vengeance, declares the Lord GOD.’

Revelation 19:11-21
Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war. / He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows. / He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God. ...

Matthew 5:17-18
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. / For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

Romans 12:19
Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”

2 Corinthians 10:3-6
For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh. / The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the flesh. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. / We demolish arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. ...

Ephesians 6:10-18
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. / Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. / For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ...

Hebrews 10:30-31
For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge His people.” / It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.


Treasury of Scripture

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

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Moses Speaketh
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Moses Speaketh
Numbers 31
1. The Midianites are spoiled, and Balaam slain
13. Moses is angry with the officers, for saving the women alive
19. How the soldiers, with their captives and spoil, are to be purified
25. The proportion in which the prey is to be divided
48. The voluntary offering unto the treasure of the Lord














And the LORD said to Moses,
This phrase indicates direct communication from God to Moses, a common occurrence in the Pentateuch, highlighting Moses' unique role as a prophet and leader of Israel. The LORD, or Yahweh, is the covenant name of God, emphasizing His faithfulness and authority. This communication underscores the theocratic nature of Israel's leadership, where divine guidance is paramount. Moses, as the mediator of God's will, is a type of Christ, who is the ultimate mediator between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5). This divine instruction sets the stage for the subsequent actions against the Midianites, reflecting God's justice and the fulfillment of His promises to protect and guide His people.
Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal presence and faithfulness to His promises. In this context, He is the divine authority giving instructions to Moses.

2. Moses
The leader of the Israelites, chosen by God to lead His people out of Egypt and through the wilderness. Moses acts as the intermediary between God and the Israelites.

3. The Israelites
God's chosen people, who are in the wilderness journey towards the Promised Land. They are the recipients of God's laws and commands through Moses.

4. Midianites (implied in the context)
A group of people who had previously led Israel into sin through idolatry and immorality, as seen in earlier chapters of Numbers.

5. The Wilderness
The setting for much of the Israelites' journey, representing both physical and spiritual challenges as they learn to trust and obey God.
Teaching Points
Divine Authority and Obedience
God speaks directly to Moses, highlighting the importance of listening to and obeying God's commands. As believers, we are called to seek God's guidance through His Word and be obedient to His instructions.

God's Justice
The context of Numbers 31:1 involves God's judgment on the Midianites for their role in leading Israel into sin. This reminds us of God's holiness and justice, and the seriousness of sin.

Leadership and Responsibility
Moses' role as a leader involves receiving and implementing God's commands. Christian leaders today are called to be faithful stewards of God's Word, guiding others in truth and righteousness.

Spiritual Warfare
The battle against the Midianites can be seen as a representation of the spiritual battles believers face. We are called to stand firm in faith, resisting sin and temptation.

Community Accountability
The Israelites' collective responsibility to address sin within their community underscores the importance of accountability and purity within the body of Christ.XXXI.

(1) Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites.--The time had now come for the fulfilment of the command which had already been given (see Numbers 25:16-18), after which Moses was to be gathered unto his people, as it had been revealed to him (Numbers 27:13). After Balaam had been dismissed by Balak, he appears to have gone, not to the Moabites, but to the Midianites; and it was in consequence of the counsel which he gave to the Midianites (Numbers 5:16) that the Israelites were reduced into the idolatrous and lascivious worship of Baal Peor. It is possible, also, that the Midianites, as the descendants of Abraham, may have possessed clearer light and greater privileges than the Moabites. They may have had many men as enlightened as Jethro amongst them, and consequently they may have incurred the greater guilt, and rendered themselves obnoxious to the severer punishment of those who, "after they have known the way of righteousness, turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them" (2Peter 2:21). But whether satisfactory reasons can or cannot be assigned why a more exemplary judgment should have been inflicted upon the Midianites than upon the Moabites, who were not left unpunished (see Deuteronomy 23:3-4), those only can maintain that the destruction of the Midianites is inconsistent with the justice or the goodness of God who deny that He has absolute control over the destinies of all the creatures of His hands, and that when it is His pleasure to recall the life which He has bestowed, it is for Him to determine what agents or what instruments it is best to employ. . . .

Verse 1. - The Lord spake unto Moses. The command to "vex the Midianites, and smite them," had been given before (Numbers 25:17), but how long before we cannot tell. Possibly the interval had been purposely allowed in order that the attack when it was made might be sudden and unexpected. From the fact that no resistance would seem to have been made to the Israelitish detachment, and that an enormous amount of plunder was secured, we may probably conclude that the Midianites had thought all danger past.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And the LORD
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

said
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר (way·ḏab·bêr)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Moses,
מֹשֶׁ֥ה (mō·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver


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OT Law: Numbers 31:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses saying (Nu Num.)
Numbers 30:16
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