Numbers 31:8
New International Version
Among their victims were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba—the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.

New Living Translation
All five of the Midianite kings—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—died in the battle. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.

English Standard Version
They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. And they also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword.

Berean Standard Bible
Among the slain were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.

King James Bible
And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.

New King James Version
They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of those who were killed—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. Balaam the son of Beor they also killed with the sword.

New American Standard Bible
They killed the kings of Midian along with the rest of those killed: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword.

NASB 1995
They killed the kings of Midian along with the rest of their slain: Evi and Rekem and Zur and Hur and Reba, the five kings of Midian; they also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword.

NASB 1977
And they killed the kings of Midian along with the rest of their slain: Evi and Rekem and Zur and Hur and Reba, the five kings of Midian; they also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword.

Legacy Standard Bible
They killed the kings of Midian along with the rest of their slain: Evi and Rekem and Zur and Hur and Reba, the five kings of Midian; they also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword.

Amplified Bible
They killed the kings of Midian along with the rest of their slain: Evi and Rekem and Zur [the father of Cozbi] and Hur and Reba, the five kings of Midian; also Balaam the son of Beor they killed with the sword.

Christian Standard Bible
Along with the others slain by them, they killed the Midianite kings—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Along with the others slain by them, they killed the Midianite kings—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.

American Standard Version
And they slew the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.

Contemporary English Version
including Balaam son of Beor and the five Midianite kings, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba.

English Revised Version
And they slew the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain; Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Among those killed were the five kings of Midian-Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. They also killed Balaam, son of Beor, in battle.

Good News Translation
including the five kings of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. They also killed Balaam son of Beor.

International Standard Version
They executed the five kings of Midian, including Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. They also executed Beor's son Balaam with a sword.

Majority Standard Bible
Among the slain were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba?the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.

NET Bible
They killed the kings of Midian in addition to those slain--Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba--five Midianite kings. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.

New Heart English Bible
They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they killed with the sword.

Webster's Bible Translation
And they slew the kings of Midian, besides the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.

World English Bible
They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and they have slain the kings of Midian besides their pierced ones: Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba—five kings of Midian; and they have slain Balaam son of Beor with the sword.

Young's Literal Translation
and the kings of Midian they have slain, besides their pierced ones, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian; and Balaam son of Beor, they have slain with the sword.

Smith's Literal Translation
And they killed the kings of Midian upon those being slain: Evi and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: and they killed Balaam, son of Beor, with the sword.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And their kings Evi, and Recem, and Sur, and Hur, and Rebe, five princes of the nation: Balaam also the son of Beer they killed with the sword.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they put to death by the sword their kings: Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, the five leaders of the nation, and also Balaam the son of Beor.

New American Bible
Besides those slain in battle, they killed the kings of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba, the five kings of Midian; and they also killed Balaam, son of Beor, with the sword.

New Revised Standard Version
They killed the kings of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian, in addition to others who were slain by them; and they also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And they slew the kings of Midian with the rest of those that were slain; namely, Evi, Rakim, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian; Balaam also, the son of Beor, they slew with the sword.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they killed the Kings of Midian with their slain: Avi and Raqem and Tsur and Khur and Raba, five Kings, Midianites, and they killed Balaam, son of Beor, with a sword.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And they slew the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian; Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they slew the kings of Madian together with their slain subjects; even Evi and Rocon, and Sur, and Ur, and Roboc, five kings of Madian; and they slew with the sword Balaam the son of Beor with their other slain.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Vengeance on Midian
7Then they waged war against Midian, as the LORD had commanded Moses, and they killed every male. 8 Among the slain were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba— the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword. 9The Israelites captured the Midianite women and their children, and they plundered all their herds, flocks, and goods.…

Cross References
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.

Deuteronomy 3:1-6
Then we turned and went up the road to Bashan, and Og king of Bashan and his whole army came out to meet us in battle at Edrei. / But the LORD said to me, “Do not fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand, along with all his people and his land. Do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon.” / So the LORD our God also delivered Og king of Bashan and his whole army into our hands. We struck them down until no survivor was left. ...

1 Samuel 15:32-33
Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag king of the Amalekites.” Agag came to him cheerfully, for he thought, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.” / But Samuel declared: “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.

Judges 6:1-5
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, ...

Joshua 6:21
With the edge of the sword they devoted to destruction everything in the city—man and woman, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys.

1 Kings 11:14-25
Then the LORD raised up against Solomon an adversary, Hadad the Edomite, from the royal line of Edom. / Earlier, when David was in Edom, Joab the commander of the army had gone to bury the dead and had struck down every male in Edom. / Joab and all Israel had stayed there six months, until he had killed every male in Edom. ...

2 Kings 3:4-27
Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he would render to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams. / But after the death of Ahab, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. / So at that time King Jehoram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel. ...

Psalm 83:9-11
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 9:4
For as in the day of Midian You have shattered the yoke of their burden, the bar across their shoulders, and the rod of their oppressor.

Isaiah 10:26
And the LORD of Hosts will brandish a whip against them, as when He struck Midian at the rock of Oreb. He will raise His staff over the sea, as He did in Egypt.

Matthew 5:17
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.

Hebrews 11:32-34
And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, / who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, / quenched the raging fire, and escaped the edge of the sword; who gained strength from weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.

2 Peter 2:15
They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.

Jude 1:11
Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion.

Revelation 2:14
But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.


Treasury of Scripture

And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.

the kings

Numbers 22:4
And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.

Joshua 13:21,22
And all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses smote with the princes of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, which were dukes of Sihon, dwelling in the country…

Zur

Numbers 25:15,18
And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head over a people, and of a chief house in Midian…

Balaam

Numbers 22:10
And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,

Numbers 24:25
And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.

Joshua 13:22
Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them.

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Balaam Beor Be'or Besides Evi Hur Killed Kings Midian Mid'ian Namely Others Reba Rekem Rest Slain Slew Sword Victims Zur
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Balaam Beor Be'or Besides Evi Hur Killed Kings Midian Mid'ian Namely Others Reba Rekem Rest Slain Slew Sword Victims Zur
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














Among the slain
This phrase indicates the outcome of a battle, emphasizing the completeness of the victory. In Hebrew, the word for "slain" is "הַחֲלָלִים" (hachalalim), which refers to those who have been killed in battle. This highlights the severity of the conflict and the decisive nature of God's judgment against the Midianites, as commanded in earlier passages.

Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba
These names represent the five kings of Midian. Each name carries its own historical and cultural significance. The Midianites were descendants of Abraham through Keturah, and their kings were leaders of a people who had led Israel into sin (Numbers 25). The mention of these specific names underscores the thoroughness of the divine retribution against those who opposed God's people.

the five kings of Midian
The number five here is significant, as it represents completeness in biblical numerology. The Midianites were a confederation of tribes, and the defeat of all their kings symbolizes the total dismantling of their power. Historically, this reflects the common practice of listing defeated kings to demonstrate the extent of a military victory.

They also killed Balaam son of Beor
Balaam, a prophet who had previously blessed Israel (Numbers 23-24), is now mentioned among the slain. His death signifies the end of his influence and the consequences of his actions against Israel. Despite his earlier blessings, Balaam's counsel led to Israel's sin with the Moabite women (Numbers 31:16), and his death serves as a sobering reminder of the wages of sin.

with the sword
The sword is a symbol of divine judgment and warfare. In Hebrew, "בַּחֶרֶב" (bacherav) indicates the instrument of execution. This phrase emphasizes the fulfillment of God's command to Moses to take vengeance on the Midianites (Numbers 31:2). The sword represents the means by which God's justice is enacted, serving as a reminder of the seriousness of opposing God's will.

(8) And they slew the kings of Midian . . . --Those persons who are here described as kings appear to have been chiefs of the more powerful Midianitish tribes, just in the same way as Zur is represented in Numbers 25:15. They are described in Joshua 13:21 as "princes" or "chiefs," and as "dukes" or "princes" of Sihon, by which expression it appears that they were his vassals.

Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.--The death of Balaam by the sword of the Israelites presents a strange and instructive contrast to the prayer which he uttered that he might die the death of the righteous (Numbers 23:10). Few of the ancient prophecies are more remarkable, as Bishop Wordsworth has observed, than those of Balaam for "spirituality of conception and sublimity of expression." And if, as some think, we are to understand Micah 6:8 as containing the actual words which were addressed by Balaam to Balak, few men possessed a clearer perception of moral truth than that which is expressed in the words, "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? "And yet, notwithstanding the light which Balaam possessed, the sublimity of the prophecies which he uttered, and the purity of the motives by which he professed to be actuated, he "loved the wages of unrighteousness," and gave himself up to do Satan's bidding in "casting a stumbling-block before the children of Israel," and miserably perished amongst the enemies of God and of His people. Bishop Wordsworth draws a striking and instructive contrast between Balaam and Moses, both of whom had visions of Christ and prophesied of Him, whilst one loved the wages of unrighteousness, and the other did all for God's glory.

Verse 8. - They slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain. This is more accurately rendered by the Septuagint, τοῦς βασιλεὶς., ἀπέκτειναν ἅμα τοῖς τραυματίαις: "they put to death (הָרַג) the kings, in addition to those who fell in battle" (from חָלַל, to pierce, or wound). These five kings, who are mentioned here as having been slain in cold blood after the battle, are said in Joshua 13:21 to have been vassals (נְסִיכֵי) of the Amoritish king Sihon, and to have dwelt "in the country." From this it has been concluded by some that the Midianites at this time destroyed included only certain tribes which had settled down within the territory afterwards assigned to Reuben, and had become tributary to Sihon. This would account for the fact that the present victory was so easy and so complete, and also for the otherwise inexplicable fact that the Midianites appear again as a formidable power some two centuries later. Zur. The father of Cozbi (Numbers 25:15). Balsam also... they slew with the sword. Not in battle, but, as the context implies, by way of judicial execution (see on Numbers 24:25; Joshua 13:22).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Along
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

with those who were slain,
חַלְלֵיהֶ֗ם (ḥal·lê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 2491: Pierced, polluted

they killed
הָרְג֣וּ (hā·rə·ḡū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 2026: To smite with deadly intent

the kings
מַלְכֵ֨י (mal·ḵê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Midian—
מִדְיָ֜ן (miḏ·yān)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4080: Midian -- a son of Abraham and Keturah, also his descendants and the region where they settled

Evi,
אֱוִ֤י (’ĕ·wî)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 189: Evi -- one of five chiefs of Midian

Rekem,
רֶ֙קֶם֙ (re·qem)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7552: Rekem -- 'having many colors', a Midianite king, also two Israelites, also a city in Benjamin

Zur,
צ֤וּר (ṣūr)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6698: Zur -- 'rock', a Midianite, also a Gibeonite

Hur,
חוּר֙ (ḥūr)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 2354: Hur -- four Israelites, also a Midianite

and Reba—
רֶ֔בַע (re·ḇa‘)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7254: Reba -- a king of Midian

the five
חֲמֵ֖שֶׁת (ḥă·mê·šeṯ)
Number - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2568: Five

kings
מַלְכֵ֣י (mal·ḵê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Midian.
מִדְיָ֑ן (miḏ·yān)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4080: Midian -- a son of Abraham and Keturah, also his descendants and the region where they settled

They also killed
הָרְג֖וּ (hā·rə·ḡū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 2026: To smite with deadly intent

Balaam
בִּלְעָ֣ם (bil·‘ām)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1109: Balaam -- a prophet

son
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Beor
בְּע֔וֹר (bə·‘ō·wr)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1160: Beor -- 'a burning', father of an Edomite king, also the father of Balaam

with the sword.
בֶּחָֽרֶב׃ (be·ḥā·reḇ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword


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OT Law: Numbers 31:8 They killed the kings of Midian (Nu Num.)
Numbers 31:7
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