Bible Strands
Numbers 31:14
But Moses was angry with the officers of the army—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—who were returning from the battle.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses confronts the returning military commanders of thousands and hundreds outside the camp, immediately after they have brought back the spoils and captives from battle.
The words — The Hebrew וַיִּקְצֹף (va-yiqtzof) translates literally as "and he was angry," directed עַל (al, "toward") the פְקוּדֵי הַחַיִל (pequde ha-chayil, officers of the army).
The thread — This confrontation mirrors other recorded instances of Moses' anger toward leaders, including his rage at the calf and dancing (Exodus 32:19) and his anger toward the priests for burning the sin offering (Leviticus 10:16).
Why it lands — The text records Moses' immediate rebuke of the officers for their handling of the campaign before any discussion of the captives begins, demanding accountability for how military orders were executed.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle.
Cross-references
- Exodus 32:19 As Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, he burned with anger and threw the tablets out of his hands, shattering them at the base of the mountain.
- Exodus 32:22 “Do not be enraged, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know that the people are intent on evil.
- Leviticus 10:16 Later, Moses searched carefully for the goat of the sin offering, and behold, it had been burned up. He was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s remaining sons, and asked,
- Numbers 12:3 Now Moses was a very humble man, more so than any man on the face of the earth.
- Numbers 31:48 Then the officers who were over the units of the army—the commanders of thousands and of hundreds—approached Moses
- 1 Samuel 15:13 When Samuel reached him, Saul said to him, “May the LORD bless you. I have carried out the LORD’s instructions.”
- 1 Kings 20:42 And the prophet said to the king, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because you have let slip from your hand the man I had devoted to destruction, your life will be exchanged for his life, and your people for his people.’”
- 2 Kings 13:19 But the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times. Then you would have struck down Aram until you had put an end to it. But now you will strike down Aram only three times.”
- Ephesians 4:26 “Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun set upon your anger,