Bible Strands
Numbers 31:3
So Moses told the people, “Arm some of your men for war, that they may go against the Midianites and execute the LORD’s vengeance on them.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses addresses the Israelite community immediately after receiving a direct command to take vengeance on the Midianites. He issues this directive as the opening step in mobilizing the nation for the campaign.
The words — The imperative הֵחָלְצוּ (he.chal.Tzu) literally means "be equipped" or "arm yourselves," directing the people to prepare for combat. The phrase אֲנָשִׁים מֵאִתְּכֶם (ana.shim me./'i.te./Khem) specifies drawing "men from among you" to form the fighting contingent.
The thread — The text records Moses instructing the people to arm themselves and march against the Midianites to execute divine vengeance. This sequence mirrors the mobilization for Amalek in Exodus 17:9 and Exodus 17:16, and parallels the covenantal sword-judgment described in Leviticus 26:25.
Why it lands — The passage requires immediate compliance with a specific military mandate without hesitation or debate. It demands acknowledgment that the stated judgment proceeds through human agents acting solely on explicit instruction.
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 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.
Cross-references
- Leviticus 26:25 And I will bring a sword against you to execute the vengeance of the covenant. Though you withdraw into your cities, I will send a plague among you, and you will be delivered into the hand of the enemy.
- Exodus 17:9 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.”
- Exodus 17:16 “Indeed,” he said, “a hand was lifted up toward the throne of the LORD. The LORD will war against Amalek from generation to generation.”
- Numbers 25:11 “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned My wrath away from the Israelites; for he was zealous for My sake among them, so that I did not consume the Israelites in My zeal.
- Numbers 25:13 It will be a covenant of permanent priesthood for him and his descendants, because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for the Israelites.”
- Judges 5:2 “When the princes take the lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, bless the LORD.
- Judges 5:23 ‘Curse Meroz,’ says the angel of the LORD. ‘Bitterly curse her inhabitants; for they did not come to help the LORD, to help the LORD against the mighty.’
- 2 Kings 9:7 And you are to strike down the house of your master Ahab, so that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets and the blood of all the servants of the LORD shed by the hand of Jezebel.
- 2 Kings 10:30 Nevertheless, the LORD said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in My sight and have done to the house of Ahab all that was in My heart, four generations of your sons will sit on the throne of Israel.”
- Jeremiah 46:10 For that day belongs to the Lord GOD of Hosts, a day of vengeance against His foes. The sword will devour until it is satisfied, until it is quenched with their blood. For the Lord GOD of Hosts will hold a sacrifice in the land of the north by the River Euphrates.