Numbers 31:4

Send into battle a thousand men from each tribe of Israel.”

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — God speaks directly to Moses, instructing him to organize the military response against Midian.

The words — The directive centers on תִּשְׁלְחוּ (tish.le.Chu), "you will send out," paired with אֶלֶף ('E.lef), "one thousand," to establish the exact tribal quota.

The thread — This mandate for precise tribal mobilization runs parallel to the military themes in Leviticus 26:8, Judges 7:2, and 1 Samuel 14:6.

Why it lands — It demands recognition of the text's explicit numerical and collective structure before any further application.

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

אֶ֚לֶף'E.lefone thousand לַמַּטֶּ֔הla./ma.Tehto the/ tribe אֶ֖לֶף'E.lefone thousand לַמַּטֶּ֑הla./ma.Tehto the/ tribe לְכֹל֙le./Kholfor/ all מַטּ֣וֹתma.Tot[the] tribes of יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElIsrael תִּשְׁלְח֖וּtish.le.Chuyou will send out לַצָּבָֽא׃la./tza.Va'to <the>/ war

King James Version

Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war.

Cross-references

Leviticus 26:8 Five of you will pursue a hundred, and a hundred of you will pursue ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you.
Judges 7:2 Then the LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men for Me to deliver Midian into their hands, lest Israel glorify themselves over Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’
1 Samuel 14:6 Jonathan said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the outpost of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD will work on our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.”