Bible Strands
Numbers 31:7
Then they waged war against Midian, as the LORD had commanded Moses, and they killed every male.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator records the Israelite forces executing Yahweh's directive to Moses during the campaign against Midian, following Moses' deployment of tribal contingents with Phinehas and the sanctuary vessels.
The words — וַֽ/יִּצְבְּאוּ֙ (va/i.yitz.be.'U) = and they waged war; צִוָּ֥ה (tzi.Vah) = he had commanded. These terms frame the military action as a direct fulfillment of a prior divine instruction.
The thread — The text parallels Judges 21:11, which commands devoting every male and sexually experienced female to destruction, while 1 Kings 11:15 and 1 Samuel 27:9 document David's troops striking down every male as a consistent tactical custom.
Why it lands — The passage records the complete elimination of Midianite males as a direct execution of Yahweh's command to Moses, requiring the reader to recognize the text's explicit claim of divine authorization for the action.
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 they warred against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses; and they slew all the males.
Cross-references
- Judges 21:11 This is what you are to do: Devote to destruction every male, as well as every female who has had relations with a man.”
- 1 Kings 11:15 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.
- 1 Samuel 27:9 Whenever David attacked a territory, he did not leave a man or woman alive, but he took the flocks and herds, the donkeys, camels, and clothing. Then he would return to Achish,
- Deuteronomy 20:13 When the LORD your God has delivered it into your hand, you must put every male to the sword.
- Judges 6:1 Again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; so He delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years,
- Judges 6:33 Then all the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east gathered together, crossed over the Jordan, and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.