◄ Numbers 31:3 ►
And Moses spoke to the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves to the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the LORD of Midian.
Treasury of Scripture

arm some

Exodus 17:9-13 And Moses said to Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek...

avenge the Lord. It was God's quarrel, not their own, that they were now to take up. These people were idolaters, and had seduced the Israelites to practise the same abominations. Idolatry is an offence against God; and the civil power has no authority to meddle with what belongs to him, without especial directions, certified, as in this case, in the most unequivocal manner. Private revenge, ambition, or avarice were to have no place in this business: Jehovah is to be avenged; and through Him, the children of Israel, because they were nearly ruined by their idolatries. If Jehovah, instead of punishing sinners by earthquakes, pestilence, or famine,is please expressly to command any person or people to avenge his cause, this commission justified, nay sanctifies, war, massacre, or devastation. Though none at present shew such a commission, yet the Israelites could; and it is therefore absurd to censure Moses, Joshua, and Israel, for the dreadful slaughter made by them. God himself passed sentence of condemnation, and employed them merely as ministers of his vengeance; and unless it could be proved that the criminals did not deserve their doom, or that God had no right to punish his rebellious creatures, such objectors only shew their enmity to God by becoming the unsolicited advocates of his enemies.

Numbers 25:11,13 Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my wrath away from the children of Israel...

Exodus 17:16 For he said, Because the LORD has sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

Leviticus 26:25 And I will bring a sword on you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when you are gathered together within your cities...

Judges 5:2,23 Praise you the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves...

2 Kings 9:7 And you shall smite the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets...

2 Kings 10:30 And the LORD said to Jehu, Because you have done well in executing that which is right in my eyes...

Jeremiah 46:10 For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour...

Jeremiah 50:28 The voice of them that flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God...



Context
Vengeance on Midian

1And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shall you be gathered to your people. 3And Moses spoke to the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves to the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the LORD of Midian. 4Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall you send to the war. 5So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. 6And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand. 7And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew all the males. 8And 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. 9And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and their little ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods. 10And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelled, and all their goodly castles, with fire. 11And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of men and of beasts. 12And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, to Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the children of Israel, to the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by Jordan near Jericho. 13And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp. 14And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle. 15And Moses said to them, Have you saved all the women alive? 16Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD. 17Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that has known man by lying with him. 18But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves. 19And do you abide without the camp seven days: whoever has killed any person, and whoever has touched any slain, purify both yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day. 20And purify all your raiment, and all that is made of skins, and all work of goats' hair, and all things made of wood. 21And Eleazar the priest said to the men of war which went to the battle, This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD commanded Moses; 22Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead, 23Every thing that may abide the fire, you shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that stays not the fire you shall make go through the water. 24And you shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and you shall be clean, and afterward you shall come into the camp.
Parallel Verses
American Standard Version
And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm ye men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian, to execute Jehovah's vengeance on Midian.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Moses forthwith said: Arm of you men to fight, who may take the revenge of the Lord on the Madianites.

Darby Bible Translation
And Moses spoke to the people, saying, Arm from amongst you men for military service, that they go against Midian to execute Jehovah's vengeance upon Midian.

King James Bible
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.

Young's Literal Translation
And Moses speaketh unto the people, saying, 'Be ye armed some of you for the host, and they are against Midian, to put the vengeance of Jehovah on Midian;

Numbers 31:2
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