King James Version

Numbers 31:3

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.

Study

Hebrew

Tap a word to see its meaning. Words run left to right in English reading order.

וַיְדַבֵּ֤רvaydaberand speakדָבַרconjunction, verb, piel, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and speak”, the next action in the storyH1696perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdueanswer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, [idiom] well, [idiom] work.מֹשֶׁה֙moshehMosesמֹשֶׁהnoun, proper name — “Moses”H4872Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiverMoses.אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).הָעָ֣םhaamthe peopleעַםdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the people”, the ordinary formH5971a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flockfolk, men, nation, people.לֵאמֹ֔רlemorto sayאָמַרpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to say”, the to-form of the verbH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…הֵחָלְצ֧וּhechaletsvdeliverחָלַץverb, niphal, imperative, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “deliver”, a commandH2502to pull off; hence (intensively) to strip, (reflex.) to depart; by implication, to deliver, equip (for fight); present, strengthenarm (self), (go, ready) armed ([idiom] man, soldier), deliver, draw out, make fat, loose, (ready) prepared, put off, take away, withdraw self.מֵאִתְּכֶ֛םmeitkhemfrom amongאֵתpreposition, preposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “from among”H854properly, nearness (used only as a preposition or an adverb), near; hence, generally, with, by, at, among, etc.against, among, before, by, for, from, in(-to), (out) of, with. Often with another prepositional prefix.אֲנָשִׁ֖יםanashima certainאִישׁnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “a certain”, the ordinary formH376a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phra…לַצָּבָ֑אlatsavato armyצָבָאpreposition, with the article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “to army”, the ordinary formH6635a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (specifically, hardship, worship)appointed time, ([phrase]) army, ([phrase]) battle, company, host, service, soldiers, waiting upon, war(-fare).וְיִהְיוּ֙veyihyvand beהָיָהconjunction, verb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and be”, an unfinished actionH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…מִדְיָ֔ןmidyanMidianמִדְיָןnoun, proper name — “Midian”H4080Midjan, a son of Abraham; also his country and (collectively) his descendantsMidian, Midianite.לָתֵ֥תlatetto giveנָתַןpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to give”, the to-form of the verbH5414to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] wi…נִקְמַתniqmatrevengeנְקָמָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “revenge”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5360avengement, whether the act of the passion[phrase] avenge, revenge(-ing), vengeance.יְהוָ֖הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).בְּמִדְיָֽןbemidyanin Midianמִדְיָןpreposition, noun, proper name — “in Midian”H4080Midjan, a son of Abraham; also his country and (collectively) his descendantsMidian, Midianite.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And Moses spoke unto the people, saying: 'Arm ye men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian, to execute the LORD'S vengeance on Midian.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

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.

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;

World English Bible

Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm men from among you for war, that they may go against Midian, to execute Yahweh’s vengeance on Midian.

Darby 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.

Douay-Rheims

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

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And Moses spoke unto the people, saying: 'Arm ye men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian, to execute the LORD'S vengeance on Midian.

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And Moses spoke to the people, saying, Arm some of you, and set yourselves in array before the Lord against Madian, to inflict vengeance on Madian from the Lord.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ ἐλάλησε Μωυσῆς πρὸς τὸν λαὸν, λέγων, ἐξοπλίσατε ἐξ ὑμῶν ἄνδρας, καὶ παρατάξασθε ἔναντι Κυρίου ἐπὶ Μαδιὰν, ἀποδοῦναι ἐκδίκησιν παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου τῇ Μαδιάν.