Numbers 31:2
New International Version
“Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people.”

New Living Translation
“On behalf of the people of Israel, take revenge on the Midianites for leading them into idolatry. After that, you will die and join your ancestors.”

English Standard Version
“Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.”

Berean Standard Bible
“Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people.”

King James Bible
Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.

New King James Version
“Take vengeance on the Midianites for the children of Israel. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.”

New American Standard Bible
“Take vengeance on the Midianites for the sons of Israel; afterward you will be gathered to your people.”

NASB 1995
“Take full vengeance for the sons of Israel on the Midianites; afterward you will be gathered to your people.”

NASB 1977
“Take full vengeance for the sons of Israel on the Midianites; afterward you will be gathered to your people.”

Legacy Standard Bible
“Take full vengeance for the sons of Israel on the Midianites; afterward you will be gathered to your people.”

Amplified Bible
“Take vengeance for the Israelites on the Midianites; afterward you will be gathered to your people [in death].”

Christian Standard Bible
“Execute vengeance for the Israelites against the Midianites. After that, you will be gathered to your people.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Execute vengeance for the Israelites against the Midianites. After that, you will be gathered to your people.”

American Standard Version
Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.

Contemporary English Version
"Before you die, make sure that the Midianites are punished for what they did to Israel."

English Revised Version
Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Get even with the Midianites for what they did to the Israelites. After that you will join your ancestors [in death]."

Good News Translation
"Punish the Midianites for what they did to the people of Israel. After you have done that, you will die."

International Standard Version
"Be sure to exact vengeance on behalf of the Israelis from the Midianites, after which you'll be taken home to your people."

Majority Standard Bible
?Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people.?

NET Bible
"Exact vengeance for the Israelites on the Midianites--after that you will be gathered to your people."

New Heart English Bible
"Avenge the children of Israel for the Midianites. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people."

Webster's Bible Translation
Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered to thy people.

World English Bible
“Avenge the children of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
“Execute the vengeance of the sons of Israel against the Midianites—afterward you are gathered to your people.”

Young's Literal Translation
'Execute the vengeance of the sons of Israel against the Midianites -- afterwards thou art gathered unto thy people.'

Smith's Literal Translation
Avenge the avenging of the sons of Israel of the Midianites: afterwards thou shalt be gathered to thy people.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Revenge first the children of Israel on the Madianites, and so thou shalt be gathered to thy people.

Catholic Public Domain Version
“First, avenge the sons of Israel from the Midianites, and then you shall be gathered to your people.”

New American Bible
Avenge the Israelites on the Midianites, and then you will be gathered to your people.

New Revised Standard Version
“Avenge the Israelites on the Midianites; afterward you shall be gathered to your people.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Avenge the children of Israel against the Midianites; afterward you shall be gathered to your people.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
“Be avenged with the vengeance of the children of Israel from the Midianites and then you shall be gathered to your people.”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites; afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Avenge the wrongs of the children of Israel on the Madianites, and afterwards thou shalt be added to thy people.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Vengeance on Midian
1And the LORD said to Moses, 2“Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people.” 3So 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.…

Cross References
Exodus 17:14-16
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as a reminder and recite it to Joshua, because I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” / And Moses built an altar and named it The LORD Is My Banner. / “Indeed,” he said, “a hand was lifted up toward the throne of the LORD. The LORD will war against Amalek from generation to generation.”

Deuteronomy 25:17-19
Remember what the Amalekites did to you along your way from Egypt, / how they met you on your journey when you were tired and weary, and they attacked all your stragglers; they had no fear of God. / When the LORD your God gives you rest from the enemies around you in the land that He is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you are to blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!

1 Samuel 15:2-3
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘I witnessed what the Amalekites did to the Israelites when they opposed them on their way up from Egypt. / Now go and attack the Amalekites and devote to destruction all that belongs to them. Do not spare them, but put to death men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”

Joshua 13:21-22
all the cities of the plateau and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon until Moses killed him and the chiefs of Midian (Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba), the princes of Sihon who lived in the land. / The Israelites also killed the diviner Balaam son of Beor along with the others they put to the sword.

Judges 6:1-10
Again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; so He delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years, / and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. / Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and other people of the east would come up and invade them, ...

Psalm 83:9-18
Do to them as You did to Midian, as to Sisera and Jabin at the River Kishon, / who perished at Endor and became like dung on the ground. / Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, and all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna, ...

Isaiah 63:1-6
Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah with crimson-stained garments? Who is this robed in splendor, marching in the greatness of His strength? “It is I, proclaiming vindication, mighty to save.” / Why are Your clothes red, and Your garments like one who treads the winepress? / “I have trodden the winepress alone, and no one from the nations was with Me. I trampled them in My anger and trod them down in My fury; their blood spattered My garments, and all My clothes were stained. ...

Jeremiah 50:21-22
Go up against the land of Merathaim, and against the residents of Pekod. Kill them and devote them to destruction. Do all that I have commanded you,” declares the LORD. / “The noise of battle is in the land—the noise of great destruction.

Ezekiel 25:12-14
This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because Edom acted vengefully against the house of Judah, and in so doing incurred grievous guilt, / therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: I will stretch out My hand against Edom and cut off from it both man and beast. I will make it a wasteland, and from Teman to Dedan they will fall by the sword. / I will take My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel, and they will deal with Edom according to My anger and wrath. Then they will know My vengeance, declares the Lord GOD.’

Obadiah 1:10-14
Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame and cut off forever. / On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gate and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were just like one of them. / But you should not gloat in that day, your brother’s day of misfortune, nor rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction, nor boast proudly in the day of their distress. ...

Matthew 5:38-39
You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ / But I tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also;

Luke 18:7-8
Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay in helping them? / I tell you, He will promptly carry out justice on their behalf. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”

Romans 12:19
Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”

2 Corinthians 10:3-6
For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh. / The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the flesh. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. / We demolish arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. ...

Ephesians 6:10-18
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. / Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. / For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ...


Treasury of Scripture

Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shall you be gathered to your people.

Avenge

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.

Numbers 25:17,18
Vex the Midianites, and smite them: …

Deuteronomy 32:35
To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.

the Midianites

Numbers 25:6,14-18
And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation…

Genesis 25:1-4
Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah…

Exodus 2:16
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.

gathered

Numbers 27:13
And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered.

Genesis 15:15
And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.

Genesis 25:8,17
Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people…

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Afterward Afterwards Children Execute Israel Israelites Midianites Mid'ianites Peoples Punishment Rest Vengeance Wrong
Numbers 31
1. The Midianites are spoiled, and Balaam slain
13. Moses is angry with the officers, for saving the women alive
19. How the soldiers, with their captives and spoil, are to be purified
25. The proportion in which the prey is to be divided
48. The voluntary offering unto the treasure of the Lord














Take vengeance
The phrase "take vengeance" in Numbers 31:2 is a directive from God to Moses, emphasizing divine justice. The Hebrew root word for "vengeance" is "naqam," which implies a retributive justice that is righteous and holy. In the context of the Old Testament, vengeance is not about personal vendetta but about restoring divine order and justice. This command reflects God's sovereignty and His role as the ultimate judge who enacts justice on behalf of His people. It is a reminder that vengeance belongs to the Lord, as echoed in Romans 12:19, and that His judgments are always just and purposeful.

on the Midianites
The Midianites were a nomadic people who had previously allied with the Moabites to lead Israel into sin, as recorded in Numbers 25. Historically, the Midianites were descendants of Abraham through his wife Keturah, making them distant relatives of the Israelites. However, their actions against Israel, particularly in leading them into idolatry and immorality, warranted divine retribution. This phrase highlights the seriousness of their transgressions and the need for Israel to remain pure and distinct from surrounding nations. It serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of compromising with ungodly influences.

for the Israelites
The phrase "for the Israelites" underscores the covenant relationship between God and His chosen people. The Israelites were set apart to be a holy nation, and God's actions on their behalf were to protect and preserve them. This divine intervention was not only a response to the immediate threat posed by the Midianites but also a reaffirmation of God's promises to Israel. It illustrates God's faithfulness and His commitment to His people, ensuring their survival and spiritual integrity. This phrase reminds believers of the protective nature of God's covenant and His unwavering dedication to those He calls His own.

After that
The phrase "After that" indicates a sequence of events, suggesting that the task of taking vengeance on the Midianites was a priority before other matters could be addressed. It implies a sense of urgency and importance in fulfilling God's command. This temporal marker also signifies a transition in Moses' leadership, as it precedes the announcement of his impending death. It serves as a reminder of the importance of obedience to God's directives and the fulfillment of one's divine mission before moving on to the next phase of God's plan.

you will be gathered to your people
The phrase "you will be gathered to your people" is a euphemism for death, often used in the Old Testament. It reflects the belief in an afterlife where the deceased are reunited with their ancestors. For Moses, this phrase signifies the end of his earthly journey and his transition to eternal rest. It is a poignant reminder of the mortality of even the greatest leaders and the hope of reunion with the faithful who have gone before. This phrase encourages believers to live with an eternal perspective, understanding that earthly life is temporary and that faithfulness to God's calling leads to a promised eternal inheritance.

Verse 2. - Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites. The war was to be distinctly one of vengeance on the part of Israel. On the grave moral question which arises out of this war, and of the manner in which it was carried on, see the note at the end of the chapter. Afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people. It is quite possible that Moses himself had been reluctant to order the expedition against Midian, either because it involved so much bloodshed, or, more probably, because he foresaw the difficulty which actually arose about the women of Midian. If so, he was here reminded that his place was to obey, and that his work on earth was not done so long as the Midianites remained unpunished.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Take vengeance
נְקֹ֗ם (nə·qōm)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 5358: To grudge, avenge, punish

on
מֵאֵ֖ת (mê·’êṯ)
Preposition-m | Direct object marker
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

the Midianites
הַמִּדְיָנִ֑ים (ham·miḏ·yā·nîm)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 4084: Midianite -- a descendant of Midian

for the Israelites.
בְּנֵ֣י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

After that,
אַחַ֖ר (’a·ḥar)
Adverb
Strong's 310: The hind or following part

you will be gathered
תֵּאָסֵ֥ף (tê·’ā·sêp̄)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 622: To gather for, any purpose, to receive, take away, remove

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

your people.”
עַמֶּֽיךָ׃ (‘am·me·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock


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OT Law: Numbers 31:2 Avenge the children of Israel (Nu Num.)
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