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Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Numbers 31:8

The five names of the kings may have been derived from an historical kernel of the story. They occur in the same order in Joshua 13:21; but there the tradition is different, since they are not only -princes of Midian" but -chiefs of Sihon," who were slain in the battle against Sihon. There, as here, Balaam is mentioned in conjunction with them.

Zur is mentioned in Numbers 25:15 as the head of a Midianite family.

Balaam also See on Numbers 25:6.

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See also Numbers 31:8 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Numbers 31:8. _BALAAM - THEY SLEW WITH THE SWORD._] This man had probably committed what St. John calls _the sin unto death _- a sin which God punishes with temporal death, while at the same tim...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    AND THEY SLEW ... WERE SLAIN ... - Render: And the kings of Midian they put to death, beside those that fell in the battle; namely, etc. From which it would seem that beside these five, put to death a...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    7. THE WAR AGAINST THE MIDIANITES CHAPTER 31 _ 1. The command to fight Midian (Numbers 31:1)_ 2. The war (Numbers 31:7) 3. The cleansing (Numbers 31:13) 4. The spoil taken ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    THE EXTERMINATION OF THE MIDIANITES. This story of a war of extermination, waged to avenge the wiles practised on Israel by Midian (as described in Numbers 25:6) is marked by various fanciful elements...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    EVI. Compare Joshua 13:21. FIVE KINGS: called princes or dukes of Sihon, Joshua 13:21. BALAAM. Compare Joshua 13:22. SLEW. Balaam thus did not "die the death of the righteous". Compare...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    AND THEY WARRED AGAINST THE MIDIANITES, &C.— The twelve thousand men chosen out by Moses marched against the Midianites. The battle they gave them was less an ordinary combat, than an execution of jus...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    AND THEY SLEW THE KINGS— This would be more intelligible, if rendered, after Houbigant, "and in the midst of the slaughter, they slew five kings of Midian, Evi, &c." REFLECTIONS.—The success was answe...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    IV. THE LAST EVENTS IN TRANS-JORDAN (NUMBERS 31; NUMBERS 32; NUMBERS 33:1-42) A. ATTACK UPON THE MIDIANITES vv. 1-12 TEXT Numbers 31:1. And th

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND 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 SW...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    KINGS OF MIDIAN] from Joshua 13:21 we learn that these were princes or chiefs, and that they were tributary to Sihon, king of the Amorites. Balaam by remaining among the Midianites shared their fate....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    WAR AGAINST MIDIAN This chapter contains an account of the fulfilment of the decree of extermination passed upon the Midianites as being the occasion of Israel's apostasy in the plains of Moab: see o...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE OLD TESTAMENT BOOK OF NUMBERS IN THE DESERT NUMBERS _MARION ADAMS_ CHAPTER 31 *ISRAEL’S WAR AGAINST THE COUNTRY CALLED MIDIAN – NUMBERS 31:1-12 V1 The *LORD said to Moses, V2...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    AND THEY SLEW THE KINGS OF MIDIAN... — Those persons who are here described as kings appear to have been chiefs of the more powerful Midianitish tribes, just in the same way as Zur is represented in N...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וְ אֶת ־מַלְכֵ֨י מִדְיָ֜ן הָרְג֣וּ עַל ־חַלְל

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    WAR AND SETTLEMENT 1. THE WAR WITH MIDIAN Numbers 31:1 THE command to vex and smite the Midianites Numbers 25:16 has already been considered. Israel had not the spiritual power which would have just...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE DESTRUCTION OF THE MIDIANITES Numbers 31:1 In reading such a chapter as this we must remember that the Bible is the history of the slow advance of a nation toward the knowledge of God, and its pr...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Here we have the story of the end of Balaam. It took place in connection with a war directly resulting from the sin of the people committed through the influence of Balaam. They had corrupted the nati...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And 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: (c) Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with t...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Recem; by which name Petra, the capital of Arabia Petrea, is known. This petty king probably took his title from this city, over which he presided. (Calmet) --- All the five had been, perhaps, tributa...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Reader! pause over the death of this wretched character, and remark the sure destruction of the ungodly. The man whose eyes he confessed were open, but whose heart never was influenced by grace. Devil...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The successes given to the children of Israel alarmed some of their neighbours, more particularly Moab; and this gives occasion for a striking episode in the history which brought to issue as solemn a...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    War is found in the wilderness (though it is not characteristic of it) whenever we fall into the snares the enemy there lays for us. There are always conflicts in the heavenly places in order to the e...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND THEY SLEW THE KINGS OF MIDIAN, BESIDE THE REST OF THEM THAT WERE SLAIN,.... Besides the males of the common people, they slew their kings, who were petty kings or princes, perhaps under the king o...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    _And 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...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _They slew all the males_ That is, they slew those who were in the fight, and who did not save themselves by flight. As a nation they had forfeited their lives to the laws of God, and he, as judge of...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The Midianites are spoyled, and Balaam slaine. 13 Moses is wroth with the officers, for sauing the women aliue. 19 How the souldiers with their captiues and spoile, are to be purified. 25 The pro...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE OVERTHROW OF MIDIAN...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Bekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Beba, five kings of Midian; Balaam also, the son of Beor, they slew with the s...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    VENGEANCE ON MIDIAN (vs.1-11) The Midianites had been guilty of seducing Israel, and God required that account to be settled. This was the last charge laid upon Moses before his death (v.2). His own...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    7-12 The Israelites slew the Kings of Midian. They slew Balaam. God's overruling providence brought him thither, and their just vengeance found him. Had he himself rightly believed what he had said o...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    THE KINGS, called _dukes or princes_ of Sihon, JOSHUA 13:21, because they were subject to him while he lived, but upon his death they resumed their kingly power. ZUR, the father of _Cozbi_, NUMBERS 25...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    We have here the closing scene of Moses' _ official_ life; as in Deuteronomy 34:1-12 we have the closing scene of his _ personal_ history. "and the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Avenge the children o...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Numbers 31:8 killed H2026 (H8804) kings H4428 Midian H4080 with H5921 Evi H189 Rekem H7552 Zur H6698 Hur...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    (I) THE SENTENCE PASSED AND CARRIED OUT ON THE LOCAL MIDIANITES (NUMBERS 31:1). Analysis. a The command to avenge Yahweh on Midian (Numbers 31:1). b The judgment of Yahweh in the defeat of Midian ...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: The judgment of Midian. CHARACTERS: God, Moses, Balaam. CONCLUSION: Our worst enemies are those that draw us to sin. Over all such enemies there is absolute victory for those who take side...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Numbers 31:2. _Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites._ If it were just to cut off twenty four thousand of the Israelites for the awful feast, apostasy, and fornication at Baal-peor, it was e...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _They warred against the Midianites._ THE VENGEANCE OF JEHOVAH ON MIDIAN I. That in the administration of the Divine government the punishment of sin is certain. 1. The sin which the Midianites had...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    NUMBERS—NOTE ON NUMBERS 31:1__ The Midianites were nomadic people who lived in the deserts on the outside edges of Canaan. They were associated with the Ishmaelites, Amalekites, and Moabites. It is th...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES Moses had already received command to smite the Midianites (Numbers 25:16); and in this chapter we have the order given to him to execute that command, and the narrativ...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Then as we get into Numbers chapter thirty-one, the Lord orders the destruction of the Midianites. Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward thou shall be gathered to your people (Nu...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Timothy 6:10; 1 Timothy 6:9; 2 Peter 2:15; Joshua 13:21; Joshua 13:22

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