Numbers 31 14

Numbers 31:14 kjv

And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle.

Numbers 31:14 nkjv

But Moses was angry with the officers of the army, with the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds, who had come from the battle.

Numbers 31:14 niv

Moses was angry with the officers of the army?the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds?who returned from the battle.

Numbers 31:14 esv

And Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, who had come from service in the war.

Numbers 31:14 nlt

But Moses was furious with all the generals and captains who had returned from the battle.

Numbers 31 verses

Numbers 31 14 Meaning

Moses expressed righteous indignation towards the military leaders of Israel who returned from the war against Midian. His anger stemmed from their failure to fully execute God's explicit commands regarding the destruction of the Midianites, specifically by sparing the Midianite women who were instrumental in leading Israel into apostasy at Baal-Peor.

Numbers 31 14 Context

Numbers 31 details the execution of God's vengeance against Midian. This war was commanded by God Himself (Num 31:2) as a direct consequence of the Midianites' role in the Baal-Peor apostasy (Num 25:1-18), where Midianite women enticed Israelite men into idolatry and sexual immorality, resulting in a plague that killed 24,000 Israelites. Moses had given specific instructions for utter destruction (Num 31:7, 17) due to the severe spiritual threat Midian posed to Israel's holiness and covenant fidelity. The officers, upon returning, presented their spoil, which included captured Midianite women, directly contravening the divine command to completely remove the source of previous defilement. Moses' anger in this verse is thus a reaction to this grave spiritual compromise and incomplete obedience, which imperiled the purity of the nation and risked a repeat of the Baal-Peor incident.

Numbers 31 14 Word analysis

• And Moses: Refers to the divinely appointed leader of Israel, entrusted with communicating and enforcing God's law. His response carries significant weight and reflects divine displeasure.
• was wroth: (Hebrew: wayyiqtsoph, from root קָצַף qatsaph) This verb denotes strong, often righteous, anger or indignation. It is used elsewhere for God's anger (Num 22:22) and Moses' own anger against serious transgressions (Exod 32:19, Num 16:15). Here, it is not merely a loss of temper, but a profound displeasure over the spiritual implications of the officers' actions.
• with the officers of the host: (Hebrew: 'al pequdey hachayil). These are the "appointed ones of the army" or those in charge. This highlights the high-ranking leadership responsible for the failure to execute the divine command fully.
• with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds: (Hebrew: sarei ha'alafim, sarei hame'ot). These specify the particular military ranks of the officers, demonstrating a hierarchical structure of responsibility. These leaders were directly tasked with the execution of the war and their actions or inactions reflected upon their command. Their role demanded a precise adherence to divine directives, as the very structure of the Israelite camp was based on thousands and hundreds (Exod 18:21).
• which came from the battle: (Hebrew: habba'im mitsva' hammilchamah). This phrase directly connects the recipients of Moses' anger to their recent actions. They had just completed the task, and their incomplete obedience was immediately apparent upon their return. This immediacy underscores the flagrant nature of their disregard for specific instructions.
• Word-group Analysis:
  • "officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds": This collective address points to a systemic failure in leadership within the military ranks. It wasn't just a few rogue soldiers, but the appointed commanders who were accountable for ensuring proper adherence to God's directives. Their positions required higher standards of obedience.
  • "wroth... with the officers... which came from the battle": This whole phrase underscores the context of the wrath. Moses' anger is targeted precisely at those who held authority, after they had just performed the act that directly contradicted God's will. It signifies immediate judgment for a recent, direct act of disobedience.

Numbers 31 14 Bonus section

The nature of the "vengeance of the LORD" being carried out in Numbers 31 against Midian is unique, applied to peoples who demonstrated entrenched wickedness and direct animosity toward God's people, particularly when inciting idolatry and immorality. This type of warfare, involving complete destruction (herem), was exceptional and distinct from later, less stringent, military engagements, often emphasizing God's intolerance for paganism that directly assaulted His holiness and His covenant with Israel. Moses' anger signifies the sacred value of that distinction and God's absolute commitment to His people's purity.

Numbers 31 14 Commentary

Numbers 31:14 presents Moses' visceral reaction of righteous indignation. His anger was not born of petty irritation or personal offense but stemmed from a profound zeal for the holiness of God and the spiritual purity of Israel. The military leaders had engaged in partial, not complete, obedience. God had commanded utter destruction (Num 31:1-3, 7, 17) to prevent the spiritual contamination that the Midianites had already inflicted at Baal-Peor. By sparing the women, the officers were reintroducing a perilous source of idolatry and immorality that had already cost Israel thousands of lives (Num 25). This act demonstrated a failure to grasp the gravity of the divine command and the existential threat of pagan influence to God's covenant people. Moses' response, therefore, serves as a crucial reminder that obedience must be thorough, especially when the integrity of the community of faith is at stake. This severity underscores the seriousness of God's commands regarding holiness and separation from wicked influences, protecting Israel from spiritual compromise.