Numbers 31 · Verse 6

Numbers 31:6

And 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.
Numbers 31:6, King James Version

Numbers 31:6 in other translations

BSBAnd Moses sent the thousand from each tribe into battle, along with Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, who took with him the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for signaling.
WEBMoses sent them, one thousand of every tribe, to the war with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand.
ASVAnd Moses sent them, a thousand of every tribe, to the war, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand.
YLTand Moses sendeth them, a thousand for a tribe, to the host, them and Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, to the host; and the holy vessels, and the trumpets of the shouting, in his hand.
DARBYAnd Moses sent them to the war, a thousand by the tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, and the holy instruments, even the alarm-trumpets in his hand.
BBEAnd Moses sent them out to war, a thousand from every tribe, and with them Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, taking in his hands the vessels of the holy place and the horns for sounding the note of war.
WebsterAnd 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.

What does Numbers 31:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
6. Moses sent ... Eleazar the priest, to the war--Although it is not expressly mentioned, it is highly probable that Joshua was the general who conducted this war. The presence of the priest, who was always with the army (De 20:2), was necessary to preside over the Levites, who accompanied the expedition, and to inflame the courage of the combatants by his sacred services and counsels. holy instruments--As neither the ark nor the Urim and Thummim were carried to the battlefield till a later period in the history of Israel, the "holy instruments" must mean the "trumpets" (Nu 10:9). And this view is agreeable to the text, by simply changing "and" into "even," as the Hebrew particle is frequently rendered.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 6 A thousand of every tribe - Twelve thousand men in the whole. And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar; some think he was made general in this expedition, but this is not likely. The ark and its contents must proceed to this battle, because the battle was the Lord's, and he dwelt between the cherubim over the ark; and Phinehas, who had before got a grant in the eternal priesthood, was chosen to accompany the ark in place of his father Eleazar, who was probably now too far advanced in years to undergo the fatigue. Who then was general? Joshua, without doubt, though not here mentioned, because the battle being the Lord's, he alone is to have the supreme direction, and all the glory. Besides, it was an extraordinary war, and not conducted on the common principle, for we do not find that peace was offered to the Midianites, and that they refused it; see Deu 20:10, etc. In such a case only hostilities could lawfully commence; but they were sinners against God; the cup of their iniquity was full, and God thought proper to destroy them. Though a leader there certainly was, and Joshua was probably that leader, yet because God, for the above reason, was considered as commander-in-chief, therefore no one else is mentioned; for it is evident that the sole business of Phinehas was to take care of the holy instruments and to blow with the trumpet.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Numbers 31:1-6

All who, without commission from God, dare to execute private revenge, and who, from ambition, covetousness, or resentment, wage war and desolate kingdoms, must one day answer for it. But if God, instead of sending an earthquake, a pestilence, or a famine, be pleased to authorize and command any people to avenge his cause, such a commission surely is just and right. The Israelites could show such a commission…

Read the full comment on Numbers 31:1-6 →

Numbers 31:6 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּשְׁלַ֨חvai.yish.Lachand he sentH7971
אֹתָ֥ם'o.Tam<obj.> themH853
מֹשֶׁ֛הmo.ShehMosesH4872
אֶ֥לֶף'E.lefone thousandH505
לַמַּטֶּ֖הla.ma.Tehto the tribeH4294
לַצָּבָ֑אla.tza.Va'to <the> warH6635
אֹ֠תָם'O.tom<obj.> themH853
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
פִּ֨ינְחָ֜סpin.ChasPhinehasH6372
בֶּן\־ben-[the] son ofH1121
אֶלְעָזָ֤ר'el.'a.ZarEleazarH499
הַכֹּהֵן֙ha.ko.Henthe priestH3548
לַצָּבָ֔אla.tza.Va'to <the> warH6635
וּכְלֵ֥יu.khe.Leiand [the] vessels ofH3627
הַקֹּ֛דֶשׁha.Ko.deshthe holy placeH6944
וַחֲצֹצְר֥וֹתva.cha.tzo.tze.Rotand [the] trumpets ofH2689
הַתְּרוּעָ֖הha.te.ru.'Ahthe alarmH8643
בְּיָדֽוֹ\׃be.ya.Do[were] in hand hisH3027

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Numbers 31:6

  • Numbers 14:44

    But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and Moses, departed not out of the camp.

  • Numbers 10:8-9

    And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations. And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.

  • 2 Chronicles 13:12-15

    And, behold, God himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the Lord God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper. But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them. And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto the Lord, and the priests sounded with the trumpets. Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

  • Joshua 6:4-6

    And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him. And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord.

  • Joshua 6:13-15

    And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the Lord, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets. And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.

  • 1 Samuel 4:17

    And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.

  • Numbers 33:20-22

    And they departed from Rimmon–parez, and pitched in Libnah. And they removed from Libnah, and pitched at Rissah. And they journeyed from Rissah, and pitched in Kehelathah.

  • 2 Samuel 11:11

    And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.

  • 1 Samuel 14:18

    And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel.

  • Exodus 25:9

    According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.

  • 1 Samuel 4:4-5

    So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.

  • 1 Samuel 23:9

    And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
a thousand.Twelve thousand in all--a small number in proportion to all Israel, or to the forces which they had to encounter. As they were under the conduct of captains of thousands and hundreds, they probably had no general; for Phinehas seems to have accompanied them simply to take charge of "the holy instruments;" probably the ark and silver trumpets.
Phinehas.
25:7-13
the holy instruments.
14:44; 33:20-22; Ex 25:9; Jos 6:4-6,13-15; 1Sa 4:4,5,17; 14:18
1Sa 23:9; 2Sa 11:11
to blow.
10:8,9; 2Ch 13:12-15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Numbers 31:5

    So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.

  • Numbers 31:6

    And 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.

  • Numbers 31:7

    And they warred against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses; and they slew all the males.

Read all of Numbers 31

Numbers 31:6 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Moisés los envió á la guerra: mil de cada tribu envió: y Phinees, hijo de Eleazar sacerdote, fué á la guerra con los santos instrumentos, con las trompetas en su mano para tocar.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et Moïse les envoya à l’armée, 1 000 par tribu, à la guerre, eux et Phinées, fils d’Éléazar, le sacrificateur; et il avait en sa main les ustensiles du lieu saint, savoir les trompettes au son éclatant.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Mose sandte sie, tausend von jedem Stamme, zum Heere ab, sie und Pinehas, den Sohn Eleasars, des Priesters, zum Heere; und die heiligen Geräte, die Trompeten zum Lärmblasen, waren in seiner Hand.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		quos misit Moyses cum Phinees filio Eleazari sacerdotis, vasa quoque sancta, et tubas ad clangendum tradidit ei.