The Meaning of Numbers 31:17 Explained

Numbers 31:17

KJV: Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.

YLT: 'And now, slay ye every male among the infants, yea, every woman known of man by the lying of a male ye have slain;

Darby: And now slay every male among the little ones, and slay every woman that hath known man by lying with him,

ASV: Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.

Discover Numbers 31:17

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Numbers 31:17?

MEANING: What does Numbers 31:17 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Numbers 31:17 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Numbers 31:17?

What is the context of Numbers 31:17?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.

What does Numbers 31:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 31:1-20 - The Destruction Of The Midianites

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 preparation to become one of the greatest of spiritual forces. That process could only be a prolonged one. Only by slow degrees could the grossness of the period be eliminated. Our Lord distinctly said that certain things were allowed for a time because of the hardness of their hearts. See Matthew 19:8. Many times He made the clear distinction between what "they of old" had said and what He said. See Matthew 5:21; Matthew 5:27; Matthew 5:33; Matthew 5:38; Matthew 5:43. The highest law for dealing with our enemies is found in his teachings.

The first steps of purification had to do with the women who might introduce heathen vices into Israelite homes, and the leisurely dealing with spoils and captives, so that passion might have time to cool. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Numbers 31:17 mean?

And therefore kill every male among the little ones and every woman who has known a man by lying with him kill

וְעַתָּ֕ה הִרְג֥וּ כָל־ זָכָ֖ר בַּטָּ֑ף וְכָל־ אִשָּׁ֗ה יֹדַ֥עַת אִ֛ישׁ לְמִשְׁכַּ֥ב זָכָ֖ר הֲרֹֽגוּ

וְעַתָּ֕ה	And therefore
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb Root: עַתָּה Sense: now.
הִרְג֥וּ	kill
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural Root: הָרַג Sense: to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand.
כָל־	every
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct Root: כֹּל Sense: all, the whole.
זָכָ֖ר	male
Parse: Noun, masculine singular Root: זָכָר Sense: male (of humans and animals) adj.
בַּטָּ֑ף	among the little ones
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular Root: טַף Sense: children, little children, little ones.
וְכָל־	and every
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct Root: כֹּל Sense: all, the whole.
אִשָּׁ֗ה	woman
Parse: Noun, feminine singular Root: אִשָּׁה Sense: woman, wife, female.
יֹדַ֥עַת	who has known
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine singular Root: דָּעָה Sense: to know.
אִ֛ישׁ	a man
Parse: Noun, masculine singular Root: אִישׁ Sense: man.
לְמִשְׁכַּ֥ב	by lying
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct Root: מִשְׁכָּב Sense: a lying down, couch, bier, act of lying.
זָכָ֖ר	with him
Parse: Noun, masculine singular Root: זָכָר Sense: male (of humans and animals) adj.
הֲרֹֽגוּ	kill
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural Root: הָרַג Sense: to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand.

What are the major concepts related to Numbers 31:17?

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Similar Scriptures for Numbers 31:17

		Deuteronomy 20:16-18 [2]
		Judges 21:11-12 [2]
		Deuteronomy 7:2 [2]