The Meaning of Numbers 31:8 Explained

Numbers 31:8

KJV: 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 sword.

YLT: and the kings of Midian they have slain, besides their pierced ones, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian; and Balaam son of Beor, they have slain with the sword.

Darby: And they slew the kings of Midian, besides the others slain, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian; and Balaam the son of Beor they slew with the sword.

ASV: And they slew the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain: Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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 sword. 

What does Numbers 31:8 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 31:8 mean?

And the kings of Midian they killed with [the rest of] those who were killed - Evi Rekem Zur Hur Reba five of Midian and Balaam son of Beor they also killed with the sword
וְאֶת־ מַלְכֵ֨י מִדְיָ֜ן הָרְג֣וּ עַל־ חַלְלֵיהֶ֗ם אֶת־ אֱוִ֤י רֶ֙קֶם֙ צ֤וּר חוּר֙ רֶ֔בַע חֲמֵ֖שֶׁת מִדְיָ֑ן וְאֵת֙ בִּלְעָ֣ם בֶּן־ בְּע֔וֹר הָרְג֖וּ בֶּחָֽרֶב

מַלְכֵ֨י  the  kings 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
מִדְיָ֜ן  of  Midian 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִדְיָן  
Sense: son of Abraham by Keturah and progenitor of the tribe of Midianites or Arabians.
הָרְג֣וּ  they  killed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: הָרַג  
Sense: to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand.
חַלְלֵיהֶ֗ם  [the  rest  of]  those  who  were  killed 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: חָלָל 
Sense: slain, fatally wounded, pierced.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֱוִ֤י  Evi 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱוִי  
Sense: one of five chiefs of Midian.
רֶ֙קֶם֙  Rekem 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: רָקֶם 
Sense: one of the 5 kings of Midian killed by the Israelites.
צ֤וּר  Zur 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: צוּר  
Sense: father of Cozbi and one of the 5 Midianite princes who were slain when Balaam fell.
חוּר֙  Hur 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חוּר  
Sense: a chief assistant to Moses and Aaron.
רֶ֔בַע  Reba 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: רָבַע 
Sense: one of the 5 kings of Midian slain by the Israelites when Balaam fell.
חֲמֵ֖שֶׁת  five 
Parse: Number, masculine singular construct
Root: חָמֵשׁ  
Sense: five.
מִדְיָ֑ן  of  Midian 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִדְיָן  
Sense: son of Abraham by Keturah and progenitor of the tribe of Midianites or Arabians.
בִּלְעָ֣ם  Balaam 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בִּלְעָם 
Sense: the son of Beor, a man endowed with the gift of prophecy.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
בְּע֔וֹר  of  Beor 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בְּעֹור  
Sense: father of Balaam.
הָרְג֖וּ  they  also  killed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: הָרַג  
Sense: to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand.
בֶּחָֽרֶב  with  the  sword 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.