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

Other Translations of Numbers 31:14

King James Version

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

English Standard Version

14 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.

The Message

14 Moses was furious with the army officers - the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds - as they came back from the battlefield:

New King James Version

14 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.

New Living Translation

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

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 31:14

Commentary on Numbers 31:13-18

(Read Numbers 31:13-18)

The sword of war should spare women and children; but the sword of justice should know no distinction, but that of guilty or not guilty. This war was the execution of a righteous sentence upon a guilty nation, in which the women were the worst criminals. The female children were spared, who, being brought up among the Israelites, would not tempt them to idolatry. The whole history shows the hatefulness of sin, and the guilt of tempting others; it teaches us to avoid all occasions of evil, and to give no quarter to inward lusts. The women and children were not kept for sinful purposes, but for slaves, a custom every where practised in former times, as to captives. In the course of providence, when famine and plagues visit a nation for sin, children suffer in the common calamity. In this case parents are punished in their children; and for children dying before actual sin, full provision is made as to their eternal happiness, by the mercy of God in Christ.

15 "Have you allowed all the women to live?" he asked them.

Other Translations of Numbers 31:15

King James Version

15 And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive?

English Standard Version

15 Moses said to them, "Have you let all the women live?

The Message

15 "What's this! You've let these women live!

New King James Version

15 And Moses said to them: "Have you kept all the women alive?

New Living Translation

15 "Why have you let all the women live?" he demanded.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 31:15

Commentary on Numbers 31:13-18

(Read Numbers 31:13-18)

The sword of war should spare women and children; but the sword of justice should know no distinction, but that of guilty or not guilty. This war was the execution of a righteous sentence upon a guilty nation, in which the women were the worst criminals. The female children were spared, who, being brought up among the Israelites, would not tempt them to idolatry. The whole history shows the hatefulness of sin, and the guilt of tempting others; it teaches us to avoid all occasions of evil, and to give no quarter to inward lusts. The women and children were not kept for sinful purposes, but for slaves, a custom every where practised in former times, as to captives. In the course of providence, when famine and plagues visit a nation for sin, children suffer in the common calamity. In this case parents are punished in their children; and for children dying before actual sin, full provision is made as to their eternal happiness, by the mercy of God in Christ.

16 "They were the ones who followed Balaam's advice and enticed the Israelites to be unfaithful to the Lord in the Peor incident, so that a plague struck the Lord's people.

Other Translations of Numbers 31:16

King James Version

16 Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord.

English Standard Version

16 Behold, these, on Balaam's advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the Lord.

The Message

16 They're the ones who, under Balaam's direction, seduced the People of Israel away from God in that mess at Peor, causing the plague that hit God's people.

New King James Version

16 Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord.

New Living Translation

16 "These are the very ones who followed Balaam's advice and caused the people of Israel to rebel against the Lord at Mount Peor. They are the ones who caused the plague to strike the Lord 's people.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 31:16

Commentary on Numbers 31:13-18

(Read Numbers 31:13-18)

The sword of war should spare women and children; but the sword of justice should know no distinction, but that of guilty or not guilty. This war was the execution of a righteous sentence upon a guilty nation, in which the women were the worst criminals. The female children were spared, who, being brought up among the Israelites, would not tempt them to idolatry. The whole history shows the hatefulness of sin, and the guilt of tempting others; it teaches us to avoid all occasions of evil, and to give no quarter to inward lusts. The women and children were not kept for sinful purposes, but for slaves, a custom every where practised in former times, as to captives. In the course of providence, when famine and plagues visit a nation for sin, children suffer in the common calamity. In this case parents are punished in their children; and for children dying before actual sin, full provision is made as to their eternal happiness, by the mercy of God in Christ.