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class="vheadingv"><b>Verse</b><a href="/bsb/numbers/31.htm" class="clickchap" style="color:#001320" title="Click any translation name for full chapter">  (Click for Chapter)</a></div><div id="par"><span class="versiontext"><a href="/niv/numbers/31.htm">New International Version</a></span><br />They burned all the towns where the Midianites had settled, as well as all their camps.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/numbers/31.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />They burned all the towns and villages where the Midianites had lived.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/numbers/31.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />All their cities in the places where they lived, and all their encampments, they burned with fire,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/numbers/31.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />Then they burned all the cities where the Midianites had lived, as well as all their encampments,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/numbers/31.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/numbers/31.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />They also burned with fire all the cities where they dwelt, and all their forts.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/numbers/31.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />Then they burned all their cities where they lived and all their encampments.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/numbers/31.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />Then they burned all their cities where they lived and all their camps with fire.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/numbers/31.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />Then they burned all their cities where they lived and all their camps with fire.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/numbers/31.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />Then they burned all their cities where they lived and all their camps with fire.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/numbers/31.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />They burned all the cities where they lived, and all their encampments with fire.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/numbers/31.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Then they burned all the cities where the Midianites lived, as well as all their encampments,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/numbers/31.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Then they burned all the cities where the Midianites lived, as well as all their encampments, <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/numbers/31.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />And all their cities in the places wherein they dwelt, and all their encampments, they burnt with fire.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cev/numbers/31.htm">Contemporary English Version</a></span><br />They also burned down the Midianite towns and villages. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/numbers/31.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />And all their cities in the places wherein they dwelt, and all their encampments, they burnt with fire.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/numbers/31.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />They burned all the cities where the Midianites lived and all their settlements.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/numbers/31.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />and burned all their cities and camps. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/numbers/31.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />They burned every town where they had lived and incinerated all of their encampments. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/numbers/31.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />Then they burned all the cities where the Midianites had lived, as well as all their encampments,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/numbers/31.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />They burned all their towns where they lived and all their encampments.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/numbers/31.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />All their cities in the places in which they lived, and all their encampments, they burnt with fire.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/numbers/31.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />And they burnt all their cities in which they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/numbers/31.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />All their cities in the places in which they lived, and all their encampments, they burned with fire. <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/numbers/31.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />and they have burned all their cities, with their habitations, and all their towers, with fire.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/numbers/31.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> and all their cities, with their habitations, and all their towers, they have burnt with fire.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/numbers/31.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />And their cities with their dwellings, and all their walls they burnt in fire.<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/numbers/31.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />And all their cities, and their villages, and castles, they burned. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/numbers/31.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />Both their cities and their villages, as well as their fortresses, they burned.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/numbers/31.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />while they set on fire all the towns where they had settled and all their encampments.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/numbers/31.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />All their towns where they had settled, and all their encampments, they burned,<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/numbers/31.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />And they burned all the cities wherein they dwelt and all their unwalled villages with fire.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hpbt/numbers/31.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a></span><br />And all the towns of the place of their dwelling and all their fields they burned in fire.<div class="vheading2"><b>OT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/jps/numbers/31.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a></span><br />And all their cities in the places wherein they dwelt, and all their encampments, they burnt with fire.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/sep/numbers/31.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a></span><br />And they burnt with fire all their cities in the places of their habitation and they burnt their villages with fire.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/numbers/31-10.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yauBFvKLNNo?start=9490" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/numbers/31.htm">Vengeance on Midian</a></span><br>…<span class="reftext">9</span>The Israelites captured the Midianite women and their children, and they plundered all their herds, flocks, and goods. <span class="reftext">10</span><span class="highl"><a href="/hebrew/853.htm" title="853: wə·’êṯ (Conj-w:: DirObjM) -- Apparent contracted from 'owth in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self.">Then</a> <a href="/hebrew/8313.htm" title="8313: śā·rə·p̄ū (V-Qal-Perf-3cp) -- To burn. A primitive root; to be on fire.">they burned</a> <a href="/hebrew/784.htm" title="784: bā·’êš (Prep-b, Art:: N-cs) -- A fire. A primitive word; fire."></a> <a href="/hebrew/3605.htm" title="3605: kāl- (N-msc) -- The whole, all. Or kowl; from kalal; properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every.">all</a> <a href="/hebrew/5892.htm" title="5892: ‘ā·rê·hem (N-fpc:: 3mp) -- Excitement. Or par; or ayar; from uwr a city in the widest sense.">the cities</a> <a href="/hebrew/4186.htm" title="4186: bə·mō·wō·šə·ḇō·ṯām (Prep-b:: N-mpc:: 3mp) -- Or moshab; from yashab; a seat; figuratively, a site; abstractly, a session; by extension an abode; by implication, population.">where the Midianites had lived,</a> <a href="/hebrew/853.htm" title="853: wə·’êṯ (Conj-w:: DirObjM) -- Apparent contracted from 'owth in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self."></a> <a href="/hebrew/3605.htm" title="3605: kāl- (N-msc) -- The whole, all. Or kowl; from kalal; properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every.">as well as all</a> <a href="/hebrew/2918.htm" title="2918: ṭî·rō·ṯām (N-fpc:: 3mp) -- Encampment, battlement. Feminine of tuwr; a wall; hence, a fortress or a hamlet.">their encampments,</a> </span><span class="reftext">11</span>and carried away all the plunder and spoils, both people and animals.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/deuteronomy/20-16.htm">Deuteronomy 20:16-18</a></span><br />However, in the cities of the nations that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you must not leave alive anything that breathes. / For you must devote them to complete destruction—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you, / so that they cannot teach you to do all the detestable things they do for their gods, and so cause you to sin against the LORD your God.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/joshua/6-24.htm">Joshua 6:24</a></span><br />Then the Israelites burned up the city and everything in it. However, they put the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the LORD’s house.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_samuel/15-3.htm">1 Samuel 15:3</a></span><br />Now go and attack the Amalekites and devote to destruction all that belongs to them. Do not spare them, but put to death men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/judges/1-8.htm">Judges 1:8</a></span><br />Then the men of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it. They put the city to the sword and set it on fire.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/2_kings/3-19.htm">2 Kings 3:19</a></span><br />And you shall attack every fortified city and every city of importance. You shall cut down every good tree, stop up every spring, and ruin every good field with stones.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/2_kings/3-25.htm">2 Kings 3:25</a></span><br />They destroyed the cities, and each man threw stones on every good field until it was covered. They stopped up every spring and cut down every good tree. Only Kir-haraseth was left with stones in place, but men with slings surrounded it and attacked it as well.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/13-16.htm">Isaiah 13:16</a></span><br />Their infants will be dashed to pieces before their eyes, their houses will be looted, and their wives will be ravished.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/jeremiah/50-15.htm">Jeremiah 50:15</a></span><br />Raise a war cry against her on every side! She has thrown up her hands in surrender; her towers have fallen; her walls are torn down. Since this is the vengeance of the LORD, take out your vengeance upon her; as she has done, do the same to her.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ezekiel/9-5.htm">Ezekiel 9:5-6</a></span><br />And as I listened, He said to the others, “Follow him through the city and start killing; do not show pity or spare anyone! / Slaughter the old men, the young men and maidens, the women and children; but do not go near anyone who has the mark. Now begin at My sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the temple.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ezekiel/30-16.htm">Ezekiel 30:16</a></span><br />I will set fire to Egypt, Pelusium will writhe in anguish, Thebes will be split open, and Memphis will face daily distress.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/revelation/18-8.htm">Revelation 18:8</a></span><br />Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and grief and famine—and she will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/revelation/18-21.htm">Revelation 18:21</a></span><br />Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be cast down, never to be seen again.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/revelation/19-2.htm">Revelation 19:2-3</a></span><br />For His judgments are true and just. He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the blood of His servants that was poured out by her hand.” / And a second time they called out: “Hallelujah! Her smoke rises forever and ever.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/11-20.htm">Matthew 11:20-24</a></span><br />Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. / “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. / But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/luke/17-28.htm">Luke 17:28-30</a></span><br />It was the same in the days of Lot: People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. / But on the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. / It will be just like that on the day the Son of Man is revealed.</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelled, and all their goodly castles, with fire.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/joshua/6-24.htm">Joshua 6:24</a></b></br> And they burnt the city with fire, and all that <i>was</i> therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/1_samuel/30-1.htm">1 Samuel 30:1</a></b></br> And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire;</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/1_kings/9-16.htm">1 Kings 9:16</a></b></br> <i>For</i> Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, and taken Gezer, and burnt it with fire, and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in the city, and given it <i>for</i> a present unto his daughter, Solomon's wife.</p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/numbers/29-19.htm">Burned</a> <a href="/numbers/24-22.htm">Burning</a> <a href="/numbers/29-39.htm">Burnt</a> <a href="/numbers/13-19.htm">Camps</a> <a href="/genesis/25-16.htm">Castles</a> <a href="/numbers/24-19.htm">Cities</a> <a href="/numbers/25-1.htm">Dwelt</a> <a href="/numbers/24-5.htm">Encampments</a> <a href="/numbers/15-2.htm">Habitations</a> <a href="/numbers/31-7.htm">Midianites</a> <a href="/numbers/24-5.htm">Places</a> <a href="/numbers/21-31.htm">Settled</a> <a href="/numbers/21-32.htm">Settlements</a> <a href="/numbers/13-19.htm">Tent-Circles</a> <a href="/genesis/25-16.htm">Towers</a> <a href="/numbers/21-32.htm">Towns</a> <a href="/numbers/19-2.htm">Wherein</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/numbers/32-10.htm">Burned</a> <a href="/numbers/32-14.htm">Burning</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/9-21.htm">Burnt</a> <a href="/deuteronomy/29-11.htm">Camps</a> <a href="/1_chronicles/6-54.htm">Castles</a> <a href="/numbers/32-16.htm">Cities</a> <a href="/numbers/32-40.htm">Dwelt</a> <a href="/1_chronicles/6-54.htm">Encampments</a> <a href="/1_chronicles/4-33.htm">Habitations</a> <a href="/judges/6-1.htm">Midianites</a> <a href="/numbers/32-16.htm">Places</a> <a href="/numbers/32-40.htm">Settled</a> <a href="/numbers/32-41.htm">Settlements</a> <a href="/isaiah/42-11.htm">Tent-Circles</a> <a href="/1_chronicles/27-25.htm">Towers</a> <a href="/numbers/32-16.htm">Towns</a> <a href="/numbers/33-55.htm">Wherein</a><div class="vheading2">Numbers 31</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/numbers/31-1.htm">The Midianites are spoiled, and Balaam slain</a></span><br><span class="reftext">13. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/numbers/31-13.htm">Moses is angry with the officers, for saving the women alive</a></span><br><span class="reftext">19. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/numbers/31-19.htm">How the soldiers, with their captives and spoil, are to be purified</a></span><br><span class="reftext">25. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/numbers/31-25.htm">The proportion in which the prey is to be divided</a></span><br><span class="reftext">48. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/numbers/31-48.htm">The voluntary offering unto the treasure of the Lord</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/numbers/31.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/numbers/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/numbers/31.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div><b>Then they burned all the cities</b><br>The act of burning cities was a common practice in ancient warfare, symbolizing total destruction and the removal of any future threat. This action was a fulfillment of God's command to Moses to execute judgment on the Midianites for their role in leading Israel into idolatry and immorality (Numbers 25). The destruction of cities signifies the complete eradication of the Midianite influence, ensuring that the Israelites would not be tempted by their practices again. This also reflects the biblical principle of purging evil from among God's people (<a href="/deuteronomy/13-12.htm">Deuteronomy 13:12-18</a>).<p><b>where the Midianites had lived</b><br>The Midianites were a nomadic people descended from Abraham through his wife Keturah (<a href="/genesis/25.htm">Genesis 25:1-2</a>). They lived in the region east of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea, in what is now modern-day Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Historically, the Midianites were known for their trade and their involvement in the caravan routes. Their interaction with Israel was complex, involving both conflict and cooperation at different times. The destruction of their cities marks a significant moment in Israel's journey to the Promised Land, as it removed a major source of temptation and conflict.<p><b>as well as all their encampments</b><br>The term "encampments" refers to the temporary settlements or tents used by the Midianites, reflecting their nomadic lifestyle. Destroying these encampments ensured that the Midianites could not regroup or return to their former way of life. This action can be seen as a type of spiritual warfare, where the removal of physical strongholds represents the removal of spiritual strongholds. In a broader biblical context, this can be connected to the New Testament teaching of demolishing arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God (<a href="/2_corinthians/10-4.htm">2 Corinthians 10:4-5</a>). The complete destruction of both cities and encampments underscores the thoroughness of God's judgment and the importance of obedience to His commands.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/m/midianites.htm">Midianites</a></b><br>A nomadic tribe descended from Midian, a son of Abraham by Keturah. They were often in conflict with Israel and were involved in leading Israel into idolatry and immorality.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/i/israelites.htm">Israelites</a></b><br>The chosen people of God, descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In this context, they are executing God's judgment on the Midianites.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/m/moses.htm">Moses</a></b><br>The leader of the Israelites, who was commanded by God to take vengeance on the Midianites for their role in leading Israel into sin.<br><br>4. <b><a href="/topical/c/cities_and_encampments.htm">Cities and Encampments</a></b><br>The places where the Midianites lived, which were destroyed by fire as part of God's judgment.<br><br>5. <b><a href="/topical/v/vengeance_of_the_lord.htm">Vengeance of the LORD</a></b><br>The divine retribution commanded by God against the Midianites for their seduction of Israel into sin.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/g/god's_holiness_and_justice.htm">God's Holiness and Justice</a></b><br>God's command to destroy the Midianite cities underscores His holiness and intolerance of sin. It serves as a reminder that sin has serious consequences and that God's justice will prevail.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_danger_of_idolatry_and_immorality.htm">The Danger of Idolatry and Immorality</a></b><br>The Midianites led Israel into idolatry and immorality, which resulted in severe judgment. Believers must guard against influences that lead away from God.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/o/obedience_to_god's_commands.htm">Obedience to God's Commands</a></b><br>The Israelites' obedience in executing God's judgment on the Midianites demonstrates the importance of following God's commands, even when they are difficult.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/the_consequences_of_sin.htm">The Consequences of Sin</a></b><br>The destruction of the Midianite cities serves as a warning of the destructive nature of sin and the importance of repentance and turning back to God.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_numbers_31.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Numbers 31</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/evidence_for_large_midianite_forces.htm">Judges 8:10: Is there any archaeological or historical evidence for the large Midianite forces mentioned?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/evidence_for_midianite_captives'_capture.htm">Numbers 31:32-35: Is there any historical or archaeological evidence supporting the capture of such a large number of Midianite captives?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/why_is_numbers_31's_warfare_approach_unique.htm">Numbers 31 compared to earlier laws in Exodus and Leviticus: Why does this narrative's approach to warfare seem inconsistent with other divine commandments?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/why_does_aaron's_death_location_differ.htm">Why does Deuteronomy 10:6-7 place Aaron's death at Moserah when Numbers 20:27-28 records it occurred on Mount Hor?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/numbers/31.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(10) <span class= "bld">All their cities wherein they dwelt.--</span>Better, <span class= "ital">all their cities in their dwelling-places. </span>This expression is explained by a reference to <a href="/joshua/13-21.htm" title="And all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses smote with the princes of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, which were dukes of Sihon, dwelling in the country.">Joshua 13:21</a>, from which it appears that the five kings or chiefs of the Midianites who are mentioned in <a href="/numbers/5-8.htm" title="But if the man have no kinsman to recompense the trespass to, let the trespass be recompensed to the LORD, even to the priest; beside the ram of the atonement, whereby an atonement shall be made for him.">Numbers 5:8</a> dwelt in the territory which Sihon, king of the Amorites, had wrested from the Moabites. The Midianites were a nomad people, and were not likely to have built cities for themselves.<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/numbers/31.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 10.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">Their goodly castles.</span> <span class="hebrew">טִירֹתם</span>. Septuagint, <span class="greek">ἐπαύλεις</span>. This word, which occurs only here and in <a href="/genesis/25-16.htm">Genesis 25:16</a>, no doubt signifies the pastoral villages, constructed partly of rude stone walls, partly of goats-hair cloth, which the nomadic tribes of that country have used from time immemorial. Probably these were the proper habitations of the Midianites; the "cities" would have belonged to the previous inhabitants of the land. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/numbers/31-10.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div><span class="word">Then they burned</span><br /><span class="heb">שָׂרְפ֖וּ</span> <span class="translit">(śā·rə·p̄ū)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_8313.htm">Strong's 8313: </a> </span><span class="str2">To be, on fire</span><br /><br /><span class="word">all</span><br /><span class="heb">כָּל־</span> <span class="translit">(kāl-)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3605.htm">Strong's 3605: </a> </span><span class="str2">The whole, all, any, every</span><br /><br /><span class="word">the cities</span><br /><span class="heb">עָרֵיהֶם֙</span> <span class="translit">(‘ā·rê·hem)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_5892.htm">Strong's 5892: </a> </span><span class="str2">Excitement</span><br /><br /><span class="word">where [the Midianites] had lived,</span><br /><span class="heb">בְּמ֣וֹשְׁבֹתָ֔ם</span> <span class="translit">(bə·mō·wō·šə·ḇō·ṯām)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_4186.htm">Strong's 4186: </a> </span><span class="str2">A seat, assembly, dwelling place, dwelling, dwellers</span><br /><br /><span class="word">as well as all</span><br /><span class="heb">כָּל־</span> <span class="translit">(kāl-)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3605.htm">Strong's 3605: </a> </span><span class="str2">The whole, all, any, every</span><br /><br /><span class="word">their encampments,</span><br /><span class="heb">טִֽירֹתָ֑ם</span> <span class="translit">(ṭî·rō·ṯām)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_2918.htm">Strong's 2918: </a> </span><span class="str2">A wall, a fortress, a hamlet</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/numbers/31-10.htm">Numbers 31:10 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/numbers/31-10.htm">Numbers 31:10 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/numbers/31-10.htm">Numbers 31:10 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/numbers/31-10.htm">Numbers 31:10 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/numbers/31-10.htm">Numbers 31:10 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/numbers/31-10.htm">Numbers 31:10 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/numbers/31-10.htm">Numbers 31:10 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/numbers/31-10.htm">Numbers 31:10 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/numbers/31-10.htm">Numbers 31:10 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/numbers/31-10.htm">Numbers 31:10 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/numbers/31-10.htm">OT Law: Numbers 31:10 All their cities in the places (Nu Num.) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/numbers/31-9.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Numbers 31:9"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Numbers 31:9" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/numbers/31-11.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Numbers 31:11"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Numbers 31:11" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>