And the LORD said to Moses,This phrase indicates direct communication from God to Moses, a common occurrence in the Pentateuch, highlighting Moses' unique role as a prophet and leader of Israel. The LORD, or Yahweh, is the covenant name of God, emphasizing His faithfulness and authority. This communication underscores the theocratic nature of Israel's leadership, where divine guidance is paramount. Moses, as the mediator of God's will, is a type of Christ, who is the ultimate mediator between God and humanity (
1 Timothy 2:5). This divine instruction sets the stage for the subsequent actions against the Midianites, reflecting God's justice and the fulfillment of His promises to protect and guide His people.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal presence and faithfulness to His promises. In this context, He is the divine authority giving instructions to Moses.
2.
MosesThe leader of the Israelites, chosen by God to lead His people out of Egypt and through the wilderness. Moses acts as the intermediary between God and the Israelites.
3.
The IsraelitesGod's chosen people, who are in the wilderness journey towards the Promised Land. They are the recipients of God's laws and commands through Moses.
4.
Midianites (implied in the context)A group of people who had previously led Israel into sin through idolatry and immorality, as seen in earlier chapters of Numbers.
5.
The WildernessThe setting for much of the Israelites' journey, representing both physical and spiritual challenges as they learn to trust and obey God.
Teaching Points
Divine Authority and ObedienceGod speaks directly to Moses, highlighting the importance of listening to and obeying God's commands. As believers, we are called to seek God's guidance through His Word and be obedient to His instructions.
God's JusticeThe context of
Numbers 31:1 involves God's judgment on the Midianites for their role in leading Israel into sin. This reminds us of God's holiness and justice, and the seriousness of sin.
Leadership and ResponsibilityMoses' role as a leader involves receiving and implementing God's commands. Christian leaders today are called to be faithful stewards of God's Word, guiding others in truth and righteousness.
Spiritual WarfareThe battle against the Midianites can be seen as a representation of the spiritual battles believers face. We are called to stand firm in faith, resisting sin and temptation.
Community AccountabilityThe Israelites' collective responsibility to address sin within their community underscores the importance of accountability and purity within the body of Christ.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Numbers 31:1?
2.How does God's command in Numbers 31:1 reflect His justice and holiness?
3.What lessons on obedience can we learn from Moses' response in Numbers 31:1?
4.How does Numbers 31:1 connect to God's covenant promises to Israel?
5.In what ways can we apply the principle of divine instruction today?
6.How does Numbers 31:1 challenge us to trust God's plans and timing?
7.Why did God command Moses to take vengeance on the Midianites in Numbers 31:1?
8.How does Numbers 31:1 align with the concept of a loving and just God?
9.What historical evidence supports the events described in Numbers 31:1?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Numbers 31?
11.Numbers 31 compared to earlier laws in Exodus and Leviticus: Why does this narrative’s approach to warfare seem inconsistent with other divine commandments?
12.What are key events in Joshua's life?
13.Judges 8:10: Is there any archaeological or historical evidence for the large Midianite forces mentioned?
14.Who is the author of the Book of Numbers?What Does Numbers 31:1 Mean
AndThe tiny conjunction opens the scene with momentum.
• It ties this command to the flow of chapter 30, where vows and oaths were just regulated, showing that God’s guidance is continuous, not episodic (Numbers 30:1–2).
• Scripture often keeps the story moving with the same connective—“And the LORD spoke to Moses…” appears repeatedly (e.g.,Exodus 12:1), reminding us that God’s dealings with His people are steady and cumulative.
• By beginning with “And,” the Spirit signals another piece in the unfolding plan that will soon lead Israel across the Jordan (Numbers 33:50–56), underscoring that obedience today fits into a much larger tapestry tomorrow.
the LORDHere is the covenant name, the self-existent I AM.
• He is the One who declared, “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14), assuring Moses—and us—of His changeless character (Malachi 3:6).
• His sovereignty frames the coming instructions: “Know that the LORD, He is God; it is He who has made us” (Psalm 100:3).
• Because He alone is God (Isaiah 45:5), what follows carries absolute authority. Israel’s upcoming battle with Midian will not be a human vendetta but a divine assignment.
saidGod speaks. His words create, command, and covenant.
• “For He spoke, and it came to be” (Psalm 33:9)—the same voice that formed the cosmos now addresses camped Israel.
• “All Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16); therefore every syllable here is reliable, sufficient, and binding.
• “So is My word that goes out from My mouth: it will not return to Me empty” (Isaiah 55:11). What He says inNumbers 31 will be accomplished exactly.
• Notice the pattern: God speaks first, action follows. Revelation precedes responsibility; grace precedes obedience (Hebrews 1:1-2).
to MosesThe message has a designated recipient and mediator.
• “The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend” (Exodus 33:11). Such intimacy underscores God’s desire for relationship while preserving order in leadership.
• “With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly and not in riddles” (Numbers 12:8). Moses receives unfiltered instruction, ensuring the people hear God’s mind without distortion.
• No prophet arose in Israel like Moses, “whom the LORD knew face to face” (Deuteronomy 34:10); yet he also foreshadows the greater Prophet, Jesus (Acts 7:37), through whom God’s final word has come.
• Because the command is given “to Moses,” Israel can act with confidence that they are following divine, not merely human, direction.
summaryNumbers 31:1, though short, is packed with truth:
• “And” connects God’s fresh directive to His ongoing, cohesive plan.
• “the LORD” highlights the unchanging, covenant God whose authority stands behind every order.
• “said” reminds us that revelation is verbal, clear, and effective.
• “to Moses” shows God working through His chosen servant, providing structure for His people.
Taken literally, the verse grounds everything that follows—Israel’s battle plans, their victories, their distribution of spoils—in the sure word of the living God.
XXXI.
(1)Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites.--The time had now come for the fulfilment of the command which had already been given (seeNumbers 25:16-18), after which Moses was to be gathered unto his people, as it had been revealed to him (Numbers 27:13). After Balaam had been dismissed by Balak, he appears to have gone, not to the Moabites, but to the Midianites; and it was in consequence of the counsel which he gave to the Midianites (Numbers 5:16) that the Israelites were reduced into the idolatrous and lascivious worship of Baal Peor. It is possible, also, that the Midianites, as the descendants of Abraham, may have possessed clearer light and greater privileges than the Moabites. They may have had many men as enlightened as Jethro amongst them, and consequently they may have incurred the greater guilt, and rendered themselves obnoxious to the severer punishment of those who, "after they have known the way of righteousness, turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them" (2Peter 2:21). But whether satisfactory reasons can or cannot be assigned why a more exemplary judgment should have been inflicted upon the Midianites than upon the Moabites, who were not left unpunished (seeDeuteronomy 23:3-4), those only can maintain that the destruction of the Midianites is inconsistent with the justice or the goodness of God who deny that He has absolute control over the destinies of all the creatures of His hands, and that when it is His pleasure to recall the life which He has bestowed, it is for Him to determine what agents or what instruments it is best to employ. . . .
Verse 1. -
The Lord spake unto Moses. The command to "vex the Midianites, and smite them," had been given before (
Numbers 25:17), but how long before we cannot tell. Possibly the interval had been purposely allowed in order that the attack when it was made might be sudden and unexpected. From the fact that no resistance would seem to have been made to the Israelitish detachment, and that an enormous amount of plunder was secured, we may probably conclude that the Midianites had thought all danger past.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
And the LORDיְהוָ֖ה(Yah·weh)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068:LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israelsaidוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר(way·ḏab·bêr)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1696:To arrange, to speak, to subduetoאֶל־(’el-)Preposition
Strong's 413:Near, with, among, toMoses,מֹשֶׁ֥ה(mō·šeh)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872:Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver
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OT Law: Numbers 31:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses saying (Nu Num.) 
