Numbers 31:18
Numbers 31:18 in Multiple Translations
but spare for yourselves every girl who has never had relations with a man.
But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.
But all the women-children, that have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.
But all the female children who have had no sex relations with men, you may keep for yourselves.
Let all the girls who are virgins live. They are yours.
But all the women children that haue not knowen carnall copulation, keepe aliue for your selues.
and all the infants among the women, who have not known the lying of a male, ye have kept alive for yourselves.
But all the girls, who have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.
But all the female children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.
But the girls, and all the women that are virgins save for yourselves:
Spare only the girls who are virgins [EUP]. You can keep them to be your wives or your slaves.
Berean Amplified Bible — Numbers 31:18
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Numbers 31:18 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וְ/כֹל֙
הַ/טַּ֣ף
בַּ/נָּשִׁ֔ים
אֲשֶׁ֥ר
לֹא
יָדְע֖וּ
מִשְׁכַּ֣ב
זָכָ֑ר
הַחֲי֖וּ
לָ/כֶֽם
וְ/כֹל֙
kôl
H3605
all
Conj | N-ms
הַ/טַּ֣ף
ṭaph
H2945
child
Art | N-ms
בַּ/נָּשִׁ֔ים
ʼishshâh
H802
woman
Prep | N-fp
אֲשֶׁ֥ר
ʼăsher
H834
which
Rel
לֹא
lôʼ
H3808
not
Part
יָדְע֖וּ
yâdaʻ
H3045
to know
V-Qal-Perf-3cp
מִשְׁכַּ֣ב
mishkâb
H4904
bed
N-ms
זָכָ֑ר
zâkâr
H2145
male
Adj
הַחֲי֖וּ
châyâh
H2421
to live
V-Hiphil-Impv-2mp
לָ/כֶֽם
Prep | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Numbers 31:18
וְ/כֹל֙
kôl
H3605
"all"
Conj | N-ms
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Definition: 1) all, the whole 1a) all, the whole of 1b) any, each, every, anything 1c) totality, everything Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
Usage: Occurs in 4242 OT verses. KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever). See also: Genesis 1:21; Genesis 17:10; Genesis 41:40.
הַ/טַּ֣ף
ṭaph
H2945
"child"
Art | N-ms
In the Bible, this Hebrew word refers to a child or a group of children, often used to describe little ones or families. It appears in passages like Matthew 18:10 and Mark 10:13-16, where Jesus teaches about children. Jesus loves them.
Definition: children, little children, little ones
Usage: Occurs in 42 OT verses. KJV: (little) children (ones), families. See also: Genesis 34:29; Deuteronomy 1:39; Jeremiah 40:7.
בַּ/נָּשִׁ֔ים
ʼishshâh
H802
"woman"
Prep | N-fp
The Hebrew word for woman, used to describe a female person, wife, or animal, appears in many biblical passages, including Genesis and Exodus, and is often translated as woman, wife, or female.
Definition: : woman 1) woman, wife, female 1a) woman (opposite of man) 1b) wife (woman married to a man) 1c) female (of animals) 1d) each, every (pronoun)
Usage: Occurs in 686 OT verses. KJV: (adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English. See also: Genesis 2:22; Genesis 34:4; Numbers 5:12.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר
ʼăsher
H834
"which"
Rel
This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.
Definition: A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when
Usage: Occurs in 4440 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever, when, where ([phrase] -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, [phrase] whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection. See also: Genesis 1:7; Genesis 20:9; Genesis 31:16.
לֹא
lôʼ
H3808
"not"
Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
יָדְע֖וּ
yâdaʻ
H3045
"to know"
V-Qal-Perf-3cp
The Hebrew word for to know means to ascertain by seeing, and is used in many senses, including to learn, perceive, and recognize, as seen in various KJV translations.
Definition: 1) to know 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to know 1a1a) to know, learn to know 1a1b) to perceive 1a1c) to perceive and see, find out and discern 1a1d) to discriminate, distinguish 1a1e) to know by experience 1a1f) to recognise, admit, acknowledge, confess 1a1g) to consider 1a2) to know, be acquainted with 1a3) to know (a person carnally) 1a4) to know how, be skilful in 1a5) to have knowledge, be wise 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be made known, be or become known, be revealed 1b2) to make oneself known 1b3) to be perceived 1b4) to be instructed 1c) (Piel) to cause to know 1d) (Poal) to cause to know 1e) (Pual) 1e1) to be known 1e2) known, one known, acquaintance (participle) 1f) (Hiphil) to make known, declare 1g) (Hophal) to be made known 1h) (Hithpael) to make oneself known, reveal oneself Aramaic equivalent: ye.da (יְדַע "to know" H3046)
Usage: Occurs in 874 OT verses. KJV: acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-) norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, [phrase] be learned, [phrase] lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, [idiom] prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), [idiom] will be, wist, wit, wot. See also: Genesis 3:5; Leviticus 5:4; Judges 21:12.
מִשְׁכַּ֣ב
mishkâb
H4904
"bed"
N-ms
Mishkab refers to a bed, but can also mean sleep or even a bier. It's sometimes used to describe intimate relationships, as in Genesis. This word has various meanings depending on the context.
Definition: 1) a lying down, couch, bier, act of lying 1a) couch, bed 1b) act of lying, lying down or sleeping room, bedroom 1c) lying down (for sexual contact) Aramaic equivalent: mish.kav (מִשְׁכַּב "bed" H4903)
Usage: Occurs in 44 OT verses. KJV: bed(-chamber), couch, lieth (lying) with. See also: Genesis 49:4; 2 Samuel 17:28; Psalms 4:5.
זָכָ֑ר
zâkâr
H2145
"male"
Adj
This word means male, referring to men or male animals, emphasizing their importance. It is used in the Bible to distinguish between males and females. The word is often translated as 'him' or 'male' in English.
Definition: 1) male (of humans and animals) adj 2) male (of humans)
Usage: Occurs in 80 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] him, male, man(child, -kind). See also: Genesis 1:27; Numbers 3:22; Isaiah 66:7.
הַחֲי֖וּ
châyâh
H2421
"to live"
V-Hiphil-Impv-2mp
To live or have life is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which can also mean to revive or be quickened. It is used in the Bible to describe God's power to sustain life and restore people to health, as seen in the stories of the prophets and Jesus' miracles.
Definition: 1) to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to live 1a1a) to have life 1a1b) to continue in life, remain alive 1a1c) to sustain life, to live on or upon 1a1d) to live (prosperously) 1a2) to revive, be quickened 1a2a) from sickness 1a2b) from discouragement 1a2c) from faintness 1a2d) from death 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to preserve alive, let live 1b2) to give life 1b3) to quicken, revive, refresh 1b3a) to restore to life 1b3b) to cause to grow 1b3c) to restore 1b3d) to revive 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to preserve alive, let live 1c2) to quicken, revive 1c2a) to restore (to health) 1c2b) to revive 1c2c) to restore to life
Usage: Occurs in 239 OT verses. KJV: keep (leave, make) alive, [idiom] certainly, give (promise) life, (let, suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken, recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, ([idiom] God) save (alive, life, lives), [idiom] surely, be whole. See also: Genesis 5:3; 2 Samuel 16:16; Psalms 22:27.
לָ/כֶֽם
""
Prep | Suff
Study Notes — Numbers 31:18
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Numbers 31:18 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Numbers 31:18
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 31:18
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Numbers 31:18
- Trapp's Commentary on Numbers 31:18
- Ellicott's Commentary on Numbers 31:18
- Cambridge Bible on Numbers 31:18
- Sermons on Numbers 31:18
Context — Vengeance on Midian
16“Look, these women caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to turn unfaithfully against the LORD at Peor, so that the plague struck the congregation of the LORD.
17So now, kill all the boys, as well as every woman who has had relations with a man,
18but spare for yourselves every girl who has never had relations with a man.
19All of you who have killed a person or touched the dead are to remain outside the camp for seven days. On the third day and the seventh day you are to purify both yourselves and your captives. 20And purify every garment and leather good, everything made of goat’s hair, and every article of wood.”Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deuteronomy 21:10–14 | When you go to war against your enemies and the LORD your God delivers them into your hand and you take them captive, if you see a beautiful woman among them, and you desire her and want to take her as your wife, then you shall bring her into your house. She must shave her head, trim her nails, and put aside the clothing of her captivity. After she has lived in your house a full month and mourned her father and mother, you may have relations with her and be her husband, and she shall be your wife. And if you are not pleased with her, you are to let her go wherever she wishes. But you must not sell her for money or treat her as a slave, since you have dishonored her. |
| 2 | 2 Chronicles 28:8–10 | Then the Israelites took 200,000 captives from their kinsmen—women, sons, and daughters. They also carried off a great deal of plunder and brought it to Samaria. But a prophet of the LORD named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army that returned to Samaria. “Look,” he said to them, “because of His wrath against Judah, the LORD, the God of your fathers, has delivered them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches up to heaven. And now you intend to reduce to slavery the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem. But are you not also guilty before the LORD your God? |
| 3 | Deuteronomy 20:14 | But the women, children, livestock, and whatever else is in the city—all its spoil—you may take as plunder, and you shall use the spoil of your enemies that the LORD your God gives you. |
| 4 | Leviticus 25:44 | Your menservants and maidservants shall come from the nations around you, from whom you may purchase them. |
| 5 | Isaiah 14:2 | The nations will escort Israel and bring it to its homeland. Then the house of Israel will possess the nations as menservants and maidservants in the LORD’s land. They will make captives of their captors and rule over their oppressors. |
Numbers 31:18 Summary
[This verse is saying that the Israelite army should spare the lives of the young girls who have never been married, because they are innocent and have not done anything wrong. This shows that God cares about the vulnerable and wants to protect them, as seen in Psalm 68:5, where God is described as a 'father to the fatherless'. The Israelites were to take these girls in and provide for them, giving them a new home and a chance at a new life, which is similar to the way God takes us in and gives us a new life when we put our faith in Him (John 1:12-13).]
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were the Israelites instructed to spare the girls who had never had relations with a man?
The instruction to spare the girls was likely due to their innocence and potential to be integrated into the Israelite community, as seen in Deuteronomy 21:10-14, where rules are provided for taking foreign wives. This practice was not uncommon in the ancient Near East, as mentioned in Exodus 22:16-17.
Does this verse promote or condone the exploitation of women?
No, this verse must be understood within its historical and cultural context. While it may seem harsh by modern standards, the instruction to spare the girls was actually a form of protection and provision for them, as they would have been vulnerable to harm or exploitation otherwise, as seen in the protection of widows and orphans in Deuteronomy 10:18 and James 1:27.
How does this verse relate to the concept of God's justice and mercy?
This verse highlights the balance between God's justice and mercy, as seen in Numbers 31:16, where the women who caused the Israelites to turn against the Lord are punished, while the innocent girls are spared. This balance is also seen in Psalm 103:8, which describes God as 'slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness'.
What can we learn from this verse about God's character?
This verse reveals God's concern for the vulnerable and innocent, as well as His desire to protect and provide for them, as seen in Matthew 25:31-46, where Jesus teaches about caring for the 'least of these'.
Reflection Questions
- What does this verse reveal about the importance of protecting and caring for the vulnerable and innocent?
- How does this verse challenge or reinforce my understanding of God's character and nature?
- In what ways can I apply the principles of justice and mercy in my own life, as seen in this verse?
- What does this verse teach me about the value and worth of human life, particularly in the context of war and conflict?
Gill's Exposition on Numbers 31:18
But all the women children,.... The females among the little ones: that have not known a man by lying with him; which might be pretty clear, and easily concluded, from their age: keep for yourselves;
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 31:18
And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive? No JFB commentary on these verses.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Numbers 31:18
Not known a man, to wit, carnally: See Poole "Genesis 4:1 19:8 . Keep alive for yourselves; either to sell them as slaves to others, or to use them as servants to yourselves, or to marry them, when you have prepared and instructed them.
Trapp's Commentary on Numbers 31:18
Numbers 31:18 But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.Ver. 18. That have not known a man.] As far as they could conjecture by their age. But the way of a man with a maid, is one of Solomon’ s secrets. Of Rebecca it is noted, that she went for a maid, and she was so. But Quartilla, the strumpet in Petronius, was not ashamed to say, Iunonem meam iratam habeam, si unquam me meminerim virginem fuisse, That she could not remember that ever she was a maid. And what a base slander was that cast upon our religion by an impudent Jesuit, Sylvester Petrasancta, Puellas plerumque corruptas nuptui dari in reformato Evangelio, That few maids amongst us come clear to marriage. Petron., Satyr. Rivetti Jesuita Vapulans.
Ellicott's Commentary on Numbers 31:18
(18) Keep alive for yourselves.—The Israelites were allowed to make slaves of their captives. Shortly after the capture of these Midianitish women, and, it may be, as arising out of it, the law concerning marriage with captives was enacted. (See Deuteronomy 21:10-14.)
Cambridge Bible on Numbers 31:18
1–18. The utter destruction of every Midianite, with the exception of the virgins who are to be kept as spoil.
Sermons on Numbers 31:18
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
(Through the Needle's Eye) 11 - the Old Testament View by David Servant | David Servant preaches about the Old Testament scriptures that address obedience to God's commandments, the dangers of greed and discontentment, the importance of stewardship, and |