Numbers 25:17 — Word Study
WLCצָר֖וֹר אֶת־ הַמִּדְיָנִ֑ים וְהִכִּיתֶ֖ם אוֹתָֽם׃
BSAAttacktsârar [vex, harass, or take up arms against] the MidianitesMidyânîy [those from the tribe of Midian, known for strife and conflict] and strike them deadnâkâh [smite, hit, or overcome, as enemies, namely the object of God's judgment]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| צָר֖וֹר | oppose | Verb, Qal, infinitive absolute |
| אֶת־ | the object marker | Particle |
| הַמִּדְיָנִ֑ים | the Midianites | Particle, noun gentilic masculine plural absolute |
| וְהִכִּיתֶ֖ם | and you will strike down | Verb, Hiphil, sequential perfect second person masculine plural |
| אוֹתָֽם׃ | the object marker them | Particle, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | “Attack the Midianites and strike them dead. |
| KJV | Vex the Midianites, and smite them: |
| ASV | Vex the Midianites, and smite them; |
| YLT | 'Distress the Midianites, and ye have smitten them, |
| WEB | “Harass the Midianites, and strike them; |
| BBE | Take up arms against the Midianites and overcome them; |
Where they part company is in the choice of verbs for צָר֖וֹר and הִכִּיתֶ֖ם — see How Translations Differ.
The structure consists of a main command followed by an action to be taken, emphasizing the urgency of the directive.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbצָרַר
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Numbers 25:17
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Instructions for Confronting the Midianitesgenerated
Numbers 25:17 is part of God's directive to Moses regarding the Midianites, a people who had deceived Israel and led them into sin. This command emphasizes the seriousness of the situation and the need for decisive action against those who oppose God’s people.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Numbers 31:2 | “Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people.” |
| 2 | Revelation 18:6 | Give back to her as she has done to others; pay her back double for what she has done; mix her a double portion in her own cup. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — צָר֖וֹר, tza.Rorgenerated
The word צָרַר (tza.Rar) is a verb in the Qal stem, in the infinitive absolute form. It derives from a root meaning to bind or confine, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to vex, harass, or take up arms against. In this context, it signifies a call to oppose the Midianites directly.
This verb indicates a strong action, reflecting the urgency of the situation. The command is not merely defensive; it is an offensive directive to confront the Midianites who have caused strife for Israel.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verbs in this verse are צָר֖וֹר (attack) and הִכִּיתֶ֖ם (strike down), with both serving as directives from God. The structure emphasizes the dual actions required: to attack and to strike.
The order of the verbs places a clear emphasis on the command to attack first, suggesting that engagement is the priority before delivering a fatal blow.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint uses the Greek word ἐξθραίνετε for צָר֖וֹר, which means to provoke or stir up. This choice indicates a broader interpretation of the command, suggesting not only physical confrontation but also a call to incite action against the Midianites.
For הִכִּיתֶ֖ם, the Septuagint translates it as πατάχατε, meaning to strike or smite, aligning closely with the Hebrew meaning and reinforcing the directive to defeat the enemy.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Numbers 25:17 records God's command to Moses to attack the Midianites and strike them down. This directive highlights the seriousness of the conflict and God's judgment against those who led Israel into sin.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
God is instructing Israel to confront and eliminate the threat posed by the Midianites, who had deceived them and led them into sin.
The severity of the command reflects the seriousness of the Midianites' actions against Israel, which included leading them into idolatry and immorality.
This command is part of God's judgment against the Midianites for their role in leading Israel astray, demonstrating God's commitment to holiness among His people.
This command serves as a reminder of the importance of addressing sin and opposition to God's people decisively.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How can I confront challenges in my life that oppose my faith, similar to how Israel confronted the Midianites?
- What does it mean to take decisive action against influences that lead me away from God?
- In what ways can I support others in facing their own battles against spiritual opposition?
- How does understanding God's judgment in this context shape my view of sin and its consequences?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Numbers 25:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleVex the Midianites, and smite them. Go to war with them, and smite them with the sword; not the Moabites, but the Midianites, though they were both confederates against Israel; but God had given a
Read John Gill on Numbers 25 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryVex the Midianites, and smite them: Vex the Midianites. They seem to have been the most guilty parties (cf.
Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 25 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleAnd why not the Moabites, who were as guilty, ? Answ. 1. Because God will reserve to himself a liberty of punishing or sparing, according to his own good pleasure. 2. God had a kindness for the Moabites for Lot’ s sake, . 3. God punished the Moabites in another manner, partly, by his own immediate hand, whereby it is probable he cut off those Moabitish women that were guilty of this fact; partly, by a particular and dreadful kind of excommunication, ; and partly, by impunity, which in its consequences is commonly worse and more pernicious than any or all temporal punishments, which none that believes the Bible can deny. 4. It is probable the Midianites were most guilty, as in persuading…
Read Matthew Poole on Numbers 25 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsNumbers 25:17 Vex the Midianites, and smite them:Ver. 17. Vex the Midianites.] As more malicious and mischievous than the Moabites; as appears, (1.) By their detaining of Balaam, when the Moabites dismissed him in great displeasure; (2.) By the wickedness of their women, who by Cozbi may seem to have been meretrices meretricissimae, such as afterwards was Julia, Messalina, and that Romish Lucretia, concubine to Pope Alexander VI., of whom Pontanus, “ Hoc tumulo dormit Lucretia nomine, sed re Thais, Alexandri filia, sponsa, nurus. ” Lib. ii. tum.
Read John Trapp on Numbers 25 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(17) Vex the Midianites, and smite them.—The Midianites appear to have been joint actors with the Moabites throughout the whole of the opposition which was offered to Israel, and the chief actors in the wiles by which the Israelites were seduced. As the descendants of Abraham, the father of the faithful, the Midianites ought to have feared and obeyed Abraham’s God, and to have shown brotherly kindness to His people, who were their own kindred. The special judgments of God are directed against the sins of apostacy and of seduction. (Comp. Revelation 2:14; Revelation 18:6.) Although the Moabites were not to be smitten with the Midianites (see Deuteronomy 2:9), nevertheless they did not escape…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Numbers 25 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 17. Vex the Midianites, &c.] See this order fulfilled, Numbers 31:1-20. Twelve thousand Israelites attacked the Midianites, destroyed all their cities, slew their five kings, every male, and every grown up woman, and took all their spoils.
Read AdamClarke on Numbers 25 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges16–18. are an editorial note. The compiler who placed side by side the two narratives in Numbers 25:1-15 here combines them in such a way as to represent the Midianites as responsible for tempting Israel in both cases. And at the same time he anticipates the command given to Moses in Numbers 31:1.
Read Cambridge on Numbers 25 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleWAR AGAINST MIDIAN , Numbers 25:16-18. 17. Vex the Midianites — Although Midian and Moab were united in bringing Balaam from the east, (Numbers 22:4; Numbers 22:7,) and the daughters of Moab were
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Numbers 25 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
“Attack the Midianites and strike them dead.
“Harass the Midianites, and strike them;
“Attack the Midianites and strike them dead.
“Bring trouble to the Midianites, and destroy them,
Tyndale line
Vex the Midianites, and smite them:
Vex the Midianites, and smite them;
Vex the Midianites, and smite them:
Distress the Midianites, and smite them:
Vexe the Midianites, and smite them:
Strictly literal
Harass the Midianites, and smite them,
'Distress the Midianites, and ye have smitten them,
“Distress the Midianites, and you have struck them,
Attack the Midianites and smite them;
“Treat the Midianites as enemies and attack them,
From the Latin
Let the Madianites find you enemies, and slay you them:
Simplified
“Attack the Midianites and kill them,
Take up arms against the Midianites and overcome them;
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text reads צָר֖וֹר אֶת־ הַמִּדְיָנִ֑ים וְהִכִּיתֶ֖ם אוֹתָֽם׃, which is closely matched by the Septuagint, although the Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly with the verb צררו (to wrap or bind) and the object marker אתם.
צָר֖וֹר אֶת־ הַמִּדְיָנִ֑ים וְהִכִּיתֶ֖ם אוֹתָֽם׃
4 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
צררו את המדינים והכיתם אתם
2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: צררו (wrap, be narrow), אתם (
[צררו] את המדיניים [והכיתם] [אות׳מה]
1 word on the leather — 1 partly restored, 3 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Numbers 25:17
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word צָרַר (tsarar) is built from a primitive root meaning to bind or confine. It covers a range of meanings including to besiege, cause distress, and show hostility. The word can also denote making a rival-wife. Notably, it appears in Leviticus 18:18.
צוּר vb. confine, bind, besiege
base
צָרַר vb. bind, tie up, be restricted, narrow, scant, cramped
trans.
Qal bind or tie up
Pu. tied up (mended by tying)
intrans.
Qal be scant, cramped, in straits
Hiph. make narrow for, press hard upon, cause distress to
base
[צָרַר] vb. denom. Hiph. suffer distress
base
צָרַר vb. shew hostility toward, vex
base
[צָרַר] vb. denom. make a rival-wife;—Qal Lv 18:18
ref
H6887a צוּר confine, bind, besiege H6887b צָרַר bind, tie up, be restricted, narrow, scant, cramped H6887c צָרַר vb. denom. Hiph. suffer distress H6887d צָרַר shew hostility toward, vex H6887e צָרַר vb. denom. make a rival-wife
6887 tsarar tsaw-rar'
a primitive root; to cramp, literally or figuratively,
transitive or intransitive (as follows):--adversary, (be in)
afflict(-ion), beseige, bind (up), (be in, bring) distress,
enemy, narrower, oppress, pangs, shut up, be in a strait
(trouble), vex.
צָרַר (tsa.rar) — to confine.
to confine, besiege
Another spelling of tsur (צוּר "to confine" H6696A)
צָרַר (tsa.rar) — to constrain.
1) to bind, be narrow, be in distress, make narrow, cause distress, besiege, be straitened, be bound
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to bind, tie up, shut up
1a2) to be scant, be cramped, be in straits
1b) (Pual) to be bound, be tied up
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to make narrow for, cause distress to, press hard upon
צָרַר (tsa.rar) — to distress.
to suffer distress
צָרַר (tsa.rar) — to vex.
to show hostility toward, vex
צָרַר (tsa.rar) — to rival.
to make a rival-wife
V-Qal-Ptc — Verb · Qal · infinitive absoluteHVqaa
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HTo — ParticleHTo
מִדְיָנִי (Midianite) refers to someone from Midian, derived from the root word for Midian itself. The term encompasses both a member of the tribe and an inhabitant of the land. It is noted in various lexicons as a patronymical or patrial form, linking it to the broader context of Midianites in the Old Testament.
מִדְיָנִי adj.gent. Midianite
base
H4084 מִדְיָנִי Midianite
4084 Midyaniy mid-yaw-nee'
patronymical or patrial from 4080; a Midjanite or descend.
(native) of Midjan:--Midianite. Compare 4092.
see HEBREW for 04080
see HEBREW for 04092
מִדְיָנִי (mid.ya.ni) — Midianite.
Someone from Midian
Group of mid.yan (מִדְיָן "Midian" H4080H)
§ Midianite, of Midian "strife"
a member of the tribe of Midian
2) an inhabitant of the land of Midian
Art | Ngmpa — Particle · noun gentilic masculine plural absoluteHTd/Ngmpa
Descendants of Midian, a nomade race in Arabia, numerous, and rich in flocks, herds, and camels, Isa 60:6. The original and appropriate district of the Midianites seems to have been on the east side of the Elantic branch of the Red Sea, where the Arabian geographers place the city Midian, Ac 7:29. But they appear to have spread themselves northward, probably along the desert east of Mount Seir, to the vicinity of the Moabites; and on the other side, also, they covered a territory extending to the neighborhood of Mount Sinai. See Ex 3:1 18:1 Nu 22:25,31 Jud 6:1-8:35. In Ge…
→ Descendants of Midian, son of Abraham by Keturah Ge 25:1,2,4; 1Ch 1:32,33
→ Called ISHMAELITES Ge 37:25,28; Jud 8:24
→ Were merchantmen Ge 37:28
→ Buy Joseph and sell him to Potiphar Ge 37:28,36
→ Defeated by the Israelites under Phineas
→ Five of their kings killed
→ The women taken captive
→ Cities burned;
→ And rich spoil taken Nu 31
→ Defeated by Gideon Jud 6; 7; 8
→ Owned multitudes of camels, and dromedaries, and large quantities of gold Isa 60:6
נָכָה (nakah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to strike or smite, encompassing a range of actions from lightly hitting to fatal blows. It appears in various forms, indicating actions like attacking, punishing, or causing disease. The entries suggest its use in both literal and figurative contexts, including divine judgment and applause. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
[נָכָה] 501 vb. smite (not in Qal)
Niph. and he shall be smitten [struck by weapon in battle] and die
Pu. both be smitten down by the hail
Hiph.
lit., smite (with a single, non-fatal, blow), strike
smite repeatedly, beat a man
and they clapped hands (in applause)
give a thrust (with fork) into pot; strike roots
rarely smite (in battle) so as (merely) to wound
smite, of sun
Smite fatally
Smite = attack, attack and destroy a company
Of God
smite with a plague, disease, etc.
smite = chastise, or send judgment upon
of God’s destroying palaces
Hoph. be smitten
base
H5221 נָכָה smite (not in Qal) . and he shall be smitten [struck by weapon in battle] and die
. both be smitten down by the hail
. . . lit., smite (with a single, non-fatal, blow), strike
. smite repeatedly, beat a man
. and they clapped hands (in applause)
. give a thrust (with fork) into pot; strike roots
. rarely smite (in battle) so as (merely) to wound
. smite, of sun
. Smite fatally
. Smite = attack, attack and destroy a company
. Of God . smite with a plague, disease, etc.
. smite = chastise, or send judgment upon
. of God’s destroying palaces
. be smitten
5221 nakah naw-kaw'
a primitive root; to strike (lightly or severely, literally
or figuratively):--beat, cast forth, clap, give (wounds), X
go forward, X indeed, kill, make (slaughter), murderer,
punish, slaughter, slay(-er, -ing), smite(-r, -ing), strike,
be stricken, (give) stripes, X surely, wound.
נָכָה (na.khah) — to smite.
1) to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill
1a)(Niphal) to be stricken or smitten
1b) (Pual) to be stricken or smitten
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to smite, strike, beat, scourge, clap, applaud, give a thrust
1c2) to smite, kill, slay (man or beast)
1c3) to smite, attack, attack and destroy, conquer, subjugate, ravage
1c4) to smite, chastise, send judgment upon, punish, destroy
1d) (Hophal) to be smitten
1d1) to receive a blow
1d2) to be wounded
1d3) to be beaten
1d4) to be (fatally) smitten, be killed, be slain
1d5) to be attacked and captured
1d6) to be smitten (with disease)
1d7) to be blighted (of plants)
Conj | V-Hiphil-2mp — Verb · Hiphil · sequential perfect second person masculine pluralHc/Vhq2mp
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HTo/Sp3mp — Particle · suffixHTo/Sp3mp