Numbers 31:5 Made Simple

KJV ORIGINAL

So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.

Close to the original. Clear modern English.

✦ MADE SIMPLE

So from all the tribes of Israel, one thousand men were chosen from each tribe, making twelve thousand soldiers ready for battle.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

This verse describes how Israel assembled an army by selecting 1,000 warriors from each of the twelve tribes, totaling 12,000 soldiers for war.

📚 Historical Context

In the book of Numbers, the Israelites were in the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt, and God commanded Moses to lead a military campaign against the Midianites for their role in tempting Israel into idolatry and immorality. This verse describes the mobilization of forces, with 1,000 men selected from each of the 12 tribes, totaling 12,000 warriors, as a direct response to God's directive. The event reflects the cultural norms of ancient warfare in the ancient Near East, where tribal armies were often assembled for divine purposes.

Explore Similar Verses

Numbers 31:4

Send a thousand men from each tribe of Israel to war, a thousand from every tribe throughout all Israel.

Joshua 22:14

And with him were ten leaders, one chief from each tribe of Israel. Each one was the head of his family clan among the thousands of people in Israel.

1 Chronicles 12:34

From the tribe of Naphtali came a thousand commanders, and with them came thirty-seven thousand soldiers armed with shields and spears.

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