Commentary— Tyndale Open Study Notes (plain English)
31:1-2 The Lord ordered Moses to lead Israel in a war of retaliation against the Midianites, who had joined the Moabites in leading the Hebrews into idolatry (ch 25). The Midianites were a tribal people who inhabited the arid and semiarid regions south and east of Palestine and east of the Jordan River; they were counted among the “people of the east” (Judg 6:3, 33; 7:12). They lived in camps or settlements and were famous for their knowledge of desert transportation (cp. Gen 37:28, 36; Isa 60:6). While they were descended from Abraham (Gen 25:1-2) and had been friendly toward Moses (Exod 2:15–3:1; cp. Num 10:29), the elders of Midian had joined Balak in hiring Balaam to curse Israel (22:4, 7), whose presence threatened the peoples of Transjordan (the region east of the Jordan).
Commentary— Tyndale Open Study Notes (plain English)
31:1-2 The Lord ordered Moses to lead Israel in a war of retaliation against the Midianites, who had joined the Moabites in leading the Hebrews into idolatry (ch 25). The Midianites were a tribal people who inhabited the arid and semiarid regions south and east of Palestine and east of the Jordan River; they were counted among the “people of the east” (Judg 6:3, 33; 7:12). They lived in camps or settlements and were famous for their knowledge of desert transportation (cp. Gen 37:28, 36; Isa 60:6). While they were descended from Abraham (Gen 25:1-2) and had been friendly toward Moses (Exod 2:15–3:1; cp. Num 10:29), the elders of Midian had joined Balak in hiring Balaam to curse Israel (22:4, 7), whose presence threatened the peoples of Transjordan (the region east of the Jordan).
Literal English (Darby)ⓘThe Darby Bible (1890) — a deliberately literal, word-for-word translation used here as the Old Testament comparison text.The Darby Bible (1890) — a deliberately literal, word-for-word translation used here as the Old Testament comparison text.
And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
Hebrew (Masoretic Text)ⓘThe Masoretic Text — the authoritative Hebrew manuscript tradition behind most Old Testaments, standardized by Jewish scribes (the Masoretes) between roughly the 7th and 10th centuries AD.The Masoretic Text — the authoritative Hebrew manuscript tradition behind most Old Testaments, standardized by Jewish scribes (the Masoretes) between roughly the 7th and 10th centuries AD.
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃
King James VersionⓘKing James Version (1611) — the classic formal, word-for-word English translation. Historic and widely memorized, but uses Early Modern English vocabulary.
King James Version (1611) — the classic formal, word-for-word English translation. Historic and widely memorized, but uses Early Modern English vocabulary.
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
American Standard VersionⓘAmerican Standard Version (1901) — a more literal, precision-focused revision in the King James tradition.American Standard Version (1901) — a more literal, precision-focused revision in the King James tradition.
And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
World English BibleⓘWorld English Bible — a modern, public-domain update to the KJV/ASV formal style, without archaic language.World English Bible — a modern, public-domain update to the KJV/ASV formal style, without archaic language.
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
Bible in Basic EnglishⓘBible in Basic English (1949) — deliberately written using a limited vocabulary of about 1,000 words.Bible in Basic English (1949) — deliberately written using a limited vocabulary of about 1,000 words.