Numbers 25:17 Meaning and Explanation
“Vex the Midianites, and smite them:”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →God repeats and emphasizes the command to strike and afflict the Midianites.
The Context of Numbers 25:17
The reiteration stresses the urgency and completeness required.
What Does Numbers 25:17 Mean?
The repetition Vex the Midianites, and smite them (slightly different in Hebrew than verse 16) is emphatic, not mere redundancy. It signals that this is not a suggestion but a direct, binding command. Smite (nakah) carries the sense of total defeat, not negotiation. Israel was to understand Midian as an enemy to be fully overcome.
This command prefigures the later campaign against Midian, recorded at the end of Numbers 31, where Israel indeed pursues this vengeance. The covenant framework extends beyond Israel's internal cleansing to Israel's external conflicts.
Numbers 25:17 in the Original Language
nakah (נַךְ), 'smite'—to strike decisively, often with lethal intent, emphasizing total conquest rather than skirmish.
Frequently Asked Questions About Numbers 25:17
What does Numbers 25:17 mean?
God repeats and emphasizes the command to strike and afflict the Midianites.
What is the context of Numbers 25:17?
The reiteration stresses the urgency and completeness required.