ris3n's Apologetics Codex

Numbers 31.16

type: passage created: 2026-05-06 updated: 2026-05-06 book: Numbers chapter: 31 verses: "16" translation_default: ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT tags: [scripture] citation_count: 1 enriched: false

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Numbers 31.16

Book: Numbers · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"14. And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, who came from the service of the war. 15. And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive?"

"16. Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against Jehovah in the matter of Peor, and so the plague was among the congregation of Jehovah."

"17. Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. 18. But all the women-children, that have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves." (Numbers 31:14-18, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"14. Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, who came from the service of the war. 15. Moses said to them, “Have you saved all the women alive?"

"16. Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against Yahweh in the matter of Peor, and so the plague was among the congregation of Yahweh."

"17. Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him. 18. But all the girls, who have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves." (Numbers 31:14-18, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"14. And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle. battle: Heb. host of war 15. And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive?"

"16. Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD."

"17. Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. him: Heb. a male 18. But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves." (Numbers 31:14-18, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"14. and Moses is wroth against the inspectors of the force, chiefs of the thousands, and chiefs of the hundreds, who are coming in from the host of the battle. 15. And Moses saith unto them, 'Have ye kept alive every female?"

"16. lo, they, they have been to the sons of Israel, through the word of Balaam, to cause a trespass against Jehovah in the matter of Peor, and the plague is in the company of Jehovah."

"17. 'And now, slay ye every male among the infants, yea, every woman known of man by the lying of a male ye have slain; 18. and all the infants among the women, who have not known the lying of a male, ye have kept alive for yourselves." (Numbers 31:14-18, YLT)

Setting

  • Speaker: Moses (traditional)
  • Audience: Israelite congregation post-Sinai
  • Location: Sinai → wilderness wanderings → plains of Moab
  • Time period: events c. 1445-1406 BC; composed c. 1446-1406 BC

Theological reading

Key words

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

  • ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.