Numbers 25:17

KJV

Vex the Midianites, and smite them:

KJV (with Strong's)

Vex {H6887} the Midianites {H4084}, and smite {H5221} them:

Complete Jewish Bible

"Treat the Midyanim as enemies and attack them;

Berean Standard Bible

“Attack the Midianites and strike them dead.

American Standard Version

Vex the Midianites, and smite them;

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Numbers 25:17 delivers a direct divine command to the Israelites to engage the Midianites in retribution. This imperative, "Vex the Midianites, and smite them," marks a pivotal moment of divine judgment following the devastating apostasy and plague at Baal-peor. It underscores God's unwavering justice against those who deliberately instigate evil and lead His covenant people astray, demonstrating His zeal for holiness and the purity of Israel.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This command immediately follows the catastrophic incident at Baal-peor described in [Numbers 25:1-9](/numbers/25-1 "Numbers 25:1-9 - The Sin at Baal-peor"). There, many Israelite men committed sexual immorality with Moabite and Midianite women and participated in the idolatrous worship of Baal of Peor. This blatant apostasy provoked God's wrath, resulting in a severe plague that claimed 24,000 lives ([Numbers 25:9](/numbers/25-9 "Numbers 25:9 - The Plague's Toll")). The plague was only halted by the zealous act of Phinehas, who executed an Israelite man and a Midianite woman caught in flagrant sin ([Numbers 25:7-8](/numbers/25-7 "Numbers 25:7-8 - Phinehas's Zealous Act")). The subsequent command in [Numbers 25:17](/numbers/25-17 "Numbers 25:17 - Command Against Midian") and [Numbers 25:18](/numbers/25-18 "Numbers 25:18 - Midian's Guilt") explicitly states that the Midianites, particularly their women and leaders (as confirmed in [Numbers 31:16](/numbers/31-16 "Numbers 31:16 - Midian's Culpability")), were the primary instigators of this sin, acting with malicious intent to corrupt Israel.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Midianites were a nomadic, influential people, often involved in trade routes across the Arabian Peninsula and the Transjordan. They were descendants of Abraham through Keturah ([Genesis 25:2](/genesis/25-2 "Genesis 25:2 - Abraham's Descendants through Keturah")), yet they frequently posed a threat to Israel, both economically and spiritually. The incident at Baal-peor occurred as Israel was encamped in the plains of Moab, on the border of the Promised Land. This strategic location made them vulnerable to the pagan religious practices of the surrounding nations, which often intertwined fertility cults with sexual immorality. The Midianites' involvement was not merely incidental but a deliberate strategy, likely advised by Balaam ([Numbers 31:16](/numbers/31-16 "Numbers 31:16 - Midian's Treachery")), to weaken Israel by enticing them into idolatry and breaking their covenant with Yahweh.

* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the book of Numbers and the broader Pentateuch. It highlights **Divine Justice and Retribution**, demonstrating God's unwavering commitment to judge those who actively seek to corrupt His people and violate His holiness. The command underscores the severe **Consequences of Sin and Seduction**, particularly when idolatry and immorality are deliberately introduced to undermine a holy nation. Furthermore, it exemplifies **God's Holiness and Zeal**, revealing His intolerance for spiritual compromise and His fierce protection of His covenant relationship with Israel. The divine directive to "vex" and "smite" the Midianites is a direct manifestation of God's righteous anger and His determination to maintain the purity of His chosen people as they prepare to enter the Promised Land, echoing the zeal displayed by Phinehas in [Numbers 25:7](/numbers/25-7 "Numbers 25:7 - Phinehas's Righteous Act").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Vex (Hebrew, צָרַר, _tsarar_):** This verb carries a range of meanings including to bind, tie up, be narrow, be in distress, or to harass and trouble. In this context, it implies an aggressive, persistent campaign of harassment, causing distress and constriction to the Midianites. It suggests not just a single strike, but an ongoing state of conflict or a preliminary phase of military action designed to weaken and oppress them. The command is to make them an enemy, to actively cause them trouble.
* **Smite (Hebrew, נָכָה, _nakah_):** This is a strong verb meaning to strike, hit, beat, wound, or even to slay or utterly defeat. When used in a military context, it often denotes a decisive, destructive blow, aiming for total victory and eradication. Paired with "vex," it indicates that the harassment is not an end in itself, but a prelude or component of a more comprehensive and ultimately devastating military action intended to eliminate the Midianite threat.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Vex the Midianites,"**: This initial clause is a divine imperative, a direct command from God to Israel. The instruction to "vex" them implies a campaign of harassment, troubling, and causing distress. This was not a passive observation of their sin but an active, divinely mandated response to their malicious instigation of Israel's apostasy at Baal-peor. It signifies the beginning of a punitive action against them.
* **"and smite them:"**: This second imperative intensifies the command, moving beyond mere harassment to a decisive, destructive military engagement. To "smite" them means to strike them down, to defeat them utterly, and to inflict severe, even lethal, damage. This indicates that God's judgment against the Midianites was to be comprehensive and conclusive, aiming to neutralize their ability to corrupt Israel further and to serve as a clear act of divine retribution for their deliberate wickedness.

#### Literary Devices
The verse primarily employs **Divine Imperative**, a direct and authoritative command from God, emphasizing His sovereignty and the non-negotiable nature of His will. The use of two strong verbs, "vex" and "smite," creates a form of **Synonymous Parallelism**, where the second verb reinforces and intensifies the meaning of the first. While "vex" suggests harassment and trouble, "smite" escalates the action to decisive, destructive blows, conveying a comprehensive and forceful judgment. This rhetorical device underscores the totality of the retribution God demands against the Midianites. Furthermore, the command functions as a clear example of **Retribution Theology**, where the punishment is a direct and proportional consequence of the Midianites' deliberate actions in leading Israel into sin and idolatry.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Numbers 25:17 serves as a stark reminder of God's unyielding justice and His zealous commitment to the purity of His covenant people. It illustrates that God does not tolerate deliberate attempts to corrupt His chosen ones, viewing such actions as direct affronts to His holiness. This command is not merely about physical warfare but encapsulates a profound theological truth: God will confront and judge those forces, whether human or spiritual, that seek to draw His people away from Him. It highlights the serious consequences of spiritual seduction and the necessity of maintaining a clear distinction between God's holy nation and the corrupting influences of the world. The divine imperative to "vex" and "smite" underscores the active nature of God's opposition to evil and His determination to protect the integrity of His covenant.

* [Deuteronomy 7:1-6](/deuteronomy/7-1 "Deuteronomy 7:1-6 - Command to Destroy Pagan Nations")
* [Revelation 2:14](/revelation/2-14 "Revelation 2:14 - The Teaching of Balaam and Nicolaitans")
* [Psalm 106:28-31](/psalms/106-28 "Psalm 106:28-31 - Israel's Sin at Baal-peor and Phinehas's Righteousness")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
While believers today are not commanded to wage physical war against nations, Numbers 25:17 offers profound spiritual lessons for the Christian life. This passage serves as a potent warning against the "Midianite" influences in our own lives – those associations, ideologies, or temptations that deliberately seek to lead us away from God's commands and into spiritual compromise. Just as God acted decisively against those who corrupted Israel, so too are we called to be vigilant against spiritual enemies and to cultivate a fierce zeal for God's holiness and the purity of our own walk with Him. This involves recognizing the subtle and overt ways sin tries to infiltrate our lives, and then actively resisting and overcoming those influences through the power of the Holy Spirit. Our spiritual warfare is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of wickedness that seek to tempt and destroy, requiring us to "vex" and "smite" the strongholds of sin and deception in our hearts and minds.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What are the "Midianite" influences or temptations in my life that seek to draw me away from God's holiness and into spiritual compromise?**
* **How can I actively "vex" and "smite" these spiritual enemies and corrupting influences through prayer, scripture, and reliance on the Holy Spirit?**
* **In what ways can I cultivate a greater zeal for God's holiness and the purity of His church in my daily life and interactions?**
* **How does understanding God's righteous judgment against sin motivate me to pursue a deeper commitment to obedience and spiritual vigilance?**

### FAQ
**Why did God command such a harsh judgment against the Midianites?**

Answer: God's command for Israel to "vex" and "smite" the Midianites was a direct and righteous judgment for their deliberate and malicious role in instigating Israel's apostasy at Baal-peor. The Midianites were not merely passive bystanders; they actively enticed Israel into idolatry and sexual immorality, a strategy explicitly attributed to their women and leaders, likely following the counsel of Balaam ([Numbers 31:16](/numbers/31-16 "Numbers 31:16 - Midian's Cunning Plan")). This act was a direct assault on God's covenant with Israel and His holiness. The plague that followed ([Numbers 25:9](/numbers/25-9 "Numbers 25:9 - The Plague's Devastation")) demonstrated the severity of their sin and God's righteous anger. Therefore, the command was a necessary act of divine justice to purify Israel, remove a source of corruption, and uphold the sanctity of God's covenant and His own character. It served as a deterrent against future attempts to undermine His people.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Numbers 25:17 describes a physical command against a historical enemy, its deeper theological resonance finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment. Jesus Christ is the ultimate embodiment of divine zeal and purity, who came not to merely "vex" our spiritual enemies, but to decisively "smite" them. He is the one who, through His perfect life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection, has utterly defeated sin, death, and the devil ([Hebrews 2:14-15](/hebrews/2-14 "Hebrews 2:14-15 - Christ's Defeat of Death and the Devil")). Just as God commanded Israel to eradicate the Midianite influence that sought to corrupt them, Christ has triumphed over all spiritual principalities and powers, making a public spectacle of them ([Colossians 2:15](/colossians/2-15 "Colossians 2:15 - Christ's Triumph Over Spiritual Powers")). He purifies His church, His new covenant people, from within, enabling them to resist the seductions of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Believers, united with Christ, are now empowered to engage in spiritual warfare, not with physical weapons, but by putting on the full armor of God to stand against the schemes of the devil ([Ephesians 6:11-12](/ephesians/6-11 "Ephesians 6:11-12 - The Armor of God and Spiritual Warfare")). Our "vexing" and "smiting" of spiritual enemies is accomplished through Christ's victory, as we live in obedience to Him and rely on the power of His Spirit to overcome sin's influence in our lives and in the world ([Romans 8:37](/romans/8-37 "Romans 8:37 - More Than Conquerors Through Christ")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.