King James Bible

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Numbers

Note Journal Prayer

31

:

8

“

And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
And they slew destroy Verb H2026 הָרְג֣וּ ha·re·gu
the kings king Noun H4428 מַלְכֵ֨י mal·chei
of Midian Midian Noun H4080 מִדְיָ֜ן mid·yan
Analysis:
Read more about: Midian
beside above Prepostion H5921 עַל־ al-
the rest of them that were slain kill Noun H2491 חַלְלֵיהֶ֗ם chal·lei·hem
[namely] Evi Evi Noun H189 אֱוִ֤י e·vi
Analysis:
Read more about: Evi
and Rekem Rekem Noun H7552 רֶ֙קֶם֙ re·kem
Analysis:
Read more about: Rekem
and Zur Zur Noun H6698 צ֤וּר tzur
and Hur Hur Noun H2354 חוּר֙ chur
and Reba Reba Noun H7254 רֶ֔בַע re·va,
Analysis:
Read more about: Reba
five fif Noun H2568 חֲמֵ֖שֶׁת cha·me·shet
Analysis:

Five: Incompletion or lacking

For a person to understand the meaning of the number “five”, one must first realize that the meaning of the number ten is completion or wholeness. Since five is half of ten, the idea is that the number five represents incompletion or that which is lacking. A Scripture that expresses this idea is found in the book of John. At a place called Beit Chesed (Bethesda), there was a pool whose waters healed the sick. The reader is told that around the pool there were five porches. It is stated that on these five porches laid individuals who were not whole. Some were paralyzed and the rest of them had a variety of health problems. It is not a chance happening that these people who were lacking their health were on five porches. Another well-known passage that contains the number five is found in I Samuel 17. In the account of David and Goliath, David picks up five stones (see I Samuel 17:40). Why is the reader told the specific number and not simply that David had gathered a few stones? The answer is to assist the reader in understanding that the stone, which David hurled at Goliath, was not the source of victory. Rather, this was only the means that God used to accomplish His victory. In other words, the stone and even David, who hurled this stone at Goliath, were insufficient to bring about this victory.

One of the first places where the idea of "lacking" or "incompleteness" is seen regarding the number five is in the book of Genesis. In chapter 18, two angels are sent to Sodom to destroy the city. God tells Abraham that if 50 righteous people are found in the city, then the city will be free of this punishment (We will learn that the number 50 is related to freedom when this number is studied). This is revealed to Abraham and he responds saying, perhaps the city will lack 50 righteous people by five. It is significant that Abraham uses the number five when referring to the city lacking enough righteous people. 

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kings king Noun H4428 מַלְכֵ֣י mal·chei
of Midian Midian Noun H4080 מִדְיָ֑ן mid·yan;
Analysis:
Read more about: Midian
they slew destroy Verb H2026 הָרְג֖וּ ha·re·gu
Balaam Balaam Noun H1109 בִּלְעָ֣ם bil·'am
Analysis:
Read more about: Balaam
also the son afflicted Noun H1121 בֶּן־ ben-
of Beor Beor Noun H1160 בְּעֹ֔ור be·'o·vr,
Analysis:
Read more about: Beor
with the sword dagger Noun H2719 בֶּחָֽרֶב׃ be·cha·rev.

Locations

Midian

MIDIAN; MIDIANITESmid'-i-an, mid'-i-an-its (midhyan, midhyanim; Madiam, Madienaioi):1. The See d of Abraham to the Time of the Judges:Midian was a son of Abraham by his concubine Keturah. To him were born 5 sons, Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida and Eldaah (Genesis 25:2, 4 1 Chronicles 1:32 f). Bearing gifts from Abraham, he and his brothers, each with his own ho... View Details

People

Balaam

Balaam [N] [H] [S] lord of the people; foreigner or glutton, as interpreted by others, the son of Beor, was a man of some rank among the Midianites ( Numbers 31:8 ; Compare 16). He resided at Pethor ( Deuteronomy 23:4 ), in Mesopotamia ( Numbers 23:7 ). It is evident that though dwelling among idolaters he had some knowledge of the true God; and was held in such reputation that it was supposed that he whom he... View Details

Evi

one of five chiefs of Midian

Beor

|a burning,| father of an Edomite king, also the father of Balaam

Reba

Reba [N] [H] [S] fourth, one of the Midianite chiefs slain by the Israelites in the wilderness ( Numbers 31:8 ;  Joshua 13:21 ).    These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely. a king of Midian

Rekem

Rekem [N] [H] [S] embroidered; variegated.  One of the five Midianite kings whom the Israelites destroyed ( Numbers 31:8 ).    One of the sons of Hebron ( 1 Chronicles 2:43  1 Chronicles 2:44 ).    A town of Benjamin ( Joshua 18:27 ).    These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Editio... View Details

Parallel Verses

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King James Bible And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.
Hebrew Greek English And they slew They killed the kings of Midian, beside Midian along with the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, their slain: Evi and Rekem, Rekem and Zur, Zur and Hur, Hur and Reba, the five kings of Midian: Midian; they also killed Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.
New American Standard Bible 1995 And they slew They killed the kings of Midian, beside Midian along with the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, their slain: Evi and Rekem, Rekem and Zur, Zur and Hur, Hur and Reba, the five kings of Midian: Midian; they also killed Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.