| Clarke's Commentary on the Bible Vex the Midianites, etc. - See this order fulfilled, Numbers 31:1-20. Twelve thousand Israelites attacked the Midianites, destroyed all their cities, slew their five kings, every male, and every grown up woman, and took all their spoils.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleVex the Midianites, and smite them. Go to war with them, and smite them with the sword; not the Moabites, but the Midianites, though they were both confederates against Israel; but God had given a charge not to contend in battle with Moab, Deuteronomy 2:9, they were spared for the sake of Lot, from whom they sprang; and, as Jarchi says, for the sake of Ruth, who was to come from them; and so in the Talmud (l); though they did not entirely escape the divine resentment, as appears from Deuteronomy 23:3 but the Midianites were the first that advised to send for Balaam, and with them he stayed and was entertained, after he had been dismissed by Balak; and it seems as if it was to them he gave the wicked counsel, to draw Israel into fornication, and so into idolatry, and thereby bring the curse of God upon them; which advice they communicated to the Moabites, and both were concerned in putting it into execution; see Numbers 22:4. (l) T. Bab. Bava Kama, fol. 38. 2.
Geneva Study BibleVex the Midianites, and smite them:
Wesley's Notes 25:17 The Midianites - And why not the Moabites. It is probable the Midianites were most guilty, as in persuading Balak to send for Balaam, Nu 22:4,7. So in the reception of Balaam after Balak had dismissed him, Nu 31:8, and in farther consultation with him, and in contriving the means for the executing of this wicked plot.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary17. Vex the Midianites, and smite them-They seem to have been the most guilty parties. (Compare Nu 22:4; 31:8).
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary25:16-18 We read not that any Midianites died of the plague; God punished them with the sword of an enemy, not with the rod of a father. We must set ourselves against whatever is an occasion of sin to us, Mt 5:29,30. Whatever draws us to sin, should be a vexation to us, as a thorn in the flesh. And none will be more surely and severely punished than those who, after Satan's example, and with his subtlety, tempt others to sin.
Matthew Henry's Whole Bible CommentaryVerses 16-18 God had punished the Israelites for their sin with a plague; as a Father he corrected his own children with a rod. But we read not that any of the Midianites died of the plague; God took another course with them, and punished them with the sword of an enemy, not with the rod of a father. 1. Moses, though the meekest man, and far from a spirit of revenge, is ordered to vex the Midianites and smite them, v. 17. Note, We must set ourselves against that, whatever it is, which is an occasion of sin to us, though it be a right eye or a right hand that thus offends us, Mt. 5:29, 30. This is that holy indignation and revenge which godly sorrow worketh, 2 Co. 7:11. 2. The reason given for the meditating of this revenge is because they vex you with their wiles, v. 18. Note, Whatever draws us to sin should be a vexation to us, as a thorn in the flesh. The mischief which the Midianites did to Israel by enticing them to whoredom must be remembered and punished with as much severity as that which the Amalekites did in fighting with them when they came out of Egypt, Ex. 17:14. God will certainly reckon with those that do the devil's work in tempting men to sin. See further orders given in this matter, ch. 31:2. | 
