Numbers 31:1-10 ▼

1 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

2 “Take full vengeance for the sons of Israel on the Midianites; afterward you will be gathered to your people.”

3 And Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian to execute Yahweh’s vengeance on Midian.

4 One thousand from each tribe of all the tribes of Israel you shall send to the war.”

5 So there were furnished from the thousands of Israel, one thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.

6 And Moses sent them, one thousand from each tribe, to the war, and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war with them, and the holy vessels and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand.

7 So they made war against Midian, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses, and they killed every male.

8 They killed the kings of Midian along with the rest of their slain: Evi and Rekem and Zur and Hur and Reba, the five kings of Midian; they also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword.

9 And the sons of Israel captured the women of Midian and their little ones; and all their cattle and all their flocks and all their goods they plundered.

10 Then they burned all their cities where they lived and all their camps with fire.