Numbers 31:1-24 ▼

1 And YHWH spoke to Moses, saying,

2 “Avenge the vengeance of the sons of Israel against the Midianite; afterward you shall be gathered to your people.”

3 And Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm some of your men for war, that they may go against the Midianite, to put the vengeance of YHWH on Midian.

4 A thousand from a tribe, a thousand from a tribe, to all the tribes of Israel, you? shall send to the war.”

5 And there were given out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand from a tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.

6 And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand from a tribe, and he sent them to the war along with Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, and the holy vessels, and the signal and the trumpets in his hand.

7 And they warred against the Midianite, as YHWH had commanded Moses; and they killed all the males.

8 And the kings of Midian they killed with their pierced ones—Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba—five kings of Midian; and Balaam son of Beor they also killed with the sword.

9 And the sons of Israel took captive the women of Midian, with their little ones, and all their cattle, and all their flocks, and they plundered all their goods.

10 And also all the cities where they dwelt, and all their forts, they burned with the fire.

11 And they took all the spoil and all the plunder of the man and the beast.

12 And they brought to Moses and to Eleazar the priest and to the congregation of the sons of Israel the captives, and the plunder, and the spoil—to the camp in the plains of Moab, which are by the Jordan near Jericho.

13 And Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the congregation went to meet them toward the outside of the camp.

14 And Moses was angry with the officers of the army, chiefs of the thousands and chiefs of the hundreds, who were coming in from the battle.

15 And Moses said to them, “Have you? kept alive every female?

16 Behold, these women caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against YHWH in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of YHWH.

17 And now kill every male among the little ones, and every woman who has known a man by lying with him you must kill.

18 And every child among the women who have not known the bed of a man, you shall keep alive for yourselves.

19 And as for you?, remain outside of the camp seven days; anyone who kills a soul and anyone who touches the slain—you? shall cleanse yourselves from sin, you? and your? captives, on the third day and on the seventh day.

20 And every garment, and everything made of leather, and everything woven of goats’ hair, and every wood vessel, you? shall cleanse yourselves from sin.”

21 And Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who had gone to the battle, “This is the ordinance of the law that YHWH has commanded Moses:

22 Only the gold, and the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead—

23 everything that can endure the fire—you? shall put through the fire, and it shall be clean. Nevertheless, with the water of purification it shall be cleansed from sin. And all that cannot endure the fire, you? shall put through the water.

24 And you? shall wash your? clothes on the seventh day and be clean, and afterward you? may come into the camp.”