Numbers 31:1-9 ▼

1 The LORD spoke to Moses,

2 “ Execute vengeance for the Israelites against the Midianites. After that, you will be gathered to your people.”

3 So Moses spoke to the people, “ Equip some of your men for war. They will go against Midian to inflict the LORD’s vengeance on them.

4 Send 1,000 men to war from each Israelite tribe.”

5 So 1,000 were recruited from each Israelite tribe out of the thousands in Israel  — 12,000 equipped for war.

6 Moses sent 1,000 from each tribe to war. They went with Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, in whose care were the holy objects and signal trumpets.

7 They waged war against Midian, as the LORD had commanded Moses, and killed every male.

8 Along with the others slain by them, they killed the Midianite kings  — Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.

9 The Israelites took the Midianite women and their children captive, and they plundered all their cattle, flocks, and property.