Numbers 31:13-54 ▼

13 And Moses (drawn out), Eleazar (God has helped) the priest, and all the leaders of the congregation went to meet them outside the camp.

14 But Moses (drawn out) was angry with the officers of the army—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—who were returning from the battle.

15 “Have you⁺ spared all the women?” he (drawn out) asked them.

16 “Look, these women caused the sons of Israel (he wrestles with God), through the counsel of Balaam (not of the people), to turn unfaithfully against the LORD {YHWH} at Peor (cleft), so that the plague struck the congregation of the LORD.

17 So now, kill all the boys, as well as every woman who has had relations with a man,

18 but spare for yourselves every girl who has never had relations with a man.

19 All of you who have killed a person or touched the dead are to remain outside the camp for seven days. On the third day and the seventh day you⁺ are to purify both yourselves and your⁺ captives.

20 And purify every garment and leather good, everything made of goat’s hair, and every article of wood.”

21 Then Eleazar (God has helped) the priest said to the soldiers who had gone into battle, “This is the statute of the law which the LORD {YHWH} has commanded Moses (drawn out):

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

23 everything that can withstand the fire—must be put through the fire, and it will be clean. But it must still be purified with the water of purification. And everything that cannot withstand the fire must pass through the water.

24 On the seventh day you⁺ are to wash your⁺ clothes, and you⁺ will be clean. After that you⁺ may enter the camp.”

25 The LORD {YHWH} said to Moses (drawn out),

26 “You and Eleazar (God has helped) the priest and the family heads of the congregation are to take a count of what was captured, both of man and beast.

27 Then divide the captives between the troops who went out to battle and the rest of the congregation.

28 Set aside a tribute for the LORD {YHWH} from what belongs to the soldiers who went into battle: one out of every five hundred, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, or sheep.

29 Take it from their half and give it to Eleazar (God has helped) the priest as an offering to the LORD {YHWH}.

30 From the Israelites’ (he wrestles with God) half, take one out of every fifty, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep, or other animals, and give them to the Levites who keep charge of the tabernacle of the LORD {YHWH}.”

31 So Moses (drawn out) and Eleazar (God has helped) the priest did as the LORD {YHWH} had commanded Moses,

32 and this plunder remained from the spoils the soldiers had taken: 675,000 sheep,

33 72,000 cattle,

34 61,000 donkeys,

35 and 32,000 women who had not slept with a man.

36 This was the half portion for those who had gone to war: 337,500 sheep,

37 including a tribute to the LORD {YHWH} of 675,

38 36,000 cattle, including a tribute to the LORD {YHWH} of 72,

39 30,500 donkeys, including a tribute to the LORD {YHWH} of 61,

40 and 16,000 people, including a tribute to the LORD {YHWH} of 32.

41 Moses (drawn out) gave the tribute to Eleazar (God has helped) the priest as an offering for the LORD {YHWH}, as the LORD had commanded Moses.

42 From the Israelites’ (he wrestles with God) half, which Moses (drawn out) had set apart from the men who had gone to war,

43 this half belonged to the congregation: 337,500 sheep,

44 36,000 cattle,

45 30,500 donkeys,

46 and 16,000 people.

47 From the Israelites’ (he wrestles with God) half, Moses (drawn out) took one out of every fifty persons and animals and gave them to the Levites who kept charge of the tabernacle of the LORD {YHWH}, as the LORD had commanded him.

48 Then the officers who were over the units of the army—the commanders of thousands and of hundreds—approached Moses (drawn out)

49 and said (drawn out), “Your servants have counted the soldiers under our command, and not one of us is missing.

50 So we have brought to the LORD {YHWH} an offering of the gold articles each man acquired—armlets, bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces—to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD.”

51 So Moses (drawn out) and Eleazar (God has helped) the priest received from them all the articles made out of gold.

52 All the gold that the commanders of thousands and of hundreds presented as an offering to the LORD {YHWH} weighed 16,750 shekels <420.8 lb / 190.9 kg>.

53 Each of the soldiers had taken plunder for himself.

54 And Moses (drawn out) and Eleazar (God has helped) the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds and brought it into the Tent of Meeting as a memorial for the Israelites (God prevails) before the LORD {YHWH}.