Numbers 31:1-18

Vengeance on Midian

1The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 aAvenge the people of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward you shall bbe gathered to your people.” 3So Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian to execute the Lord’s vengeance on Midian. 4You shall send a thousand from each of the tribes of Israel to the war.” 5So there were provided, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand carmed for war. 6And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand from each tribe, together with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, with the vessels of the sanctuary and dthe trumpets for the alarm in his hand. 7They warred against Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses, and ekilled every male. 8They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain, fEvi, Rekem, gZur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. And they also killed hBalaam the son of Beor with the sword. 9And the people of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their little ones, and they took as plunder all their cattle, their flocks, and all their goods. 10All their cities in the places where they lived, and all their iencampments, they burned with fire, 11 jand took all the spoil and all the plunder, both of man and of beast. 12Then they brought the captives and the plunder and the spoil to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the people of Israel, at the camp on kthe plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.

13Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the chiefs of the congregation went to meet them outside the camp. 14And Moses was angry with lthe officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, who had come from service in the war. 15Moses said to them, “Have you mlet all the women live? 16Behold, nthese, oon Balaam’s advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the Lord in the incident of pPeor, and so qthe plague came among the congregation of the Lord. 17Now therefore, rkill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him. 18But all the young girls who have not known man by lying with him skeep alive for yourselves.
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