Numbers 31:1-6

1The Lord spoke to Moses,

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

3So 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.

4Send one thousand men to war from each Israelite tribe.”

5So one thousand were recruited from each Israelite tribe out of the thousands in Israel — twelve thousand equipped for war.

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