Numbers 31:1-20

1Adonai spoke to Moses saying,

2“Take vengeance on the Midianites for Bnei-Yisrael. Afterward you will be gathered to your people.”

3So Moses spoke to the people saying, “Mobilize some of your men for battle. They will go out against Midian to carry out Adonai’s vengeance on Midian.

4Send into the battle 1,000 men from each of the tribes of Israel.”

5So from the thousands of Israel 1,000 from each tribe were assigned, 12,000 in all.

6Moses sent them into battle, 1,000 from each tribe, and with them Phinehas son of Eleazar the kohen, who took with him articles from the Sanctuary and trumpets for signaling.

7They fought Midian just as Adonai had commanded Moses, and killed every male.

8Among the slain they also 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.

9Bnei-Yisrael also captured women and sons of Midian, along with all their herds and flocks, and plundered all their goods.

10They burned with fire all the Midianite cities, settlements, as well as all their camps.

11They seized all the plunder and all the spoil, both people and animals.

12They brought the captives, plunder and spoils to Moses, Eleazar the kohen and to the assembly of Bnei-Yisrael at their camp on the plains of Moab, by the Jordan at Jericho.

13Moses, Eleazar the kohen, and all the princes of the community went to meet them outside the camp.

14But Moses was angry with the officers of the army—the commanders of thousands, the commanders of hundreds, those returning from the campaign of the war.

15Moses said to them, “You let all the women live?

16Why, they are the ones—because of Balaam’s advice—who caused Bnei-Yisrael to be unfaithful to Adonai in the matter of Peor, so that the plague was on the community of Adonai!

17So now, kill all the boys and kill every woman who has been intimate with a man.

18But save for yourselves every girl who has not been intimate with a man.

19“Any of you who has killed anyone or touched the body of anyone who has been killed must stay outside the camp for seven days. You must purify yourselves, on the third and seventh days—you and your captives.

20Also purify every item of clothing as well as every item made of leather or wood.”