Bamidbar (Numbers) — 31

Vengeance on the Midianites

1 And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH Dabar to Musha, saying: 

2 “Take vengeance on the Midianites for the children of Yashar'AL. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.”

3 So Musha spoke to the people, saying, “Arm some of yourselves for war, and let them go against the Midianites to take vengeance for  𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH on Midian. 

4 A thousand from each tribe of all the tribes of Yashar'AL you shall send to the war.”

5 So there were recruited from the divisions of Yashar'AL one thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. 

6 Then Musha sent them to the war, one thousand from each tribe; he sent them to the war with Phinahas the son of Alaazar the Kuhan, with the Qadash articles and the signal trumpets in his hand. 

7 And they warred against the Midianites, just as 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH commanded Musha, and they killed all the males. 

8 They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of those who were killed, Abi, Rakam, Zur, Hur, and Raba, the five kings of Midian. Balaam the son of Baur they also killed with the sword.

9 And the children of Yashar'AL took the women of Midian captive, with their little ones, and took as spoil all their cattle, all their flocks, and all their goods. 

10 They also burned with fire all the cities where they dwelt, and all their forts. 

11 And they took all the spoil and all the booty of man and beast.

Return from the War

12 Then they brought the captives, the booty, and the spoil to Musha, to Alaazar the Kuhan, and to the congregation of the children of Yashar'AL, to the camp in the plains of Muab by the Yurdan, across from Yarichu. 

13 And Musha, Alaazar the Kuhan, and all the leaders of the congregation, went to meet them outside the camp. 

14 But Musha was angry with the officers of the army, with the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds, who had come from the battle.

15 And Musha said to them: “Have you kept all the women alive? 

16 Look, these women caused the children of Yashar'AL, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH in the incident of Paur, and there was a plague among the congregation of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH. 

17 Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known a man intimately. 

18 But keep alive for yourselves all the young girls who have not known a man intimately. 

19 And as for you, remain outside the camp seven days; whoever has killed any person, and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day. 

20 Purify every garment, everything made of leather, everything woven of goats’ hair, and everything made of wood.”

21 Then Alaazar the Kuhan said to the men of war who had gone to the battle, “This is the ordinance of the law which 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH  commanded Musha: 

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

23 everything that can endure fire, you shall put through the fire, and it shall be clean; and it shall be purified with the water of purification. But all that cannot endure fire you shall put through water. 

24 And you shall wash your clothes on the seventh day and be clean, and afterward you may come into the camp.”

Division of the Plunder

25 Now 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH Dabar to Musha, saying: 

26 “Count up the plunder that was taken of man and beast you and Alaazar the Kuhan and the chief fathers of the congregation; 

27 and divide the plunder into two parts, between those who took part in the war, who went out to battle, and all the congregation.

28 And La'uy a tribute for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH on the men of war who went out to battle: one of every five hundred of the persons, the cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep; 

29 take it from their half, and give it to Alaazar the Kuhan as a heave offering to  𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH. 

30 And from the children of Yashar'AL’s half you shall take one of every fifty, drawn from the persons, the cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep, from all the livestock, and give them to the Lauym who keep charge of the tabernacle of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH.” 

31 So Musha and Alaazar the Kuhan did as  𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH commanded Musha.

32 The booty remaining from the plunder, which the men of war had taken, was six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep, 

33 seventy-two thousand cattle, 

34 sixty-one thousand donkeys, 

35 and thirty-two thousand persons in all, of women who had not known a man intimately. 

36 And the half, the portion for those who had gone out to war, was in number three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep; 

37 and 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH’s tribute of the sheep was six hundred and seventy-five. 

38 The cattle were thirty-six thousand, of which 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH’s tribute was seventy two. 

39 The donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred, of which 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH’s tribute was sixty one. 

40 The persons were sixteen thousand, of which 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH’s tribute was thirty two persons. 

41 So Musha gave the tribute which was  𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH’s heave offering to Alaazar the Kuhan, as 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH commanded Musha.

42 And from the children of Yashar'AL’s half, which Musha separated from the men who fought 

43 now the half belonging to the congregation was three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep, 

44 thirty-six thousand cattle, 

45 thirty thousand five hundred donkeys, 

46 and sixteen thousand persons,

47 and from the children of Yashar'AL’s half Musha took one of every fifty, drawn from man and beast, and gave them to the Lauym, who kept charge of the tabernacle of  𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, just as 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH  commanded Musha.

48 Then the officers who were over thousands of the army, the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, came near to Musha; 

49 and they said to Musha, “Your servants have taken a count of the men of war who are under our command, and not a man of us is missing. 

50 Therefore we have brought an offering for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, what every man found of ornaments of gold: armlets and bracelets and signet rings and earrings and necklaces, to make atonement for ourselves before  𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH.” 

51 So Musha and Alaazar the Kuhan received the gold from them, all the fashioned ornaments. 

52 And all the gold of the offering that they offered to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, from the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels. 

53 (The men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.) 

54 And Musha and Alaazar the Kuhan received the gold from the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tabernacle of meeting as a memorial for the children of Yashar'AL before  𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH.