Vengeance on Midian

Numbers 31

1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 a "Take vengeance on the Midianites for the children of Israel. Afterward you shall b be gathered to your people." 3 So Moses spoke to the people, saying, "Arm some of yourselves for war, and let them go against the Midianites to take vengeance for the LORD on c Midian. 4 "A thousand from each tribe of all the tribes of Israel you shall send to the war." 5 So there were recruited from the divisions of Israel one thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. 6 Then Moses sent them to the war, one thousand from each tribe; he sent them to the war with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, with the holy articles and d the signal trumpets in his hand. 7 And they warred against the Midianites, just as the LORD commanded Moses, and e they killed all the f males. 8 They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of those who were killed - g Evi, Rekem, h Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. i Balaam the son of Beor they also killed with the sword. 9 And the children of Israel 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 j they took all the spoil and all the booty - of man and beast. 12 Then they brought the captives, the booty, and the spoil to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the children of Israel, to the camp in the plains of Moab by the Jordan, across from Jericho.

13 And Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the congregation, went to meet them outside the camp. 14 But Moses 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 Moses said to them: "Have you kept k all the women alive? 16 "Look, l these women caused the children of Israel, through the m counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the LORD in the incident of Peor, and n there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD. 17 "Now therefore, o kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known a man intimately. 18 "But keep alive p for yourselves all the young girls who have not known a man intimately. 19 "And as for you, q remain outside the camp seven days; whoever has killed any person, and r 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 Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who had gone to the battle, "This is the 1 ordinance of the law which the LORD commanded Moses: 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 s with the water of purification. But all that cannot endure fire you shall put through water. 24 t "And you shall wash your clothes on the seventh day and be clean, and afterward you may come into the camp."

25 Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 26 "Count up the plunder that was 2 taken - of man and beast - you and Eleazar the priest and the chief fathers of the congregation; 27 "and u 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 levy a 3 tribute for the LORD on the men of war who went out to battle: v one of every five hundred of the persons, the cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep; 29 "take it from their half, and w give it to Eleazar the priest as a heave offering to the LORD. 30 "And from the children of Israel's half you shall take x one of every fifty, drawn from the persons, the cattle, the donkeys, and the sheep, from all the livestock, and give them to the Levites y who 4 keep charge of the tabernacle of the LORD." 31 So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD commanded Moses.

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 the LORD's 5 tribute of the sheep was six hundred and seventy-five. 38 The cattle were thirty-six thousand, of which the LORD's tribute was seventy-two. 39 The donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred, of which the LORD's tribute was sixty-one. 40 The persons were sixteen thousand, of which the LORD's tribute was thirty-two persons. 41 So Moses gave the tribute which was the LORD's heave offering to Eleazar the priest, z as the LORD commanded Moses.

42 And from the children of Israel's half, which Moses 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 a from the children of Israel's half Moses took one of every fifty, drawn from man and beast, and gave them to the Levites, who kept charge of the tabernacle of the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.

48 Then the officers who were over thousands of the army, the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, came near to Moses; 49 and they said to Moses, "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 the LORD, what every man found of ornaments of gold: armlets and bracelets and signet rings and earrings and necklaces, b to make 6 atonement for ourselves before the LORD." 51 So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from them, all the fashioned ornaments. 52 And all the gold of the offering that they offered to the LORD, from the captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels. 53 c (The men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.) 54 And Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tabernacle of meeting d as a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD.

  1. Cross References
    Numbers 25:17
    Harass the Midianites, and attack them.
  2. Cross References
    Numbers 27:12
    Now the LORD said to Moses: "Go up into this Mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the children of Israel.
    Numbers 27:13
    And when you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered.
  3. Cross References
    Joshua 13:21
    All the cities of the plain and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses had struck with the princes of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, who were princes of Sihon dwelling in the country.
  4. Cross References
    Numbers 10:9
    When you go to war in your land against the enemy who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the LORD your God, and you will be saved from your enemies.
  5. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 20:13
    And when the LORD your God delivers it into your hands, you shall strike every male in it with the edge of the sword.
    Judges 21:11
    "And this is the thing that you shall do: You shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman who has known a man intimately."
    1 Samuel 27:9
    Whenever David attacked the land, he left neither man nor woman alive, but took away the sheep, the oxen, the donkeys, the camels, and the apparel, and returned and came to Achish.
    1 Kings 11:15
    For it happened, when David was in Edom, and Joab the commander of the army had gone up to bury the slain, after he had killed every male in Edom
    1 Kings 11:16
    (because for six months Joab remained there with all Israel, until he had cut down every male in Edom).
  6. Cross References
    Genesis 34:25
    Now it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males.
  7. Cross References
    Joshua 13:21
    All the cities of the plain and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses had struck with the princes of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, who were princes of Sihon dwelling in the country.
  8. Cross References
    Numbers 25:15
    And the name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi the daughter of Zur; he was head of the people of a father's house in Midian.
  9. Cross References
    Numbers 31:16
    Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the LORD in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.
    Joshua 13:22
    The children of Israel also killed with the sword Balaam the son of Beor, the soothsayer, among those who were killed by them.
  10. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 20:14
    But the women, the little ones, the livestock, and all that is in the city, all its spoil, you shall plunder for yourself; and you shall eat the enemies' plunder which the LORD your God gives you.
  11. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 20:14
    But the women, the little ones, the livestock, and all that is in the city, all its spoil, you shall plunder for yourself; and you shall eat the enemies' plunder which the LORD your God gives you.
  12. Cross References
    Numbers 25:2
    They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.
  13. Cross References
    Numbers 24:14
    "And now, indeed, I am going to my people. Come, I will advise you what this people will do to your people in the latter days."
    2 Peter 2:15
    They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.
    Revelation 2:14
    But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.
  14. Cross References
    Numbers 25:9
    And those who died in the plague were twenty-four thousand.
  15. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 7:2
    And when the LORD your God delivers them over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them.
    Deuteronomy 20:16 - 18
    But of the cities of these peoples which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance, you shall let nothing that breathes remain alive.
    Judges 21:11
    "And this is the thing that you shall do: You shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman who has known a man intimately."
  16. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 21:10 - 14
    When you go out to war against your enemies, and the LORD your God delivers them into your hand, and you take them captive.
  17. Cross References
    Numbers 5:2
    Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper, everyone who has a discharge, and whoever becomes defiled by a corpse.
  18. Cross References
    Numbers 19:11 - 22
    He who touches the dead body of anyone shall be unclean seven days.
  19. Cross References
    Numbers 19:9
    Then a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and store them outside the camp in a clean place; and they shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for the water of purification; it is for purifying from sin.
    Numbers 19:17
    And for an unclean person they shall take some of the ashes of the heifer burnt for purification from sin, and running water shall be put on them in a vessel.
  20. Cross References
    Leviticus 11:25
    Whoever carries part of the carcass of any of them shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening:
  21. Cross References
    Joshua 22:8
    And spoke to them, saying, "Return with much riches to your tents, with very much livestock, with silver, with gold, with bronze, with iron, and with very much clothing. Divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.
    1 Samuel 30:24
    "For who will heed you in this matter? But as his part is who goes down to the battle, so shall his part be who stays by the supplies; they shall share alike."
  22. Cross References
    Numbers 31:30
    "And from the children of Israel'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 Levites who keep charge of the tabernacle of the LORD."
    Numbers 31:47
    And from the children of Israel's half Moses took one of every fifty, drawn from man and beast, and gave them to the Levites, who kept charge of the tabernacle of the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.
  23. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 18:1 - 5
    The priests, the Levites - all the tribe of Levi - shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and His portion.
  24. Cross References
    Numbers 31:42 - 47
    And from the children of Israel's half, which Moses separated from the men who fought -
  25. Cross References
    Numbers 3:7
    And they shall attend to his needs and the need...
    Numbers 3:8
    Also they shall attend to all the furnishings o...
    Numbers 3:25
    The duties of the children of Gershon in the ta...
    Numbers 3:31
    Their duty included the ark, the table, the lam...
    Numbers 3:36
    And the appointed duty of the children of Merar...
    Numbers 18:3
    They shall attend to your needs and all the nee...
    Numbers 18:4
    They shall be joined with you and attend to the...
  26. Cross References
    Numbers 5:9
    Every offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they bring to the priest, shall be his.
    Numbers 5:10
    'And every man's holy things shall be his; whatever any man gives the priest shall be his.'"
    Numbers 18:8
    And the LORD spoke to Aaron: "Here, I Myself have also given you charge of My heave offerings, all the holy gifts of the children of Israel; I have given them as a portion to you and your sons, as an ordinance forever.
    Numbers 18:19
    "All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer to the LORD, I have given to you and your sons and daughters with you as an ordinance forever; it is a covenant of salt forever before the LORD with you and your descendants with you."
  27. Cross References
    Numbers 31:30
    "And from the children of Israel'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 Levites who keep charge of the tabernacle of the LORD."
  28. Cross References
    Exodus 30:12 - 16
    When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall give a ransom for himself to the LORD, when you number them, that there may be no plague among them when you number them.
  29. Cross References
    Numbers 31:32
    The booty remaining from the plunder, which the men of war had taken, was six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep.
    Deuteronomy 20:14
    But the women, the little ones, the livestock, and all that is in the city, all its spoil, you shall plunder for yourself; and you shall eat the enemies' plunder which the LORD your God gives you.
  30. Cross References
    Exodus 30:16
    "And you shall take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shall appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of meeting, that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD, to make atonement for yourselves."
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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