Numbers 31:1-24 - War Against The Midianites

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 "Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites, and afterward be gathered unto thy people."

3 And Moses spake unto the folk, saying, "Harness some of you unto war, and let them go upon the Midianites and avenge the LORD of the Midianites. 4 Ye shall send unto the war a thousand of every tribe throughout all the tribes of Israel." 5 And there were taken, out of the thousands of Israel, twelve thousand prepared unto war: of every tribe a thousand. 6 And Moses sent them - a thousand of every tribe, with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest - to war, and the holy vessels and the trumpets to blow with, in his hand.

7 And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded Moses, and slew all the males. 8 And they slew the kings of Midian among other that were slain; Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba: five kings of Midian. And they slew Balaam the son of Beor with the sword. 9 And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian prisoners, and their children; and spoiled all their cattle, their substance and their goods. 10 And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all their castles, with fire. 11 And they took all the spoil and all they could catch, both of men and beasts. 12 And they brought the captives, and that which they had taken, and all the spoil, unto Moses and Eleazar the priest; and unto the company of the children of Israel, even unto the host in the fields of Moab by Jordan nigh to Jericho.

13 And Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the lords of the congregation went out of the host against them. 14 And Moses was angry with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands and over hundreds, which came from war and battle, 15 and said unto them, "Have ye saved the women alive? 16 Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD by the reason of Peor: and there followed a plague among the congregation of the LORD. 17 Now, therefore, slay all the men-children and the women that have lain with men, fleshly. 18 But all the women-children that have not lain with men, keep alive for yourselves.

19 And lodge without the host seven days, all that have killed any person and all that have touched any dead body, and purify both yourselves and your prisoners; the third day and the seventh. 20 And sprinkle all your raiments and all that is made of skins, and all work of goats' hair, and all things made of wood."

21 And Eleazar the priest said unto all the men of war which went out to battle, "This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD commanded Moses: 22 Gold, silver, brass, iron, tin and lead, 23 and all that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and then it is clean. Neverthelater, it shall be sprinkled with sprinkling water. And all that suffereth not the fire, ye shall make go through the water. 24 And wash your clothes the seventh day, and then ye are clean. And afterward come into the host."