Numbers 31:1-9 ▼

1 And YHWH spoke to Moses, saying,

2 “Avenge the vengeance of the sons of Israel against the Midianite; afterward you shall be gathered to your people.”

3 And Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm some of your men for war, that they may go against the Midianite, to put the vengeance of YHWH on Midian.

4 A thousand from a tribe, a thousand from a tribe, to all the tribes of Israel, you? shall send to the war.”

5 And there were given out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand from a tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.

6 And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand from a tribe, and he sent them to the war along with Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, and the holy vessels, and the signal and the trumpets in his hand.

7 And they warred against the Midianite, as YHWH had commanded Moses; and they killed all the males.

8 And the kings of Midian they killed with their pierced ones—Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba—five kings of Midian; and Balaam son of Beor they also killed with the sword.

9 And the sons of Israel took captive the women of Midian, with their little ones, and all their cattle, and all their flocks, and they plundered all their goods.