Numbers 31 :: New Living Translation (NLT)

Conquest of the Midianites

Num 31:1Then the LORD said to Moses,

Num 31:2“On behalf of the people of Israel, take revenge on the Midianites for leading them into idolatry. After that, you will die and join your ancestors.”

Num 31:3

Num 31:3So Moses said to the people, “Choose some men, and arm them to fight the LORD’s war of revenge against Midian.

Num 31:4

Num 31:4From each tribe of Israel, send 1,000 men into battle.”

Num 31:5

Num 31:5So they chose 1,000 men from each tribe of Israel, a total of 12,000 men armed for battle.

Num 31:6

Num 31:6Then Moses sent them out, 1,000 men from each tribe, and Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest led them into battle. They carried along the holy objects of the sanctuary and the trumpets for sounding the charge.

Num 31:7

Num 31:7They attacked Midian as the LORD had commanded Moses, and they killed all the men.

Num 31:8

Num 31:8All five of the Midianite kings—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—died in the battle. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.

Num 31:9

Num 31:9Then the Israelite army captured the Midianite women and children and seized their cattle and flocks and all their wealth as plunder.

Num 31:10

Num 31:10They burned all the towns and villages where the Midianites had lived.

Num 31:11

Num 31:11After they had gathered the plunder and captives, both people and animals,

Num 31:12

Num 31:12they brought them all to Moses and Eleazar the priest, and to the whole community of Israel, which was camped on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River, across from Jericho.

Num 31:13

Num 31:13Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp.

Num 31:14

Num 31:14But Moses was furious with all the generals and captains[fn] who had returned from the battle.

Num 31:15

Num 31:15“Why have you let all the women live?” he demanded.

Num 31:16

Num 31:16“These are the very ones who followed Balaam’s advice and caused the people of Israel to rebel against the LORD at Mount Peor. They are the ones who caused the plague to strike the LORD’s people.

Num 31:17

Num 31:17So kill all the boys and all the women who have had intercourse with a man.

Num 31:18

Num 31:18Only the young girls who are virgins may live; you may keep them for yourselves.

Num 31:19

Num 31:19And all of you who have killed anyone or touched a dead body must stay outside the camp for seven days. You must purify yourselves and your captives on the third and seventh days.

Num 31:20

Num 31:20Purify all your clothing, too, and everything made of leather, goat hair, or wood.”

Num 31:21

Num 31:21Then Eleazar the priest said to the men who were in the battle, “The LORD has given Moses this legal requirement:

Num 31:22

Num 31:22Anything made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, or lead—

Num 31:23

Num 31:23that is, all metals that do not burn—must be passed through fire in order to be made ceremonially pure. These metal objects must then be further purified with the water of purification. But everything that burns must be purified by the water alone.

Num 31:24

Num 31:24On the seventh day you must wash your clothes and be purified. Then you may return to the camp.”

Division of the Plunder

Num 31:25

Num 31:25And the LORD said to Moses,

Num 31:26

Num 31:26“You and Eleazar the priest and the family leaders of each tribe are to make a list of all the plunder taken in the battle, including the people and animals.

Num 31:27

Num 31:27Then divide the plunder into two parts, and give half to the men who fought the battle and half to the rest of the people.

Num 31:28

Num 31:28From the army’s portion, first give the LORD his share of the plunder—one of every 500 of the prisoners and of the cattle, donkeys, sheep, and goats.

Num 31:29

Num 31:29Give this share of the army’s half to Eleazar the priest as an offering to the LORD.

Num 31:30

Num 31:30From the half that belongs to the people of Israel, take one of every fifty of the prisoners and of the cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, and other animals. Give this share to the Levites, who are in charge of maintaining the LORD’s Tabernacle.”

Num 31:31

Num 31:31So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD commanded Moses.

Num 31:32

Num 31:32The plunder remaining from everything the fighting men had taken totaled 675,000 sheep and goats,

Num 31:33

Num 31:3372,000 cattle,

Num 31:34

Num 31:3461,000 donkeys,

Num 31:35

Num 31:35and 32,000 virgin girls.

Num 31:36

Num 31:36Half of the plunder was given to the fighting men. It totaled 337,500 sheep and goats,

Num 31:37

Num 31:37of which 675 were the LORD’s share;

Num 31:38

Num 31:3836,000 cattle, of which 72 were the LORD’s share;

Num 31:39

Num 31:3930,500 donkeys, of which 61 were the LORD’s share;

Num 31:40

Num 31:40and 16,000 virgin girls, of whom 32 were the LORD’s share.

Num 31:41

Num 31:41Moses gave all the LORD’s share to Eleazar the priest, just as the LORD had directed him.

Num 31:42

Num 31:42Half of the plunder belonged to the people of Israel, and Moses separated it from the half belonging to the fighting men.

Num 31:43

Num 31:43It totaled 337,500 sheep and goats,

Num 31:44

Num 31:4436,000 cattle,

Num 31:45

Num 31:4530,500 donkeys,

Num 31:46

Num 31:46and 16,000 virgin girls.

Num 31:47

Num 31:47From the half-share given to the people, Moses took one of every fifty prisoners and animals and gave them to the Levites, who maintained the LORD’s Tabernacle. All this was done as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Num 31:48

Num 31:48Then all the generals and captains came to Moses

Num 31:49

Num 31:49and said, “We, your servants, have accounted for all the men who went out to battle under our command; not one of us is missing!

Num 31:50

Num 31:50So we are presenting the items of gold we captured as an offering to the LORD from our share of the plunder—armbands, bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces. This will purify our lives before the LORD and make us right with him.[fn]”

Num 31:51

Num 31:51So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from all the military commanders—all kinds of jewelry and crafted objects.

Num 31:52

Num 31:52In all, the gold that the generals and captains presented as a gift to the LORD weighed about 420 pounds.[fn]

Num 31:53

Num 31:53All the fighting men had taken some of the plunder for themselves.

Num 31:54

Num 31:54So Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted the gifts from the generals and captains and brought the gold to the Tabernacle[fn] as a reminder to the LORD that the people of Israel belong to him.