The Midianite War

31 1-2 God spoke to Moses: “Avenge the People of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward you will go to be with your dead ancestors.”

3-4 Moses addressed the people: “Recruit men for a campaign against Midian, to exact God’s vengeance on Midian, a thousand from each tribe of Israel to go to war.”

5-6 A fighting force of a thousand from each tribe of Israel—twelve thousand in all—was recruited. Moses sent them off to war, a thousand from each tribe, and also Phinehas son of Eleazar, who went as priest to the army, in charge of holy vessels and the signaling bugles.

7-12 They attacked Midian, just as God had commanded Moses, and killed every last man. Among the fallen were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword. The People of Israel took the Midianite women and children captive and took all their animals and herds and goods as plunder. They burned to the ground all the towns in which Midianites lived and also their tent camps. They looted and plundered everything and everyone—belongings and people and animals. They took it all—captives and spoils and plunder—back to Moses and Eleazar the priest and the company of Israel where they were camped on the Plains of Moab, at Jordan-Jericho.

13-18 Moses, Eleazar, and all the leaders of the congregation went to meet the returning army outside the camp. Moses was furious with the army officers—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—as they came back from the battlefield: “What’s this! You’ve let these women live! They’re the ones who, under Balaam’s direction, seduced the People of Israel away from God in that mess at Peor, causing the plague that hit God’s people. Finish your job: kill all the boys. Kill every woman who has slept with a man. The younger women who are virgins you can keep alive for yourselves.

19-20 “Now here’s what you are to do: Pitch tents outside the camp. All who have killed anyone or touched a corpse must stay outside the camp for seven days. Purify yourselves and your captives on the third and seventh days. Purify every piece of clothing and every utensil—everything made of leather, goat hair, or wood.”

21-24 Eleazar the priest then spoke to the soldiers who had fought in the battle: “This is the ruling from the Revelation that God gave Moses: Gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, and lead—and anything else that can survive fire—must be passed through the fire; then it will be ritually purified. It must also be ritually washed in the Water-of-Cleansing. Further, whatever cannot survive fire must be put through that water. On the seventh day scrub your clothes; you will be ritually clean. Then you can return to camp.”

* * *

25-27 God said to Moses, “I want you and Eleazar the priest and the family leaders in the community to count the captives, people and animals. Split the plunder between the soldiers who fought the battle and the rest of the congregation.

28-30 “Then tax the spoils that go to the soldiers at the rate of one life out of five hundred, whether humans, cattle, donkeys, or sheep. It’s a God-tax taken from their half-share to be turned over to Eleazar the priest on behalf of God. Tax the congregation’s half-share at the rate of one life out of fifty, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, or other animals. Give this to the Levites who are in charge of the care of God’s Dwelling.”

31 Moses and Eleazar followed through with what God had commanded Moses.

32-35 The rest of the plunder taken by the army:

675,000 sheep

72,000 cattle

61,000 donkeys

32,000 women who were virgins

36-40 The half-share for those who had fought in the war:

337,500 sheep, with a tax of 675 for God

36,000 cattle, with a tax of 72 for God

30,500 donkeys, with a tax of 61 for God

16,000 people, with a tax of 32 for God

41 Moses turned the tax over to Eleazar the priest as God’s part, following God’s instructions to Moses.

42-46 The other half-share for the Israelite community that Moses set apart from what was given to the men who fought the war was:

337,500 sheep

36,000 cattle

30,500 donkeys

16,000 people

47 From the half-share going to the People of Israel, Moses, just as God had instructed him, picked one out of every fifty persons and animals and gave them to the Levites, who were in charge of maintaining God’s Dwelling.

48-50 The military officers—commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—came to Moses and said, “We have counted the soldiers under our command and not a man is missing. We’ve brought offerings to God from the gold jewelry we got—armlets, bracelets, rings, earrings, ornaments—to make atonement for our lives before God.”

51-54 Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from them, all that fine-crafted jewelry. In total, the gold from the commanders of thousands and hundreds that Moses and Eleazar offered as a gift to God weighed about six hundred pounds, all donated by the soldiers who had taken the spoils. Moses and Eleazar took the gold from the commanders of thousands and hundreds and brought it to the Tent of Meeting, to serve as a reminder for the People of Israel before God.

Vengeance on the Midianites

31 The Lord said to Moses, “Take vengeance on the Midianites(A) for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people.(B)

So Moses said to the people, “Arm some of your men to go to war against the Midianites so that they may carry out the Lord’s vengeance(C) on them. Send into battle a thousand men from each of the tribes of Israel.” So twelve thousand men armed for battle,(D) a thousand from each tribe, were supplied from the clans of Israel. Moses sent them into battle,(E) a thousand from each tribe, along with Phinehas(F) son of Eleazar, the priest, who took with him articles from the sanctuary(G) and the trumpets(H) for signaling.

They fought against Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses,(I) and killed every man.(J) Among their victims were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba(K)—the five kings of Midian.(L) They also killed Balaam son of Beor(M) with the sword.(N) The Israelites captured the Midianite women(O) and children and took all the Midianite herds, flocks and goods as plunder.(P) 10 They burned(Q) all the towns where the Midianites had settled, as well as all their camps.(R) 11 They took all the plunder and spoils, including the people and animals,(S) 12 and brought the captives, spoils(T) and plunder to Moses and Eleazar the priest and the Israelite assembly(U) at their camp on the plains of Moab, by the Jordan across from Jericho.(V)

13 Moses, Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp. 14 Moses was angry with the officers of the army(W)—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—who returned from the battle.

15 “Have you allowed all the women to live?” he asked them. 16 “They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice(X) and enticed the Israelites to be unfaithful to the Lord in the Peor incident,(Y) so that a plague(Z) struck the Lord’s people. 17 Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man,(AA) 18 but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.

19 “Anyone who has killed someone or touched someone who was killed(AB) must stay outside the camp seven days.(AC) On the third and seventh days you must purify yourselves(AD) and your captives. 20 Purify every garment(AE) as well as everything made of leather, goat hair or wood.(AF)

21 Then Eleazar the priest said to the soldiers who had gone into battle,(AG) “This is what is required by the law that the Lord gave Moses: 22 Gold, silver, bronze, iron,(AH) tin, lead 23 and anything else that can withstand fire must be put through the fire,(AI) and then it will be clean. But it must also be purified with the water of cleansing.(AJ) And whatever cannot withstand fire must be put through that water. 24 On the seventh day wash your clothes and you will be clean.(AK) Then you may come into the camp.(AL)

Dividing the Spoils

25 The Lord said to Moses, 26 “You and Eleazar the priest and the family heads(AM) of the community are to count all the people(AN) and animals that were captured.(AO) 27 Divide(AP) the spoils equally between the soldiers who took part in the battle and the rest of the community. 28 From the soldiers who fought in the battle, set apart as tribute for the Lord(AQ) one out of every five hundred, whether people, cattle, donkeys or sheep. 29 Take this tribute from their half share and give it to Eleazar the priest as the Lord’s part. 30 From the Israelites’ half, select one out of every fifty, whether people, cattle, donkeys, sheep or other animals. Give them to the Levites, who are responsible for the care of the Lord’s tabernacle.(AR) 31 So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the Lord commanded Moses.

32 The plunder remaining from the spoils(AS) that the soldiers took was 675,000 sheep, 33 72,000 cattle, 34 61,000 donkeys 35 and 32,000 women who had never slept with a man.

36 The half share of those who fought in the battle was:

337,500 sheep, 37 of which the tribute for the Lord(AT) was 675;

38 36,000 cattle, of which the tribute for the Lord was 72;

39 30,500 donkeys, of which the tribute for the Lord was 61;

40 16,000 people, of whom the tribute for the Lord was 32.

41 Moses gave the tribute to Eleazar the priest as the Lord’s part,(AU) as the Lord commanded Moses.(AV)

42 The half belonging to the Israelites, which Moses set apart from that of the fighting men— 43 the community’s half—was 337,500 sheep, 44 36,000 cattle, 45 30,500 donkeys 46 and 16,000 people. 47 From the Israelites’ half, Moses selected one out of every fifty people and animals, as the Lord commanded him, and gave them to the Levites, who were responsible for the care of the Lord’s tabernacle.

48 Then the officers(AW) who were over the units of the army—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—went to Moses 49 and said to him, “Your servants have counted(AX) the soldiers under our command, and not one is missing.(AY) 50 So we have brought as an offering to the Lord the gold articles each of us acquired—armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings and necklaces—to make atonement for ourselves(AZ) before the Lord.”

51 Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted from them the gold—all the crafted articles. 52 All the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds that Moses and Eleazar presented as a gift to the Lord weighed 16,750 shekels.[a] 53 Each soldier had taken plunder(BA) for himself. 54 Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds and brought it into the tent of meeting(BB) as a memorial(BC) for the Israelites before the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 31:52 That is, about 420 pounds or about 190 kilograms

31 След това Господ говори на Моисея, казвайки:

Въздай на мадиамците за израилтяните, и след това ще се прибереш при людете си.

Моисей, прочее, говори на людете, казвайки: Нека се въоръжат от вас мъже за бой и нека отидат против Мадиама за да извършат въздаяние върху Мадиама за Господа.

По хиляда души от всяко племе от всичките Израилеви племена да изпратите на войната.

И така, от Израилевите хиляди се преброиха по хиляда души от всяко племе, дванадесет хиляди души, въоръжени за бой.

И Моисей ги изпрати на войната, по хиляда души от всяко племе, тях и Финееса, син на свещеника Елеазара, със светите вещи и с тръбите за тревога в ръцете му.

Те воюваха против Мадиама, според както Господ заповяда на Моисея, и убиха всяко мъжко.

И между убитите убиха и мадиамските царе: Евия, Рекема, Сура, Ура и Рева, петима мадиамски царе; убиха с нож и Валаама Веоровия син.

А израилтяните плениха жените на мадиамците, децата им, всичкия им добитък и всичките им стада; и разграбиха всичкия им имот.

10 А всичките им градове, в местата населени от тях, и всичките им станове изгориха с огън.

11 И взеха всичките користи и всичката плячка, и човек и животно.

12 И докараха пленниците, плячката и користите на Моисея, на свещеника Елеазар и на обществото израилтяни в стана, на моавските полета при Иордан, срещу Ерихон.

13 Тогава Моисей, свещеникът Елеазар и всичките първенци на обществото излязоха да ги посрещнат вън от стана.

14 Но Моисей се разгневи на военачалниците, на хилядниците и на стотниците, които се връщаха от военния поход;

15 и Моисей им рече: Оставихте ли живи всичките жени?

16 Ето, те, по съвета на Валаама, накараха израилтяните да беззаконствуват против Господа в делото на Фегора, тъй че язвата се яви всред Господното общество.

17 За това, убийте сега всичките мъжки от децата, и убийте всяка жена, която е познала мъж, като е лежала с него.

18 А всичките момичета, които не са познали мъж, които не са лежали с такъв, оставете живи за себе си.

19 И вие останете вън от стана седем дена; вие и пленниците ви, всеки <от вас>, който е убил човек, и който се е допрял до убит, очистете се на третия ден и на седмия ден;

20 очистете и всичките дрехи, всичките кожени вещи, и всичко, което е направено от козина, и всичките дървени съдове.

21 Също и свещеникът Елеазар рече на войниците, които бяха ходили на война: Това е повелението, което Господ заповяда на Моисея като закон.

22 Само че златото, среброто, медта, желязото, оловото и калая,

23 всичко, което може да устои на огън, прекарайте през огън, и ще бъде чисто; обаче, трябва да се очисти и с очистителната вода; и всичко що не може да устои на огън прекарай през вода.

24 Тогава на седмия ден да изперете дрехите си, и ще бъдете чисти; и подир това да влезете в стана.

25 И Господ говори на Моисея, казвайки:

26 Ти и свещеникът Елеазар и началниците на бащините <домове> от обществото пребройте плячката и пленниците, и човек и животно,

27 и раздели плячката на две, между войниците, които ходиха на война и цялото общество.

28 От <дела> на войниците, които ходиха на бой, отдели като данък за Господа по една душа от петстотин - от човеци, от говеда, от осли и от овци;

29 от тяхната половина да вземеш това и да го дадеш на свещеника Елеазара, като възвишаем принос Господу.

30 А от половината, <която се дава> на израилтяните, да вземеш по един дял от петдесет - от човеци, от говеда, от осли и от овци - от всеки добитък, - и да ги дадеш на левитите, които пазят заръчаното за Господната скиния.

31 И тъй Моисей и свещеникът Елеазар сториха, според както Господ заповяда на Моисея.

32 А плячката, <то ест>, това, което остана в плен, което войниците заплениха, беше: овци, шестстотин седемдесет и пет хиляди;

33 говеда, седемдесет и две хиляди;

34 осли, шестдесет и една хиляда

35 и човеци - жени, които не бяха познали мъж, чрез лягане с такъв - всичко тридесет и две хиляди души.

36 Половината, делът на ония, които бяха ходили на бой, беше на брой: овци, триста и тридесет и седем хиляди и петстотин;

37 а данъкът за Господа от овците беше шестстотин седемдесет и пет;

38 говедата бяха тридесет и шест хиляди, от които данъкът за Господа беше седемдесет и две;

39 ослите бяха тридесет хиляди и петстотин, от които данъкът за Господа беше шестдесет и един;

40 и човеците бяха шестнадесет хиляди, от които данъкът за Господа беше тридесет и двама души,

41 И Моисей даде данъка, като възвишаем принос Господу, на свещеника Елеазара, както Господ заповяда на Моисея.

42 А половината, <която се даде> на израилтяните, която Моисей отдели от войниците,

43 <то ест>, половината за обществото, беше: овци, триста и тридесет и седем хиляди и петстотин;

44 говеда, тридесет и шест хиляди;

45 осли, тридесет хиляди и петстотин;

46 и човеци - шестнадесет хиляди.

47 От тая половина за израилтяните Моисей взе по един дял от петдесет, от човеци и от животни, и ги даде на левитите, които пазеха заръчаното за Господната скиния, според както Господ заповяда на Моисея.

48 Тогава се приближиха при Моисея началниците, които бяха над хилядите на войската, хилядниците и стотниците,

49 и рекоха на Моисея: Слугите ти преброиха войниците, които са под ръката ни; и не липсва ни един от нас.

50 За това принасяме дар Господу, всеки каквото е намерил, златни неща, верижки, гривни, пръстени, обеци и мъниста, за да се извърши умилостивение за душите ни пред Господа.

51 И Моисей и свещеникът Елеазар взеха златото от тях, всичко в изработени украшения.

52 И всичкото злато от възвишаемия принос, който хилядниците и стотниците принесоха Господу, беше шестнадесет хиляди седемстотин и петдесет сикли.

53 (<Защото> войниците бяха грабили, всеки за себе си).

54 И Моисей и свещеникът Елеазар, като взеха златото от хилядниците и стотниците, донесоха го в шатъра за срещане, за спомен на израилтяните пред Господа.