Return from the War

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 (A)all the women alive? 16 Look, (B)these women caused the children of Israel, through the (C)counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and (D)there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord. 17 Now therefore, (E)kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known a man intimately. 18 But keep alive (F)for yourselves all the young girls who have not known a man intimately.

Read full chapter

12 and brought the captives, spoils(A) and plunder to Moses and Eleazar the priest and the Israelite assembly(B) at their camp on the plains of Moab, by the Jordan across from Jericho.(C)

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(D)—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(E) and enticed the Israelites to be unfaithful to the Lord in the Peor incident,(F) so that a plague(G) struck the Lord’s people. 17 Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man,(H) 18 but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.

Read full chapter