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14 Moses became angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, who had come from service in the war. 15 Moses said to them, “Have you allowed all the women to live? 16 These women here, on Balaam’s advice, made the Israelites act treacherously against the Lord in the affair of Peor, so that the plague came among the congregation of the Lord.(A) 17 Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known a man by sleeping with him.(B) 18 But all the young girls who have not known a man by sleeping with him, keep alive for yourselves.

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14 But Moses was angry toward the leaders of the troops, the commanders of the thousands and the commanders of the hundreds, who came from the battle of the war. 15 And Moses said to them, “You have kept alive every female? 16 Behold, these women caused[a] the Israelites,[b] by the word of Balaam, to be in apostasy against Yahweh in the matter of Peor, so that the plague was among the community of Yahweh. 17 Now kill every male among the little children, and kill every woman who has had sexual intercourse with a man.[c] 18 But all the females who have not had sexual intercourse with a man,[d] keep alive for yourselves.

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 31:16 Literally “were to”
  2. Numbers 31:16 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  3. Numbers 31:17 Literally “who has known the bed of a male”
  4. Numbers 31:18 Literally “who has known the bed of a male”