Commands Concerning War Captives

¹⁴ But Moses became livid with anger at the officers of the army, the captains of thousands, and the captains of hundreds who had returned from servicing in the battle. ¹⁵ “Did you keep all the women alive?” Moses asked them. ¹⁶ “Look! These women were the same ones who were counseled by Balaam to cause the Israelis to commit a grievous sin against the Lord at Peor. As a result, that plague infected the Lord’s community. ¹⁷ You are to kill every male child^[a] and every woman who has had sexual relations with a man.^{[b] 18} You are to allow the young women who haven’t yet had sexual relations with a man^[c] to live for yourselves.”