The Wilderness Years

“Look, these women caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to turn unfaithfully against the LORD at Peor, so that the plague struck the congregation of the LORD.

So now, kill all the boys, as well as every woman who has had relations with a man,

but spare for yourselves every girl who has never had relations with a man.

All of you who have killed a person or touched the dead are to remain outside the camp for seven days. On the third day and the seventh day you are to purify both yourselves and your captives.

And purify every garment and leather good, everything made of goat’s hair, and every article of wood.”

Then Eleazar the priest said to the soldiers who had gone into battle, “This is the statute of the law which the LORD has commanded Moses:

Only the gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, and lead—

everything that can withstand the fire—must be put through the fire, and it will be clean. But it must still be purified with the water of purification. And everything that cannot withstand the fire must pass through the water.

On the seventh day you are to wash your clothes, and you will be clean. After that you may enter the camp.”

The LORD said to Moses,

“You and Eleazar the priest and the family heads of the congregation are to take a count of what was captured, both of man and beast.

Then divide the captives between the troops who went out to battle and the rest of the congregation.

Set aside a tribute for the LORD from what belongs to the soldiers who went into battle: one out of every five hundred, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, or sheep.

Take it from their half and give it to Eleazar the priest as an offering to the LORD.

From the Israelites’ half, take one out of every fifty, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep, or other animals, and give them to the Levites who keep charge of the tabernacle of the LORD.”

So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD had commanded Moses,

and this plunder remained from the spoils the soldiers had taken: 675,000 sheep,

72,000 cattle,

61,000 donkeys,

and 32,000 women who had not slept with a man.

This was the half portion for those who had gone to war:

337,500 sheep, including a tribute to the LORD of 675,

36,000 cattle, including a tribute to the LORD of 72,

30,500 donkeys, including a tribute to the LORD of 61,

and 16,000 people, including a tribute to the LORD of 32.