6. And Moses sent them to the war, 1,000 from each tribe, together with Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, with the [sacred] vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets to blow the alarm in his hand.
7. They fought with Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses, and slew every male,
8. Including the five kings of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba; also Balaam son of Beor they slew with the sword. [Num. 22:31-35; Neh. 13:1, 2.]
9. And the Israelites took captive the women of Midian and their little ones, and all their cattle, their flocks, and their goods as booty.
10. They burned all the cities in which they dwelt, and all their encampments.
11. And they took all the spoil and all the prey, both of man and of beast.
12. Then they brought the captives, the prey, and the spoil to Moses and Eleazar the priest and to the congregation of the Israelites at the camp on the plains of Moab by Jordan at Jericho.
13. Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the princes or leaders of the congregation went to meet them outside the camp.
14. But Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, who served in the war.
15. And Moses said to them, Have you let all the women live?
16. Behold, these caused the Israelites by the counsel of Balaam to trespass and act treacherously against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and so a [smiting] plague came among the congregation of the Lord. [Num. 25:1-9; 31:8.]
17. Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who is not a virgin.
18. But all the young girls who have not known man by lying with him keep alive for yourselves.
19. Encamp outside the camp seven days; whoever has killed any person and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day.
20. You shall purify every garment, all that is made of skins, all work of goats' hair, and every article of wood.
21. And Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who had gone to battle, This is the statute of the law which the Lord has commanded Moses: