10. Then they burned all the Midianite towns and camps.
11. They took all the people and animals and goods.
12. Then they went back to Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the Israelites. They brought back the captives, the animals and the goods. The camp was on the plains of Moab near the Jordan River. This was across from Jericho.
13. Moses, Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the people went outside the camp to meet them.
14. Moses was angry with the army officers who returned from war. He was angry with those commanders over 1,000 men and those over 100 men.
15. He asked them, “Why did you let the women live?
16. They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice. They turned the Israelites from the Lord at Peor. Then a terrible sickness struck the Lord’s people.
17. Kill all the Midianite boys. Kill all the Midianite women who have had physical relations.
18. But save the girls for yourselves who are virgins.
19. “All you men who killed anyone or touched a dead body must stay outside the camp for seven days. On the third and seventh days you and your captives must make yourselves clean.
20. You must clean all your clothes. And you must clean anything made of leather, wool or wood.”
21. Then Eleazar the priest spoke to the soldiers who had gone to war. He said, “These are the teachings that the Lord gave to Moses.
22. Put any gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin or lead into the fire.
23. Put into the fire anything that will not burn. Then wash those things with the cleansing water. Then they will be clean. If something cannot stand the fire, wash it with the water.
24. On the seventh day wash your clothes. Then you will be clean. After that you may come into the camp.”
25. The Lord said to Moses,
26. “You, Eleazar the priest and the leaders should take a count. Count the goods, the men and the animals that were taken.
27. Then divide those things between the soldiers who went to war and the rest of the people.
28. Tax the soldiers who went to war. The Lord’s share is 1 thing out of every 500 things. This includes people, cattle, donkeys, sheep or goats.