Israel's Campaign against Midian

God told Moses that Israel was to carry out vengeance on Midian before Moses died. Moses told the tribes to send one thousand men each. So twelve thousand armed men went out, and Phinehas went with them carrying the sanctuary vessels and the trumpets for battle.

They fought Midian as God had commanded Moses. They killed all the Midianite males, including the five kings Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. Balaam son of Beor also died. The Israelites took the women and little ones captive, seized animals and goods, and burned the cities and camps.

When they returned, Moses was angry with the officers. He said these women had been involved in leading Israel into unfaithfulness at Peor through Balaam's counsel. Then Moses ordered the death of every boy and every woman who had slept with a man, but the girls who had not were spared. After this, the fighters and captives had to stay outside the camp for seven days and undergo purification.

God then told Moses to count the spoil and divide it into two equal shares, one for the fighting men and one for the rest of Israel. A tribute from the soldiers' half was given to Eleazar the priest, and a larger portion from the congregation's half was given to the Levites who served at the tabernacle.

The totals included 675,000 sheep, 72,000 cattle, 61,000 donkeys, and 32,000 girls who had not slept with a man. Moses and Eleazar distributed the tribute as commanded. Then the officers reported that not one Israelite soldier was missing, and they brought gold ornaments as an offering. Moses and Eleazar placed that gold in the Tent of Meeting as a memorial before God.