Numbers 31

• 1. Then the LORD said to Moses,
• 2. "Take vengeance on the Midianites for leading the Israelites into idolatry. After that, you will die and join your ancestors."
• 3. So Moses said to the people, "Choose some men to fight the LORD's war of vengeance against Midian.
• 4. From each tribe of Israel, send one thousand men into battle."
• 5. So they chose one thousand men from each tribe of Israel, a total of twelve thousand men armed for battle.
• 6. Then Moses sent them out, a thousand men from each tribe, and Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest led them into battle. They carried along the holy objects of the sanctuary and the trumpets for sounding the charge.
• 7. They attacked Midian just as the LORD had commanded Moses, and they killed all the men.
• 8. All five of the Midianite kings--Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba--died in the battle. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.
• 9. Then the Israelite army captured the Midianite women and children and seized their cattle and flocks and all their wealth as plunder.
• 10. They burned all the towns and villages where the Midianites had lived.
• 11. After they had gathered the plunder and captives, both people and animals,
• 12. they brought them all to Moses and Eleazar the priest, and to the whole community of Israel, which was camped on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River, across from Jericho.
• 13. Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the people went to meet them outside the camp.
• 14. But Moses was furious with all the military commanders who had returned from the battle.
• 15. "Why have you let all the women live?" he demanded.
• 16. "These are the very ones who followed Balaam's advice and caused the people of Israel to rebel against the LORD at Mount Peor. They are the ones who caused the plague to strike the LORD's people.
• 17. Now kill all the boys and all the women who have slept with a man.
• 18. Only the young girls who are virgins may live; you may keep them for yourselves.
• 19. And all of you who have killed anyone or touched a dead body must stay outside the camp for seven days. You must purify yourselves and your captives on the third and seventh days.
• 20. Also, purify all your clothing and everything made of leather, goat hair, or wood."
• 21. Then Eleazar the priest said to the men who were in the battle, "The LORD has given Moses this requirement of the law:
• 22. Anything made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, or lead--
• 23. that is, metals that do not burn--must be passed through fire in order to be made ceremonially pure. These metal objects must then be further purified with the water of purification. But everything that burns must be purified by the water alone.
• 24. On the seventh day you must wash your clothes and be purified. Then you may return to the camp."
• 25. And the LORD said to Moses,
• 26. "You and Eleazar the priest and the family leaders of each tribe are to make a list of all the plunder taken in the battle, including the people and animals.
• 27. Then divide the plunder into two parts, and give half to the men who fought the battle and half to the rest of the people.
• 28. But first give the LORD his share of the captives, cattle, donkeys, sheep, and goats that belong to the army. Set apart one out of every five hundred as the LORD's share.
• 29. Give this share of their half to Eleazar the priest as an offering to the LORD.
• 30. Also take one of every fifty of the captives, cattle, donkeys, sheep, and goats in the half that belongs to the people of Israel. Give this share to the Levites in charge of maintaining the LORD's Tabernacle."
• 31. So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD commanded Moses.
• 32. The plunder remaining from the spoils that the fighting men had taken totaled 675,000 sheep,
• 33. 72,000 cattle,
• 34. 61,000 donkeys,
• 35. and 32,000 young girls.
• 36. So the half of the plunder given to the fighting men totaled 337,500 sheep,
• 37. of which 675 were the LORD's share;
• 38. 36,000 cattle, of which 72 were the LORD's share;
• 39. 30,500 donkeys, of which 61 were the LORD's share;
• 40. 16,000 young girls, of whom 32 were the LORD's share.
• 41. Moses gave all the LORD's share to Eleazar the priest, just as the LORD had directed him.
• 42. The half of the plunder belonging to the people of Israel, which Moses had separated from the half belonging to the fighting men,
• 43. amounted to 337,500 sheep,
• 44. 36,000 cattle,
• 45. 30,500 donkeys,
• 46. and 16,000 young girls.
• 47. From the half-share given to the people, Moses took one of every fifty prisoners and animals and gave them to the Levites who maintained the LORD's Tabernacle. All this was done just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
• 48. Then all the military commanders came to Moses
• 49. and said, "Sir, we have accounted for all the men who went out to battle under our command; not one of us is missing!
• 50. So we are presenting the items of gold we captured as an offering to the LORD from our share of the plunder--armbands, bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces. This will make atonement for our lives before the LORD."
• 51. So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from all the military commanders, all kinds of jewelry and crafted objects.
• 52. In all, the gold that the commanders presented as a gift to the LORD weighed about 420 pounds.
• 53. All the fighting men had taken some of the plunder for themselves.
• 54. So Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted the gifts from the military commanders and brought the gold to the Tabernacle as a reminder to the LORD that the people of Israel belong to him.

Numbers 32

• 1. Now the tribes of Reuben and Gad owned vast numbers of livestock. So when they saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were ideally suited for their flocks and herds,
• 2. they came to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the other leaders of the people. They said,
• 3. "Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon--
• 4. the LORD has conquered this whole area for the people of Israel. It is ideally suited for all our flocks and herds.
• 5. If we have found favor with you, please let us have this land as our property instead of giving us land across the Jordan River."
• 6. "Do you mean you want to stay back here while your brothers go across and do all the fighting?" Moses asked the Reubenites and Gadites.
• 7. "Are you trying to discourage the rest of the people of Israel from going across to the land the LORD has given them?
• 8. This is what your ancestors did when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to explore the land.
• 9. After they went up to the valley of Eshcol and scouted the land, they discouraged the people of Israel from entering the land the LORD was giving them.
• 10. Then the LORD was furious with them, and he vowed,
• 11. `Of all those I rescued from Egypt, no one who is twenty years old or older will ever see the land I solemnly promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for they have not obeyed me completely.
• 12. The only exceptions are Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they have wholeheartedly followed the LORD.'
• 13. "The LORD was furious with Israel and made them wander in the wilderness for forty years until the whole generation that sinned against him had died.
• 14. But here you are, a brood of sinners, doing exactly the same thing! You are making the LORD even angrier with Israel.
• 15. If you turn away from him like this and he abandons them again in the wilderness, you will be responsible for destroying this entire nation!"
• 16. But they responded to Moses, "We simply want to build sheepfolds for our flocks and fortified cities for our wives and children.
• 17. Then we will arm ourselves and lead our fellow Israelites into battle until we have brought them safely to their inheritance. Meanwhile, our families will stay in the fortified cities we build here, so they will be safe from any attacks by the local people.
• 18. We will not return to our homes until all the people of Israel have received their inheritance of land.
• 19. But we do not want any of the land on the other side of the Jordan. We would rather live here on the east side where we have received our inheritance."
• 20. Then Moses said, "If you keep your word and arm yourselves for the LORD's battles,
• 21. and if your troops cross the Jordan until the LORD has driven out his enemies,
• 22. then you may return when the land is finally subdued before the LORD. You will have discharged your duty to the LORD and to the rest of the people of Israel. And the land on the east side of the Jordan will be your inheritance from the LORD.
• 23. But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the LORD, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.
• 24. Go ahead and build towns for your families and sheepfolds for your flocks, but do everything you have said."
• 25. Then the people of Gad and Reuben replied, "We are your servants and will follow your instructions exactly.
• 26. Our children, wives, flocks, and cattle will stay here in the towns of Gilead.
• 27. But, sir, all who are able to bear arms will cross over to fight for the LORD, just as you have said."
• 28. So Moses gave orders to Eleazar, Joshua, and the tribal leaders of Israel.
• 29. He said, "If all the men of Gad and Reuben who are able to fight the LORD's battles cross the Jordan with you, then when the land is conquered, you must give them the land of Gilead as their property.
• 30. But if they refuse to cross over and march ahead of you, then they must accept land with the rest of you in the land of Canaan."
• 31. The tribes of Gad and Reuben said again, "Sir, we will do as the LORD has commanded!
• 32. We will cross the Jordan into Canaan fully armed to fight for the LORD, but our inheritance of land will be here on this side of the Jordan."
• 33. So Moses assigned to the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph the territory of King Sihon of the Amorites and the land of King Og of Bashan--the whole land with its towns and surrounding lands.
• 34. The people of Gad built the towns of Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer,
• 35. Atroth-shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah,
• 36. Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran. These were all fortified cities with sheepfolds for their flocks.
• 37. The people of Reuben built the towns of Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim,
• 38. Nebo, Baal-meon, and Sibmah. They changed the names of some of the towns they conquered and rebuilt.
• 39. Then the descendants of Makir of the tribe of Manasseh went to Gilead and conquered it, and they drove out the Amorites, who were living there.
• 40. So Moses gave Gilead to the Makirites, descendants of Manasseh, and they lived there.
• 41. The people of Jair, another clan of the tribe of Manasseh, captured many of the towns in Gilead and changed the name of that region to the Towns of Jair.
• 42. Meanwhile, a man named Nobah captured the town of Kenath and its surrounding villages, and he renamed that area Nobah after himself.

Numbers 33

• 1. This is the itinerary the Israelites followed as they marched out of Egypt under the leadership of Moses and Aaron.
• 2. At the LORD's direction, Moses kept a written record of their progress. These are the stages of their march, identified by the different places they stopped along the way.
• 3. They set out from the city of Rameses on the morning after the first Passover celebration in early spring. The people of Israel left defiantly, in full view of all the Egyptians.
• 4. Meanwhile, the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn sons, whom the LORD had killed the night before. The LORD had defeated the gods of Egypt that night with great acts of judgment!
• 5. After leaving Rameses, the Israelites set up camp at Succoth.
• 6. Then they left Succoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness.
• 7. They left Etham and turned back toward Pi-hahiroth, opposite Baal-zephon, and camped near Migdol.
• 8. They left Pi-hahiroth and crossed the Red Sea into the wilderness beyond. Then they traveled for three days into the Etham wilderness and camped at Marah.
• 9. They left Marah and camped at Elim, where there are twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees.
• 10. They left Elim and camped beside the Red Sea.
• 11. They left the Red Sea and camped in the Sin Desert.
• 12. They left the Sin Desert and camped at Dophkah.
• 13. They left Dophkah and camped at Alush.
• 14. They left Alush and camped at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink.
• 15. They left Rephidim and camped in the wilderness of Sinai.
• 16. They left the wilderness of Sinai and camped at Kibroth-hattaavah.
• 17. They left Kibroth-hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth.
• 18. They left Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah.
• 19. They left Rithmah and camped at Rimmon-perez.
• 20. They left Rimmon-perez and camped at Libnah.
• 21. They left Libnah and camped at Rissah.
• 22. They left Rissah and camped at Kehelathah.
• 23. They left Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher.
• 24. They left Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah.
• 25. They left Haradah and camped at Makheloth.
• 26. They left Makheloth and camped at Tahath.
• 27. They left Tahath and camped at Terah.
• 28. They left Terah and camped at Mithcah.
• 29. They left Mithcah and camped at Hashmonah.
• 30. They left Hashmonah and camped at Moseroth.
• 31. They left Moseroth and camped at Bene-jaakan.
• 32. They left Bene-jaakan and camped at Hor-haggidgad.
• 33. They left Hor-haggidgad and camped at Jotbathah.
• 34. They left Jotbathah and camped at Abronah.
• 35. They left Abronah and camped at Ezion-geber.
• 36. They left Ezion-geber and camped at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.
• 37. They left Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, at the border of Edom.
• 38. While they were at the foot of Mount Hor, Aaron the priest was directed by the LORD to go up the mountain, and there he died. This happened on a day in midsummer, during the fortieth year after Israel's departure from Egypt.
• 39. Aaron was 123 years old when he died there on Mount Hor.
• 40. It was then that the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev in the land of Canaan, heard that the people of Israel were approaching his land.
• 41. Meanwhile, the Israelites left Mount Hor and camped at Zalmonah.
• 42. Then they left Zalmonah and camped at Punon.
• 43. They left Punon and camped at Oboth.
• 44. They left Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim on the border of Moab.
• 45. They left Iye-abarim and camped at Dibon-gad.
• 46. They left Dibon-gad and camped at Almon-diblathaim.
• 47. They left Almon-diblathaim and camped in the mountains east of the river, near Mount Nebo.
• 48. They left the mountains east of the river and camped on the plains of Moab beside the Jordan River, across from Jericho.
• 49. Along the Jordan River they camped from Beth-jeshimoth as far as Abel-shittim on the plains of Moab.
• 50. While they were camped near the Jordan River on the plains of Moab opposite Jericho, the LORD said to Moses,
• 51. "Speak to the Israelites and tell them: `When you cross the Jordan River into the land of Canaan,
• 52. you must drive out all the people living there. You must destroy all their carved and molten images and demolish all their pagan shrines.
• 53. Take possession of the land and settle in it, because I have given it to you to occupy.
• 54. You must distribute the land among the clans by sacred lot and in proportion to their size. A larger inheritance of land will be allotted to each of the larger clans, and a smaller inheritance will be allotted to each of the smaller clans. The decision of the sacred lot is final. In this way, the land will be divided among your ancestral tribes.
• 55. But if you fail to drive out the people who live in the land, those who remain will be like splinters in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will harass you in the land where you live.
• 56. And I will do to you what I had planned to do to them.'"

New Living Translation: 51 of 324 days.