Immerse: Beginnings Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 272
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IMMERSE
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BEGINNINGS
31:13-39
community of Israel, which was camped on the plains of Moab beside
the Jordan River, across from Jericho. Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all
the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp. But
Moses was furious with all the generals and captains who had returned
from the battle.
“Why have you let all the women live?” he demanded. “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. So kill all the boys and all the women
who have had intercourse with a man. Only the young girls who are virgins
may live; you may keep them for yourselves. 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. Purify all your clothing, too, and everything made of leather, goat
hair, or wood.”
Then Eleazar the priest said to the men who were in the battle, “The
Lord has given Moses this legal requirement: Anything made of gold,
silver, bronze, iron, tin, or lead—that is, all 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. On the seventh
day you must wash your clothes and be purified. Then you may return to
the camp.”
And the Lord said to Moses, “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. 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. From the army’s portion, first give the Lord his share of the
plunder—one of every 500 of the prisoners and of the cattle, donkeys,
sheep, and goats. Give this share of the army’s half to Eleazar the priest as
an offering to the Lord. From the half that belongs to the people of Israel,
take one of every fifty of the prisoners and of the cattle, donkeys, sheep,
goats, and other animals. Give this share to the Levites, who are in charge
of maintaining the Lord’s Tabernacle.” So Moses and Eleazar the priest
did as the Lord commanded Moses.
The plunder remaining from everything the fighting men had taken totaled 675,000 sheep and goats, 72,000 cattle, 61,000 donkeys, and 32,000
virgin girls.
Half of the plunder was given to the fighting men. It totaled 337,500
sheep and goats, of which 675 were the Lord’s share; 36,000 cattle, of
which 72 were the Lord’s share; 30,500 donkeys, of which 61 were the
