Numbers 31-32; Psalms 50

Numbers 31

Conquest of the Midianites

31Then the LORD said to Moses,H3068H1696H4872H5592"On behalf of the people of Israel, take revenge on the Midianites for leading them into idolatry. After that, you will die and join your ancestors."H5358H5360H1121H3478H4084H310H622H59713So Moses said to the people, "Choose some men, and arm them to fight the LORD's war of revenge against Midian.H4872H1696H5971H559H2502H582H6635H4080H5414H5360H3068H40804From each tribe of Israel, send 1,000 men into battle."H4294H4294H505H505H4294H3478H7971H66355So they chose 1,000 men from each tribe of Israel, a total of 12,000 men armed for battle.H4560H505H3478H505H4294H8147H6240H505H2502H66356Then Moses sent them out, 1,000 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.H4872H7971H6635H505H4294H6372H1121H499H3548H6635H6944H3627H2689H8643H30277They attacked Midian as the LORD had commanded Moses, and they killed all the men.H6633H4080H3068H6680H4872H2026H21458All 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.H2026H4428H4080H5921H2491H189H7552H6698H2354H7254H2568H4428H4080H1109H1121H1160H2026H27199Then the Israelite army captured the Midianite women and children and seized their cattle and flocks and all their wealth as plunder.H1121H3478H802H4080H7617H2945H962H929H4735H242810They burned all the towns and villages where the Midianites had lived.H8313H5892H4186H2918H78411After they had gathered the plunder and captives, both people and animals,H3947H7998H4455H120H92912they 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.H935H7628H4455H7998H4872H499H3548H5712H1121H3478H4264H6160H4124H3383H340513Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp.H4872H499H3548H5387H5712H3318H7125H2351H426414But Moses was furious with all the generals and captains

who had returned from the battle.H4872H7107H6485H2428H8269H505H8269H3967H935H6635H442115"Why have you let all the women live?" he demanded.H4872H559H2421H5347H242116"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.H2007H1961H1121H3478H1697H1109H4560H4604H3068H1697H6465H4046H5712H306817So kill all the boys and all the women who have had intercourse with a man.H2026H2145H2945H2026H802H3045H376H4904H214518Only the young girls who are virgins may live; you may keep them for yourselves.H802H2945H3045H2145H4904H242119And 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.H2583H2351H4264H7651H3117H2026H5315H5060H2491H2398H7628H7992H3117H7637H311720Purify all your clothing, too, and everything made of leather, goat hair, or wood."H2398H899H3627H5785H4639H5795H3627H608621Then Eleazar the priest said to the men who were in the battle, "The LORD has given Moses this legal requirement.H499H3548H559H582H6635H935H4421H2708H8451H3068H6680H487222Anything made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, or lead—H2091H3701H5178H1270H913H577723that 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.H1697H935H784H5674H784H2891H2398H4325H5079H935H784H5674H432524On the seventh day you must wash your clothes and be purified. Then you may return to the camp."H3526H899H7637H3117H2891H310H935H4264

Division of the Plunder

25And the LORD said to Moses,H3068H559H4872H55926"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.H5375H7218H4455H7628H120H929H499H3548H7218H1H571227Then divide the plunder into two parts, and give half to the men who fought the battle and half to the rest of the people.H2673H4455H2673H8610H4421H3318H6635H571228From 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.H7311H4371H3068H582H4421H3318H6635H259H5315H2568H3967H120H1241H2543H662929Give this share of the army's half to Eleazar the priest as an offering to the LORD.H3947H4276H5414H499H3548H8641H306830From 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."H1121H3478H4276H3947H259H270H2572H120H1241H2543H6629H929H5414H3881H8104H4931H4908H306831So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD commanded Moses.H4872H499H3548H6213H3068H6680H487232The plunder remaining from everything the fighting men had taken totaled 675,000 sheep and goats,H4455H3499H957H5971H6635H962H8337H3967H505H7657H505H2568H505H66293372,000 cattle,H7657H8147H505H12413461,000 donkeys,H8346H259H505H254335and 32,000 virgin girls.H7970H8147H505H5315H120H3605H802H3045H2145H490436Half of the plunder was given to the fighting men. It totaled 337,500 sheep and goats,H4275H2506H3318H6635H4557H7969H3967H505H7651H7970H505H2568H3967H662937of which 675 were the LORD's share;H3068H4371H6629H8337H3967H7657H25683836,000 cattle, of which 72 were the LORD's share;H1241H7970H8337H505H3068H4371H7657H81473930,500 donkeys, of which 61 were the LORD's share;H2543H7970H505H2568H3967H3068H4371H8346H25940and 16,000 virgin girls, of whom 32 were the LORD's share.H120H5315H8337H6240H505H3068H4371H7970H8147H531541Moses gave all the LORD's share to Eleazar the priest, just as the LORD had directed him.H4872H5414H4371H3068H8641H499H3548H3068H6680H487242Half of the plunder belonged to the people of Israel, and Moses separated it from the half belonging to the fighting men.H1121H3478H4276H4872H2673H582H663343It totaled 337,500 sheep and goats,H4275H5712H7969H3967H505H7970H505H7651H505H2568H3967H4480H66294436,000 cattle,H7970H8337H505H12414530,500 donkeys,H7970H505H2543H2568H396746and 16,000 virgin girls.H8337H6240H505H5315H12047From 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 as the LORD had commanded Moses.H1121H3478H4276H4872H3947H259H270H2572H120H929H5414H3881H8104H4931H4908H3068H3068H6680H487248Then all the generals and captains came to MosesH6485H505H6635H8269H505H8269H3967H7126H487249and said, "We, your servants, have accounted for all the men who went out to battle under our command; not one of us is missing!H559H4872H5650H5375H7218H582H4421H3027H6485H37650So 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 purify our lives before the LORD and make us right with him

."H7126H7133H3068H376H4672H3627H2091H685H6781H2885H5694H3558H3722H5315H6440H306851So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from all the military commanders—all kinds of jewelry and crafted objects.H4872H499H3548H3947H2091H4639H362752In all, the gold that the generals and captains presented as a gift to the LORD weighed about 420 pounds

.H2091H8641H7311H3068H8269H505H8269H3967H8337H6240H505H7651H3967H2572H825553All the fighting men had taken some of the plunder for themselves.H582H6635H962H37654So Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted the gifts from the generals and captains and brought the gold to the Tabernacle

as a reminder to the LORD that the people of Israel belong to him.H4872H499H3548H3947H2091H8269H505H3967H935H168H4150H2146H1121H3478H6440H3068

Numbers 32

The Tribes East of the Jordan

32The 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,H1121H7205H1121H1410H3966H6099H7227H4735H7200H776H3270H776H1568H4725H4725H47352they came to Moses, Eleazar the priest, and the other leaders of the community. They said,H1121H1410H1121H7205H935H559H4872H499H3548H5387H5712H5593"Notice the towns of Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sibmah

, Nebo, and Beon.H5852H1769H3270H5247H2809H500H7643H5015H11944The LORD has conquered this whole area for the community of Israel, and it is ideally suited for all our livestock.H776H3068H5221H6440H5712H3478H776H4735H5650H47355If we have found favor with you, please let us have this land as our property instead of giving us land across the Jordan River."H559H4672H2580H5869H776H5414H5650H272H5674H33836"Do you intend to stay here while your brothers go across and do all the fighting?" Moses asked the men of Gad and Reuben.H4872H559H1121H1410H1121H7205H251H935H4421H34277"Why do you want to discourage the rest of the people of Israel from going across to the land the LORD has given them?H5106H5106H3820H1121H3478H5674H776H3068H54148Your ancestors did the same thing when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to explore the land.H6213H1H7971H6947H7200H7769After they went up to the valley of Eshcol and explored the land, they discouraged the people of Israel from entering the land the LORD was giving them.H5927H5158H812H7200H776H5106H3820H1121H3478H935H776H3068H541410Then the LORD was very angry with them, and he vowed,H3068H639H2734H3117H7650H55911'Of all those I rescued from Egypt, no one who is twenty years old or older will ever see the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for they have not obeyed me wholeheartedly.H518H582H5927H4714H6242H8141H1121H4605H7200H127H7650H85H3327H3290H4390H31012The only exceptions are Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they have wholeheartedly followed the LORD.'H3612H1121H3312H7074H3091H1121H5126H4390H310H306813"The LORD was angry with Israel and made them wander in the wilderness for forty years until the entire generation that sinned in the LORD's sight had died.H3068H639H2734H3478H5128H4057H705H8141H1755H6213H7451H5869H3068H855214But here you are, a brood of sinners, doing exactly the same thing! You are making the LORD even angrier with Israel.H6965H1H8635H2400H582H5595H2740H639H3068H347815If you turn away from him like this and he abandons them again in the wilderness, you will be responsible for destroying this entire nation!"H7725H310H3254H3240H4057H7843H597116But they approached Moses and said, "We simply want to build pens for our livestock and fortified towns for our wives and children.H5066H559H1129H1448H6629H4735H5892H294517Then we will arm ourselves and lead our fellow Israelites into battle until we have brought them safely to their land. Meanwhile, our families will stay in the fortified towns we build here, so they will be safe from any attacks by the local people.H587H2363H2502H6440H1121H3478H935H4725H2945H3427H4013H5892H6440H3427H77618We will not return to our homes until all the people of Israel have received their portions of land.H7725H1004H1121H3478H5157H376H515919But we do not claim any of the land on the other side of the Jordan. We would rather live here on the east side and accept this as our grant of land."H5157H5676H3383H1973H5159H935H5676H3383H421720Then Moses said, "If you keep your word and arm yourselves for the LORD's battles,H4872H559H6213H1697H2502H6440H3068H442121and if your troops cross the Jordan and keep fighting until the LORD has driven out his enemies,H5674H2502H5674H3383H6440H3068H3423H341H644022then you may return when the LORD has conquered the land. You will have fulfilled 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 property from the LORD.H776H3533H6440H3068H310H7725H5355H3068H3478H776H272H6440H306823But 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.H6213H2398H3068H3045H2403H467224Go ahead and build towns for your families and pens for your flocks, but do everything you have promised."H1129H5892H2945H1448H6792H6213H3318H631025Then the men of Gad and Reuben replied, "We, your servants, will follow your instructions exactly.H1121H1410H1121H7205H559H4872H559H5650H6213H113H668026Our children, wives, flocks, and cattle will stay here in the towns of Gilead.H2945H802H4735H929H5892H156827But all who are able to bear arms will cross over to fight for the LORD, just as you have said."H5650H5674H2502H6635H6440H3068H4421H113H169628So Moses gave orders to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders of the clans of Israel.H4872H6680H499H3548H3091H1121H5126H7218H1H4294H1121H347829He said, "The men of Gad and Reuben who are armed for battle must cross the Jordan with you to fight for the LORD. If they do, give them the land of Gilead as their property when the land is conquered.H4872H559H1121H1410H1121H7205H5674H3383H2502H4421H6440H3068H776H3533H6440H5414H776H1568H27230But if they refuse to arm themselves and cross over with you, then they must accept land with the rest of you in the land of Canaan."H5674H2502H270H8432H776H366731The tribes of Gad and Reuben said again, "We are your servants, and we will do as the LORD has commanded!H1121H1410H1121H7205H6030H559H3068H1696H5650H621332We will cross the Jordan into Canaan fully armed to fight for the LORD, but our property will be here on this side of the Jordan."H5168H5674H2502H6440H3068H776H3667H272H5159H5676H338333So Moses assigned land to the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph. He gave them the territory of King Sihon of the Amorites and the land of King Og of Bashan—the whole land with its cities and surrounding lands.H4872H5414H1121H1410H1121H7205H2677H7626H4519H1121H3130H4467H5511H4428H567H4467H5747H4428H1316H776H5892H1367H5892H776H543934The descendants of Gad built the towns of Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer,H1121H1410H1129H1769H5852H617735Atroth-shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah,H5855H3270H301136Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran. These were all fortified towns with pens for their flocks.H1039H1028H4013H5892H1448H662937The descendants of Reuben built the towns of Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim,H1121H7205H1129H2809H500H715638Nebo, Baal-meon, and Sibmah. They changed the names of some of the towns they conquered and rebuilt.H5015H1186H8034H4142H7643H7121H8034H8034H5892H112939Then the descendants of Makir of the tribe of Manasseh went to Gilead and conquered it, and they drove out the Amorites living there.H1121H4353H1121H4519H3212H1568H3920H3423H56740So Moses gave Gilead to the Makirites, descendants of Manasseh, and they settled there.H4872H5414H1568H4353H1121H4519H342741The 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

.H2971H1121H4519H1980H3920H2333H7121H233442Meanwhile, a man named Nobah captured the town of Kenath and its surrounding villages, and he renamed that area Nobah after himself.H5025H1980H3920H7079H1323H7121H5025H8034

Psalms 50

50[A psalm of Asaph.] The LORD, the Mighty One, is God, and he has spoken; he has summoned all humanity from where the sun rises to where it sets.H4210H623H410H430H3068H1696H7121H776H4217H8121H39962From Mount Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines in glorious radiance.H6726H4359H3308H430H33133Our God approaches, and he is not silent. Fire devours everything in his way, and a great storm rages around him.H430H935H2790H784H398H6440H3966H8175H54394He calls on the heavens above and earth below to witness the judgment of his people.H7121H8064H5920H776H1777H59715"Bring my faithful people to me—those who made a covenant with me by giving sacrifices."H622H2623H3772H1285H20776Then let the heavens proclaim his justice, for God himself will be the judge. InterludeH8064H5046H6664H430H8199H55427"O my people, listen as I speak. Here are my charges against you, O Israel. I am God, your God!H8085H5971H1696H3478H5749H430H4308I have no complaint about your sacrifices or the burnt offerings you constantly offer.H3198H2077H5930H85489But I do not need the bulls from your barns or the goats from your pens.H3947H6499H1004H6260H435610For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills.H2416H3293H929H505H204211I know every bird on the mountains, and all the animals of the field are mine.H3045H5775H2022H2123H7704H597812If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for all the world is mine and everything in it.H7456H559H8398H439313Do I eat the meat of bulls? Do I drink the blood of goats?H398H1320H47H8354H1818H626014Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High.H2076H430H8426H7999H5088H594515Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory."H7121H3117H6869H2502H351316But God says to the wicked. "Why bother reciting my decrees and pretending to obey my covenant?H7563H430H559H5608H2706H5375H1285H631017For you refuse my discipline and treat my words like trash.H8130H4148H7993H1697H31018When you see thieves, you approve of them, and you spend your time with adulterers.H7200H1590H7521H2506H500319Your mouth is filled with wickedness, and your tongue is full of lies.H7971H6310H7451H3956H6775H482020You sit around and slander your brother—your own mother's son.H3427H1696H251H5414H1848H517H112121While you did all this, I remained silent, and you thought I didn't care. But now I will rebuke you, listing all my charges against you.H6213H2790H1819H1961H3198H6186H586922Repent, all of you who forget me, or I will tear you apart, and no one will help you.H995H7911H433H2963H533723But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God."H2076H8426H3513H7760H1870H7200H3468H430