TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 31

1Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying,

אוַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר׃

2“Avenge B'nei Yisrael on the Midianites; then you shall be gathered to your kin.”

בנְקֹם נִקְמַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֵת הַמִּדְיָנִים אַחַר תֵּאָסֵף אֶל־עַמֶּיךָ׃

3Moshe spoke to the people, saying, “Let men be picked out from among you for a campaign, and let them fall upon Midian to wreak Hashem's vengeance on Midian.

גוַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה אֶל־הָעָם לֵאמֹר הֵחָלְצוּ מֵאִתְּכֶם אֲנָשִׁים לַצָּבָא וְיִהְיוּ עַל־מִדְיָן לָתֵת נִקְמַת־יְהֹוָה בְּמִדְיָן׃

4You shall dispatch on the campaign a thousand from every one of the tribes of Yisrael.”

דאֶלֶף לַמַּטֶּה אֶלֶף לַמַּטֶּה לְכֹל מַטּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל תִּשְׁלְחוּ לַצָּבָא׃

5So a thousand from each tribe were furnished from the divisions of Yisrael, twelve thousand picked for the campaign.

הוַיִּמָּסְרוּ מֵאַלְפֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלֶף לַמַּטֶּה שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂר אֶלֶף חֲלוּצֵי צָבָא׃

6Moshe dispatched them on the campaign, a thousand from each tribe, with Pinchas son of Elazar serving as a Kohen on the campaign, equipped with the sacred utensils and the trumpets for sounding the blasts.

ווַיִּשְׁלַח אֹתָם מֹשֶׁה אֶלֶף לַמַּטֶּה לַצָּבָא אֹתָם וְאֶת־פִּינְחָס בֶּן־אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן לַצָּבָא וּכְלֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ וַחֲצֹצְרוֹת הַתְּרוּעָה בְּיָדוֹ׃

7They took the field against Midian, as Hashem had commanded Moshe, and slew every male.

זוַיִּצְבְּאוּ עַל־מִדְיָן כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהֹוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה וַיַּהַרְגוּ כָּל־זָכָר׃

8Along with their other victims, they slew the kings of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. They also put Balaam son of Beor to the sword.

חוְאֶת־מַלְכֵי מִדְיָן הָרְגוּ עַל־חַלְלֵיהֶם אֶת־אֱוִי וְאֶת־רֶקֶם וְאֶת־צוּר וְאֶת־חוּר וְאֶת־רֶבַע חֲמֵשֶׁת מַלְכֵי מִדְיָן וְאֵת בִּלְעָם בֶּן־בְּעוֹר הָרְגוּ בֶּחָרֶב׃

9The Israelites took the women and children of the Midianites captive, and seized as booty all their beasts, all their herds, and all their wealth.

טוַיִּשְׁבּוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־נְשֵׁי מִדְיָן וְאֶת־טַפָּם וְאֵת כָּל־בְּהֶמְתָּם וְאֶת־כָּל־מִקְנֵהֶם וְאֶת־כָּל־חֵילָם בָּזָזוּ׃

10And they destroyed by fire all the towns in which they were settled, and their encampments.

יוְאֵת כָּל־עָרֵיהֶם בְּמוֹשְׁבֹתָם וְאֵת כָּל־טִירֹתָם שָׂרְפוּ בָּאֵשׁ׃

11They gathered all the spoil and all the booty, man and beast,

יאוַיִּקְחוּ אֶת־כָּל־הַשָּׁלָל וְאֵת כָּל־הַמַּלְקוֹחַ בָּאָדָם וּבַבְּהֵמָה׃

12and they brought the captives, the booty, and the spoil to Moshe, Elazar the Kohen, and the whole Israelite community, at the camp in the steppes of Moab, at the Yarden near Yericho.

יבוַיָּבִאוּ אֶל־מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל־אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְאֶל־עֲדַת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־הַשְּׁבִי וְאֶת־הַמַּלְקוֹחַ וְאֶת־הַשָּׁלָל אֶל־הַמַּחֲנֶה אֶל־עַרְבֹת מוֹאָב אֲשֶׁר עַל־יַרְדֵּן יְרֵחוֹ׃

13Moshe, Elazar the Kohen, and all the chieftains of the community came out to meet them outside the camp.

יגוַיֵּצְאוּ מֹשֶׁה וְאֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְכָל־נְשִׂיאֵי הָעֵדָה לִקְרָאתָם אֶל־מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה׃

14Moshe became angry with the commanders of the army, the officers of thousands and the officers of hundreds, who had come back from the military campaign.

ידוַיִּקְצֹף מֹשֶׁה עַל פְּקוּדֵי הֶחָיִל שָׂרֵי הָאֲלָפִים וְשָׂרֵי הַמֵּאוֹת הַבָּאִים מִצְּבָא הַמִּלְחָמָה׃

15Moshe said to them, “You have spared every female!

טווַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם מֹשֶׁה הַחִיִּיתֶם כָּל־נְקֵבָה׃

16Yet they are the very ones who, at the bidding of Balaam, induced the Israelites to trespass against Hashem in the matter of Peor, so that Hashem's community was struck by the plague.

טזהֵן הֵנָּה הָיוּ לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּדְבַר בִּלְעָם לִמְסָר־מַעַל בַּיהֹוָה עַל־דְּבַר־פְּעוֹר וַתְּהִי הַמַּגֵּפָה בַּעֲדַת יְהֹוָה׃

17Now, therefore, slay every male among the children, and slay also every woman who has known a man carnally;

יזוְעַתָּה הִרְגוּ כָל־זָכָר בַּטָּף וְכָל־אִשָּׁה יֹדַעַת אִישׁ לְמִשְׁכַּב זָכָר הֲרֹגוּ׃

18but spare every young woman who has not had carnal relations with a man.

יחוְכֹל הַטַּף בַּנָּשִׁים אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָדְעוּ מִשְׁכַּב זָכָר הַחֲיוּ לָכֶם׃

19“You shall then stay outside the camp seven days; every one among you or among your captives who has slain a person or touched a corpse shall cleanse himself on the third and seventh days.

יטוְאַתֶּם חֲנוּ מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה שִׁבְעַת יָמִים כֹּל הֹרֵג נֶפֶשׁ וְכֹל נֹגֵעַ בֶּחָלָל תִּתְחַטְּאוּ בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי אַתֶּם וּשְׁבִיכֶם׃

20You shall also cleanse every cloth, every article of skin, everything made of goats' hair, and every object of wood.”

כוְכָל־בֶּגֶד וְכָל־כְּלִי־עוֹר וְכָל־מַעֲשֵׂה עִזִּים וְכָל־כְּלִי־עֵץ תִּתְחַטָּאוּ׃

21Elazar the Kohen said to the troops who had taken part in the fighting, “This is the ritual law that Hashem has enjoined upon Moshe:

כאוַיֹּאמֶר אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן אֶל־אַנְשֵׁי הַצָּבָא הַבָּאִים לַמִּלְחָמָה זֹאת חֻקַּת הַתּוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה יְהֹוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃

22Gold and silver, copper, iron, tin, and lead

כבאַךְ אֶת־הַזָּהָב וְאֶת־הַכָּסֶף אֶת־הַנְּחֹשֶׁת אֶת־הַבַּרְזֶל אֶת־הַבְּדִיל וְאֶת־הָעֹפָרֶת׃

23any article that can withstand fire—these you shall pass through fire and they shall be clean, except that they must be cleansed with water of lustration; and anything that cannot withstand fire you must pass through water.

כגכָּל־דָּבָר אֲשֶׁר־יָבֹא בָאֵשׁ תַּעֲבִירוּ בָאֵשׁ וְטָהֵר אַךְ בְּמֵי נִדָּה יִתְחַטָּא וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָבֹא בָּאֵשׁ תַּעֲבִירוּ בַמָּיִם׃

24On the seventh day you shall wash your clothes and be clean, and after that you may enter the camp.”

כדוְכִבַּסְתֶּם בִּגְדֵיכֶם בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי וּטְהַרְתֶּם וְאַחַר תָּבֹאוּ אֶל־הַמַּחֲנֶה׃

25Hashem said to Moshe:

כהוַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר׃

26“You and Elazar the Kohen and the family heads of the community take an inventory of the booty that was captured, man and beast,

כושָׂא אֵת רֹאשׁ מַלְקוֹחַ הַשְּׁבִי בָּאָדָם וּבַבְּהֵמָה אַתָּה וְאֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְרָאשֵׁי אֲבוֹת הָעֵדָה׃

27and divide the booty equally between the combatants who engaged in the campaign and the rest of the community.

v'-kha-TZEE-ta et ha-mal-KO-akh BAYN to-f'-SAY ha-mil-kha-MAH ha-yo-tz'-EEM la-tza-VA u-VAYN kol ha-ay-DAH

כזוְחָצִיתָ אֶת־הַמַּלְקוֹחַ בֵּין תֹּפְשֵׂי הַמִּלְחָמָה הַיֹּצְאִים לַצָּבָא וּבֵין כָּל־הָעֵדָה׃

31:27   And the rest of the community

Chapter 31 describes the war waged by the Israelites against the Midianites as retribution for the immorality and idolatry that the Midianites caused, which lead to the death of twenty-four thousand Israelites. Moshe commands that an equal number of men from each tribe be chosen to fight, and at the conclusion of the battle, the spoils of war are divided among the entire congregation. The fact that each tribe is equally represented in battle, and that everyone, even those who did not fight, is given a share in the spoils, highlights the unity of the congregation of Israel. Since they are functioning as one cohesive unit, united in the service of Hashem, they are finally ready to enter the Land of Israel and complete the journey their parents had started forty years earlier.

28You shall exact a levy for Hashem: in the case of the warriors who engaged in the campaign, one item in five hundred, of persons, oxen, asses, and sheep,

כחוַהֲרֵמֹתָ מֶכֶס לַיהֹוָה מֵאֵת אַנְשֵׁי הַמִּלְחָמָה הַיֹּצְאִים לַצָּבָא אֶחָד נֶפֶשׁ מֵחֲמֵשׁ הַמֵּאוֹת מִן־הָאָדָם וּמִן־הַבָּקָר וּמִן־הַחֲמֹרִים וּמִן־הַצֹּאן׃

29shall be taken from their half-share and given to Elazar the Kohen as a contribution to Hashem;

כטמִמַּחֲצִיתָם תִּקָּחוּ וְנָתַתָּה לְאֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן תְּרוּמַת יְהֹוָה׃

30and from the half-share of the other Israelites you shall withhold one in every fifty human beings as well as cattle, asses, and sheep—all the animals—and give them to the Leviim, who attend to the duties of Hashem's Mishkan.”

לוּמִמַּחֲצִת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל תִּקַּח אֶחָד אָחֻז מִן־הַחֲמִשִּׁים מִן־הָאָדָם מִן־הַבָּקָר מִן־הַחֲמֹרִים וּמִן־הַצֹּאן מִכָּל־הַבְּהֵמָה וְנָתַתָּה אֹתָם לַלְוִיִּם שֹׁמְרֵי מִשְׁמֶרֶת מִשְׁכַּן יְהֹוָה׃

31Moshe and Elazar the Kohen did as Hashem commanded Moshe.

לאוַיַּעַשׂ מֹשֶׁה וְאֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהֹוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃

32The amount of booty, other than the spoil that the troops had plundered, came to 675,000 sheep,

לבוַיְהִי הַמַּלְקוֹחַ יֶתֶר הַבָּז אֲשֶׁר בָּזְזוּ עַם הַצָּבָא צֹאן שֵׁשׁ־מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף וְשִׁבְעִים אֶלֶף וַחֲמֵשֶׁת־אֲלָפִים׃

3372,000 head of cattle,

לגוּבָקָר שְׁנַיִם וְשִׁבְעִים אָלֶף׃

3461,000 asses,

לדוַחֲמֹרִים אֶחָד וְשִׁשִּׁים אָלֶף׃

35and a total of 32,000 human beings, namely, the women who had not had carnal relations.

להוְנֶפֶשׁ אָדָם מִן־הַנָּשִׁים אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָדְעוּ מִשְׁכַּב זָכָר כָּל־נֶפֶשׁ שְׁנַיִם וּשְׁלֹשִׁים אָלֶף׃

36Thus, the half-share of those who had engaged in the campaign [was as follows]: The number of sheep was 337,500,

לווַתְּהִי הַמֶּחֱצָה חֵלֶק הַיֹּצְאִים בַּצָּבָא מִסְפַּר הַצֹּאן שְׁלֹשׁ־מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף וּשְׁלֹשִׁים אֶלֶף וְשִׁבְעַת אֲלָפִים וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת׃

37and Hashem's levy from the sheep was 675;

לזוַיְהִי הַמֶּכֶס לַיהֹוָה מִן־הַצֹּאן שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת חָמֵשׁ וְשִׁבְעִים׃

38the cattle came to 36,000, from which Hashem's levy was 72;

לחוְהַבָּקָר שִׁשָּׁה וּשְׁלֹשִׁים אָלֶף וּמִכְסָם לַיהֹוָה שְׁנַיִם וְשִׁבְעִים׃

39the asses came to 30,500, from which Hashem's levy was 61.

לטוַחֲמֹרִים שְׁלֹשִׁים אֶלֶף וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת וּמִכְסָם לַיהֹוָה אֶחָד וְשִׁשִּׁים׃

40And the number of human beings was 16,000, from which Hashem's levy was 32.

מוְנֶפֶשׁ אָדָם שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר אָלֶף וּמִכְסָם לַיהֹוָה שְׁנַיִם וּשְׁלֹשִׁים נָפֶשׁ׃

41Moshe gave the contributions levied for Hashem to Elazar the Kohen, as Hashem had commanded Moshe.

מאוַיִּתֵּן מֹשֶׁה אֶת־מֶכֶס תְּרוּמַת יְהֹוָה לְאֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהֹוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃

42As for the half-share of the other Israelites, which Moshe withdrew from the men who had taken the field,

מבוּמִמַּחֲצִית בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר חָצָה מֹשֶׁה מִן־הָאֲנָשִׁים הַצֹּבְאִים׃

43that half-share of the community consisted of 337,500 sheep,

מגוַתְּהִי מֶחֱצַת הָעֵדָה מִן־הַצֹּאן שְׁלֹשׁ־מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף וּשְׁלֹשִׁים אֶלֶף שִׁבְעַת אֲלָפִים וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת׃

4436,000 head of cattle,

מדוּבָקָר שִׁשָּׁה וּשְׁלֹשִׁים אָלֶף׃

4530,500 asses,

מהוַחֲמֹרִים שְׁלֹשִׁים אֶלֶף וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת׃

46and 16,000 human beings.

מווְנֶפֶשׁ אָדָם שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר אָלֶף׃

47From this half-share of the Israelites, Moshe withheld one in every fifty humans and animals; and he gave them to the Leviim, who attended to the duties of Hashem's Mishkan, as Hashem had commanded Moshe.

מזוַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה מִמַּחֲצִת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־הָאָחֻז אֶחָד מִן־הַחֲמִשִּׁים מִן־הָאָדָם וּמִן־הַבְּהֵמָה וַיִּתֵּן אֹתָם לַלְוִיִּם שֹׁמְרֵי מִשְׁמֶרֶת מִשְׁכַּן יְהֹוָה כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהֹוָה אֶת־מֹשֶׁה׃

48The commanders of the troop divisions, the officers of thousands and the officers of hundreds, approached Moshe.

מחוַיִּקְרְבוּ אֶל־מֹשֶׁה הַפְּקֻדִים אֲשֶׁר לְאַלְפֵי הַצָּבָא שָׂרֵי הָאֲלָפִים וְשָׂרֵי הַמֵּאוֹת׃

49They said to Moshe, “Your servants have made a check of the warriors in our charge, and not one of us is missing.

מטוַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל־מֹשֶׁה עֲבָדֶיךָ נָשְׂאוּ אֶת־רֹאשׁ אַנְשֵׁי הַמִּלְחָמָה אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדֵנוּ וְלֹא־נִפְקַד מִמֶּנּוּ אִישׁ׃

50So we have brought as an offering to Hashem such articles of gold as each of us came upon: armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and pendants, that expiation may be made for our persons before Hashem.”

נוַנַּקְרֵב אֶת־קָרְבַּן יְהֹוָה אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר מָצָא כְלִי־זָהָב אֶצְעָדָה וְצָמִיד טַבַּעַת עָגִיל וְכוּמָז לְכַפֵּר עַל־נַפְשֹׁתֵינוּ לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה׃

51Moshe and Elazar the Kohen accepted the gold from them, all kinds of wrought articles.

נאוַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה וְאֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן אֶת־הַזָּהָב מֵאִתָּם כֹּל כְּלִי מַעֲשֶׂה׃

52All the gold that was offered by the officers of thousands and the officers of hundreds as a contribution to Hashem came to 16,750 shekalim.

נבוַיְהִי כָּל־זְהַב הַתְּרוּמָה אֲשֶׁר הֵרִימוּ לַיהֹוָה שִׁשָּׁה עָשָׂר אֶלֶף שְׁבַע־מֵאוֹת וַחֲמִשִּׁים שָׁקֶל מֵאֵת שָׂרֵי הָאֲלָפִים וּמֵאֵת שָׂרֵי הַמֵּאוֹת׃

53But in the ranks, everyone kept his booty for himself.

נגאַנְשֵׁי הַצָּבָא בָּזְזוּ אִישׁ לוֹ׃

54So Moshe and Elazar the Kohen accepted the gold from the officers of thousands and the officers of hundreds and brought it to the Tent of Meeting, as a reminder in behalf of the Israelites before Hashem.

נדוַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה וְאֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן אֶת־הַזָּהָב מֵאֵת שָׂרֵי הָאֲלָפִים וְהַמֵּאוֹת וַיָּבִאוּ אֹתוֹ אֶל־אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד זִכָּרוֹן לִבְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה׃