1. And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying,
2. Avenge the sons of Israel upon the Midianites; afterward thou shalt be gathered unto thy peoples.
3. And Moses spoke unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war and let them go against the Midianites and carry out the vengeance of the Lord in Midian.
4. A thousand out of every tribe throughout all the tribes of Israel shall ye send to the war.
5. So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.