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. So kill all the boys and all the women who have had intercourse 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. Purify all your clothing, too, 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 legal requirement:
22. Anything made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, or lead—
23. 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.
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. 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.
29. Give this share of the army’s half to Eleazar the priest as an offering to the lord.
30. 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.”