Midian war
Encyclopedia
The Midian War documented in the Hebrew Bible
, Numbers
, was intended to exterminate the Midian
ites, who had "led the people of Israel
to sin against God". (However, some Midianites survived well into the days of the Book of Judges
.) Moses commanded one thousand males from each of the twelve tribes of Israel to destroy the cities and the warriors of Midian. The "false prophet" Balaam
was killed, along with the five Midianite kings.
Only the Midianite women and children were left alive, but Moses was still not satisfied. Because they had "caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam," to sin against the Lord
and had sent a plague into the congregation of Israelites, Moses decreed that every male child and non-virginal woman be killed (since it was the Midianite women who led the Israelite men into sexual sin). The Midianite virgins were given to the Israelite soldiers as part of the spoils of war. After they finished the Midianite elimination, the Israelites involved in killing the enemy (or had come in contact with any of the dead corpses or even any tool or weapon that had come into contact with a dead person) were instructed to stay outside of the camp (ie. community) for seven days. While outside the camp, on the third and seventh days, ritual purification occurred (high priest sprinkling water mixed with ashes of the red heifer onto the people as required by the instructions to Israel in Numbers 19:11-20).
According to the high priest Eleazar
, the Lord instructed Moses to divide the spoils of war equally between the warriors and the entire congregation of Israelites. After this division was made, the military officers offered thousands of shekel
s worth of jewelry to the Lord as an atonement for their killing of the Midianites.
Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible is a term used by biblical scholars outside of Judaism to refer to the Tanakh , a canonical collection of Jewish texts, and the common textual antecedent of the several canonical editions of the Christian Old Testament...
, Numbers
Book of Numbers
The Book of Numbers is the fourth book of the Hebrew Bible, and the fourth of five books of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch....
, was intended to exterminate the Midian
Midian
Midian , Madyan , or Madiam is a geographical place and a people mentioned in the Bible and in the Qur'an. It is believed to be in northwest Saudi Arabia on the east shore of the Gulf of Aqaba and the northern Red Sea...
ites, who had "led the people of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
to sin against God". (However, some Midianites survived well into the days of the Book of Judges
Book of Judges
The Book of Judges is the seventh book of the Hebrew bible and the Christian Old Testament. Its title describes its contents: it contains the history of Biblical judges, divinely inspired prophets whose direct knowledge of Yahweh allows them to act as decision-makers for the Israelites, as...
.) Moses commanded one thousand males from each of the twelve tribes of Israel to destroy the cities and the warriors of Midian. The "false prophet" Balaam
Balaam
Balaam is a diviner in the Torah, his story occurring towards the end of the Book of Numbers. The etymology of his name is uncertain, and discussed below. Every ancient reference to Balaam considers him a non-Israelite, a prophet, and the son of Beor, though Beor is not so clearly identified...
was killed, along with the five Midianite kings.
Only the Midianite women and children were left alive, but Moses was still not satisfied. Because they had "caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam," to sin against the Lord
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
and had sent a plague into the congregation of Israelites, Moses decreed that every male child and non-virginal woman be killed (since it was the Midianite women who led the Israelite men into sexual sin). The Midianite virgins were given to the Israelite soldiers as part of the spoils of war. After they finished the Midianite elimination, the Israelites involved in killing the enemy (or had come in contact with any of the dead corpses or even any tool or weapon that had come into contact with a dead person) were instructed to stay outside of the camp (ie. community) for seven days. While outside the camp, on the third and seventh days, ritual purification occurred (high priest sprinkling water mixed with ashes of the red heifer onto the people as required by the instructions to Israel in Numbers 19:11-20).
According to the high priest Eleazar
Eleazar
Eleazar , was a priest in the Hebrew Bible, the second Kohen Gadol - succeeding his father Aaron. He was a nephew of Moses.-Life:...
, the Lord instructed Moses to divide the spoils of war equally between the warriors and the entire congregation of Israelites. After this division was made, the military officers offered thousands of shekel
Shekel
Shekel , is any of several ancient units of weight or of currency. The first usage is from Mesopotamia around 3000 BC. Initially, it may have referred to a weight of barley...
s worth of jewelry to the Lord as an atonement for their killing of the Midianites.