Numbers 31 records the Israelites' punitive war against the Midianites, commanded by God as retribution for their role in seducing Israel into idolatry and immorality at Peor (Numbers 25). This chapter details the military campaign, the complete destruction of the Midianite men and cities, the capture of women and children, and the subsequent divine command to kill all adult women and male children. It also outlines the purification rituals for the soldiers and the division of the vast spoils of war, emphasizing the Lord's share and the meticulous accounting of all plunder.
