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The Manner of Dealing with the Captives
v. 13. And Moses and Eleazar, the priest, and all the princes of the congregation went forth to meet them without the camp, full of eagerness to see the evidence of God's avenging justice.
v. 14. And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds which came from the battle.
v. 15. And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive? It was a decided expression of disapproval at this course of action.
v. 16. Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the Lord, they had given the Israelites occasion to become unfaithful to Jehovah, in the matter of Peor, in the immoral service of this idol, Numbers 25, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord.
v. 17. Now, therefore, kill every male among the little ones, to prevent the reestablishment of the nation, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him, in carnal intercourse, for there was the danger that any one of these women may have been engaged in the shameless practices connected with the service of Peor and that the children of Israel would thus be contaminated by these women.
v. 18. But all the women children that have not known a man by lying with him keep alive for yourselves, as slaves or handmaids, for marriage with such was not forbidden. The great God is terrible in His judgments, a fact which should teach us to fear His wrath and not act contrary to His commandments.