12 They brought back to Israel's camp the prisoners and everything else they had taken. They took them to Moses and to the priest Eleazar. They brought them to the whole community. Israel was camped on the flatlands of Moab. They were by the Jordan River across from Jericho.
13 Moses and the priest Eleazar went to meet them outside the camp. So did all of the leaders of the community.
14 Moses was angry with the officers of the army who had returned from the battle. Some of them were the commanders of thousands of men. Others were the commanders of hundreds.
15 "Have you let all of the women remain alive?" Moses asked them.
16 "The women followed Balaam's advice. They caused the people of Israel to turn away from the Lord. The people worshiped the god Baal that was worshiped at Peor. So a plague struck them.
17 Kill all of the boys. And kill every woman who has made love to a man.
18 But save for yourselves every woman who has never made love to a man.