1上主訓示梅瑟說： 1And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
2「你應在米德楊人身上為以色列子民報仇，以後你就要歸到你親族那裡去。」 2Revenge first the children of Israel on the Madianites, and so thou shalt be gathered to thy people.
3梅瑟於是吩咐人民說：「你們要選拔壯丁，武裝起來，準備作戰，進攻米德楊，在他們身上為上主雪仇。 3And Moses forthwith said: Arm of you men to fight, who may take the revenge of the Lord on the Madianites.
4以色列每支派應派遣一千人出征作戰。」 4Let a thousand men be chosen out of every tribe of Israel to be sent to the war.
5這樣，每支派出一千人，以色列的部隊共有一萬二千武裝出征的人。 5And they gave a thousand of every tribe, that is to say, twelve thousand men well appointed for battle.
6梅瑟就派遣他們──每支派一千人，出征作戰，並派遣大司祭厄肋阿匝爾的兒子丕乃哈斯與他們同去，手內帶著聖器和發號令的喇叭， 6And Moses sent them with Phinees the son of Eleazar the priest, and he delivered to him the holy vessels, and the trumpets to sound.
7他們遂照上主對梅瑟所吩咐的，攻擊了米德楊，殺了所有的男子。 7And when they had fought against the Madianites and had overcome them, they slew all the men.
8除這些被殺的以外，還殺了米德楊五個王子：厄威、勒耿、族爾、胡爾和勒巴；也用刀殺了貝敖爾的兒子巴郎。 8And their kings Evi, and Recem, and Sur, and Hur, and Rebe, five princes of the nation: Balaam also the son of Beer they killed with the sword.
9以色列子民俘擄了米德楊人的婦女和幼童，掠奪了他們所有的牲畜、羊群和財產； 9And they took their women, and their children captives, and all their cattle, and all their goods: and all their possessions they plundered:
10火燒了他們所住的一切城邑和營寨。 10And all their cities, and their villages, and castles, they burned.
11以後把一切所搶所奪之物，人和牲畜都帶走， 11And they carried away the booty, and all that they had taken both of men and of beasts.
12把俘擄和所搶所奪之物，帶到梅瑟和大司祭厄肋阿匝爾以及以色列子民全會眾那裡，即帶到耶里哥的對面，約但河邊，摩阿布曠野中的營盤那裡。 12And they brought them to Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and to all the multitude of the children of Israel. But the rest of the things for use they carried to the camp on the plains of Moab, beside the Jordan over against Jericho.
13梅瑟和大司祭厄肋阿匝爾以及會眾各首領，都到營外歡迎他們。 13And Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the princes of the synagogue went forth to meet them without the camp.
14梅瑟對作戰回來的軍官、千夫長和百夫長大發忿怒， 14And Moses being angry with the chief officers of the army, the tribunes, and the centurions that were come from the battle,
15向他們說：「你們為什麼還讓這一切婦女活著？ 15Said: Why have you saved the women?
16看正是她們聽了巴郎的話誘惑了以色列子民，在培敖爾事件上違背了上主，致使災禍降在上主的會眾身上。 16Are not these they, that deceived the children of Israel by the counsel of Balaam, and made you transgress against the Lord by the sin of Phogor, for which also the people was punished?
17如今應將所有的男童殺死，將所有認識過男人，與男人同過房的女人，都一律殺掉。 17Therefore kill all that are of the male sex, even of the children: and put to death the women, that have carnally known men.
18至於那些沒有與男人來往同過房的女童，可為你們保留。 18But the girls, and all the women that are virgins save for yourselves:
19你們應七天住在營外；你們和你們的俘虜，凡殺過人，或接觸過屍首的，應在第三天和第七天上取潔； 19And stay without the camp seven days. He that hath killed a man, or touched one that is killed, shall be purified the third day and the seventh day.
20對所有的衣服、皮具、毛織品和木器，都應行取潔禮。」 20And of all the spoil, every garment, or vessel, or any thing made for use, of the skins, or hair of goats, or of wood, shall be purified.
21大司祭厄肋阿匝爾對作戰回來的軍隊說：「這是上主吩咐梅瑟的法令： 21Eleazar also the priest spoke to the men of the army, that had fought, in this manner: This is the ordinance of the law, which the Lord hath commanded Moses:
22金銀、銅、鐵、錫、鉛， 22Gold, and silver, and brass, and iron, and lend, and tin,
23凡能耐火之物，應經過火，再以取潔水取潔，才算潔淨；凡不能耐火之物，應經過水洗。 23And all that may pass through the fire, shall be purified by fire, but whatsoever cannot abide the fire, shall be sanctified with the water of expiation:
24第七天應洗你們的衣服，你們才算潔淨，然後方可回營。」 24And you shall wash your garments the seventh day, and being purified, you shall afterwards enter into the camp.
25上主又訓示梅瑟說： 25And the Lord said to Moses:
26「你和厄肋阿匝爾司祭以及會眾的家長，應統計一下掠奪的勝利品，無論是人或牲畜。 26Take the sum of the things that were taken both of man and beast, thou and Eleazar the priest and the princes of the multitude:
27然後把勝利品平分，一半給出征作戰的兵士，一半給其餘全體會眾。 27And thou shalt divide the spoil equally, between them that fought and went out to the war, and between the rest of the multitude.
28由出征作戰的兵士所得的一分中，抽出五百分之一，不論是人、牛、驢或羊，奉獻給上主； 28And thou shalt separate a portion to the Lord from them that fought and were in the battle, one soul of five hundred as well of persons as of oxen and asses and sheep.
29把所取出的交給厄肋阿匝爾司祭，作為屬於上主的獻儀。 29And thou shalt give it to Eleazar the priest, because they are the firstfruits of the Lord.
30由以色列子民分得的一半中，應抽出五十分之一，不論是人、牛、驢、羊，或是其他牲畜，交給那些在上主會幕內服務的肋未人。」 30Out of the moiety also of the children of Israel thou shalt take the fiftieth head of persons, and of oxen, and asses, and sheep, and of all beasts, and thou shalt give them to the Levites that watch in the charge of the tabernacle of the Lord.
31梅瑟和厄肋阿匝爾司祭就照上主吩咐梅瑟的做了。 31And Moses and Eleazar did as the Lord had commanded.
32作戰部隊所掠奪的物品，尚存的戰利品，計有羊六十七萬五千隻， 32And the spoil which the army had taken, was six hundred seventy-five thousand sheep,
33牛七萬二千頭， 33Seventy-two thousand oxen,
34驢六萬一千匹； 34Sixty-one thousand asses:
35人口，尚未與男人來往同過房的女人，計有三萬二千。 35And thirty-two thousand persons of the female sex, that had not known men.
36出征作戰所得的一半，計羊三十三萬七千五百隻； 36And one half was given to them that had been in the battle, to wit, three hundred thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep:
37由這些羊中，給上主作獻儀的，為六百七十五隻； 37Out of which, for the portion of the Lord, were reckoned six hundred seventy-five sheep.
38牛三萬六千頭，給上主作獻儀的，為七十二頭； 38And out of the thirty-six thousand oxen, seventy-two oxen:
39驢三萬五百匹，給上主作獻儀的，為六十一匹； 39Out of the thirty thousand five hundred asses, sixty-one asses:
40人口一萬六千，給上主作獻儀的，為三十二人。 40Out of the sixteen thousand persons, there fell to the portion of the Lord, thirty-two souls.
41梅瑟就照上主對他所吩咐的，將取出作為上主獻儀的一份，交給了厄肋阿匝爾司祭。 41And Moses delivered the number of the firstfruits of the Lord to Eleazar the priest, as had been commanded him,
42至於梅瑟分配給以色列子民的那一半，即與作戰的兵士平分出來的， 42Out of the half of the children of Israel, which he had separated for them that had been in the battle.
43那屬於會眾的一半，計有羊三十三萬七千五百隻， 43But out of the half that fell to the rest of the multitude, that is to say, out of the three hundred thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep,
44牛三萬六千頭， 44And out of the thirty-six thousand oxen,
45驢三萬五百匹， 45And out of the thirty thousand five hundred asses,
46人口一萬六千。 46And out of the sixteen thousand persons,
47梅瑟照上主對他所吩咐的，由屬於以色列子民的這一半，抽出五十分之一的人和牲畜，交給了那些在上主會幕內服務的肋未人。 47Moses took the fiftieth head, and gave it to the Levites that watched in the tabernacle of the Lord, as the Lord had commanded.
48出征作戰的軍官，千夫長和百夫長，來到梅瑟前， 48And when the commanders of the army, and the tribunes and centurions were come to Moses, they said:
49對他說：「你的僕人們調查了所屬的作戰士兵，一個也沒有少。 49We thy servants have reckoned up the number of the fighting men, whom we had under our hand, and not so much as one was wanting.
50為此我們每人將所獲得的金器，如臂鐲、腕鐲、戒指、耳環和項鏈，獻於上主作獻儀，好在上主面前為我們贖罪。」 50Therefore we offer as gifts to the Lord what gold every one of us could find in the booty, in garters and tablets, rings and bracelets, and chains, that thou mayst pray to the Lord for us.
51梅瑟和厄肋阿匝爾司祭由他們手中接受了這一切金製物品。 51And Moses and Eleazar the priest received all the gold in divers kinds,
52千夫長和百夫長獻給上主作獻儀的金子，共計一萬六千七百五十『協刻耳』。 52In weight sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty sicles, from the tribunes and from the centurions.
53兵丁所掠奪的東西，各歸己有。 53For that which every one had taken in the booty was his own.
54梅瑟和厄肋阿匝爾司祭遂將由千夫長和百夫長所收下的金子，帶入會幕內，好使上主記念以色列子民。 54And that which was received they brought into the tabernacle of the testimony, for a memorial of the children of Israel before the Lord.
31:3-18
3-18节记述一场「圣战」，即天主亲自指定的战事。因此在记事方面，不免有些夸大词句。
31:2
2节继续叙述25:19所中断的史事：米德杨女子因引以民行淫，使以民遭殃，所以上主命梅瑟消灭米德杨人。
31:21-24
见19:11-22。
31:25-30
参阅撒下8:11。
31:31-54
战争、瘟疫和 荒，是天主常用来惩罚世人罪孽的方法。新约时代的信友可能惊讶，为什麽天主在旧约时代，屡次命令以色列攻击敌人时，将之完全消灭，施行「毁灭律」。这种惨剧按照古代的思想，是可了解的，因为古人以为民族与民族间的战争，即是神与神之间的战争。天主为保持以色列人对唯一神的信仰，也利用了当时人民的思想。