| 1The Lord spoke to Moses saying, |
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אוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר: |
| 2"Take revenge for the children of Israel against the Midianites; afterwards you will be gathered to your people." |
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בנְקֹ֗ם נִקְמַת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מֵאֵ֖ת הַמִּדְיָנִ֑ים אַחַ֖ר תֵּֽאָסֵ֥ף אֶל־עַמֶּֽיךָ: |
| against the Midianites: But not against the Moabites, for the Moabites were involved in the matter out of fear, since they were afraid of being plundered by them, because all it says is, “do not provoke them into battle” (Deut. 2:9), but the Midianites were angered over a dispute which did not concern them (See Sifrei Mattoth 33). Another interpretation: Because of the two good doves [virtuous proselytes] whom I have [in mind] to bring forth from them, [namely] Ruth the Moabitess and Naamah the Ammonitess (I Kings 14: 21). - [B.K. 38b] |
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מֵאֵת הַמִּדְיָנִים:
וְלֹא מֵאֵת הַמּוֹאָבִים, שֶׁהַמּוֹאָבִים נִכְנְסוּ לַדָּבָר מֵחֲמַת יִרְאָה, שֶׁהָיוּ יְרֵאִים מֵהֶם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ שׁוֹלְלִים אוֹתָם, שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא "וְאַל תִּתְגָּר בָּם מִלְחָמָה" (דברים ב'), אֲבָל מִדְיָנִים נִתְעַבְּרוּ עַל רִיב לֹא לָהֶם; דָּבָר אַחֵר, מִפְּנֵי שְׁנֵי פְרֵידוֹת טוֹבוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִי לְהוֹצִיא מֵהֶם — רוּת הַמּוֹאֲבִיָּה וְנַעֲמָה הָעַמּוֹנִית (בבא קמא ל"ח):
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| 3So Moses spoke to the people, saying, "Arm from among you men for the army, that they can be against Midian, and carry out the revenge of the Lord against Midian. |
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גוַיְדַבֵּ֤ר משֶׁה֙ אֶל־הָעָ֣ם לֵאמֹ֔ר הֵחָֽלְצ֧וּ מֵֽאִתְּכֶ֛ם אֲנָשִׁ֖ים לַצָּבָ֑א וְיִֽהְיוּ֙ עַל־מִדְיָ֔ן לָתֵ֥ת נִקְמַת־יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּמִדְיָֽן: |
| Moses spoke: Although he heard that his death depended on the matter, he did it joyfully, without delay. — [Sifrei Mattoth 34, Mid. Tanchuma Mattoth 3, Num. Rabbah 22:2] |
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וַיְדַבֵּר משֶׁה וגו':
אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁשָּׁמַע שֶׁמִּיתָתוֹ תְלוּיָה בַּדָּבָר עָשָׂה בְשִׂמְחָה וְלֹא אֵחַר (ספרי):
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| arm: Heb. הֵחָלְצוּ, as the Targum [Onkelos renders זְרִיזוּ], in the sense of “armed for battle” (verse 5), armed with weapons. — [See Sifrei Mattoth 34] |
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הֵחָֽלְצוּ:
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, לְשׁוֹן חֲלוּצֵי צָבָא — מְזֻיָּנִים:
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| men: Righteous men. Similarly, “choose men for us” (Exod. 17:9), and “men who are wise and renowned” (Deut. 1:15). - [Mid. Tanchuma Mattoth 3, Sifrei Mattoth 36, Num. Rabbah 22:2] |
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אֲנָשִׁים:
צַדִּיקִים, וְכֵן "בְּחַר לָנוּ אֲנָשִׁים" (שמות י"ז), וְכֵן "אֲנָשִׁים חֲכָמִים וִידֻעִים" (דברים א'):
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| the revenge of the Lord: For anyone opposing Israel is reckoned as opposing the Holy One, blessed is He. — [See Mid. Tanchuma Mattoth 3, Num. Rabbah 22:2] |
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נִקְמַת־ה':
שֶׁהָעוֹמֵד כְּנֶגֶד יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּאִלּוּ עוֹמֵד כְּנֶגֶד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא:
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| 4A thousand for each tribe, a thousand for each tribe, from all the tribes of Israel you shall send into the army." |
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דאֶ֚לֶף לַמַּטֶּ֔ה אֶ֖לֶף לַמַּטֶּ֑ה לְכֹל֙ מַטּ֣וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל תִּשְׁלְח֖וּ לַצָּבָֽא: |
| from all the tribes: including the tribe of Levi. — [Sifrei Mattoth 35] |
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לְכֹל מַטּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל:
לְרַבּוֹת שֵׁבֶט לֵוִי (ספרי):
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| 5From the thousands of Israel one thousand was given over for each tribe, twelve thousand armed for battle. |
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הוַיִּמָּֽסְרוּ֙ מֵֽאַלְפֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶ֖לֶף לַמַּטֶּ֑ה שְׁנֵֽים־עָשָׂ֥ר אֶ֖לֶף חֲלוּצֵ֥י צָבָֽא: |
| was given over: Heb. וַיִּמָּסְרוּ. [The passive form is used] to inform you of the virtues of the Israelite shepherds [leaders]-how cherished they were by Israel. When they had not yet heard of his death, what did he say? “Just a little longer and they will stone me” (Exod. 17:4). But as soon as they heard that Moses’ demise was contingent upon the revenge against Midian, they refused to go, until they were given over against their will. — [Sifrei Mattoth 36, Mid. Tanchuma Mattoth 3, Num. Rabbah 22:3] |
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וַיִּמָּֽסְרוּ:
לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ שִׁבְחָן שֶׁל רוֹעֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּמָּה הֵם חֲבִיבִים עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, עַד שֶׁלֹּא שָׁמְעוּ בְמִיתָתוֹ מַה הוּא אוֹמֵר? "עוֹד מְעַט וּסְקָלֻנִי" (שמות י"ז), וּמִשֶּׁשָּׁמְעוּ שֶׁמִּיתַת מֹשֶׁה תְלוּיָה בְנִקְמַת מִדְיָן לֹא רָצוּ לָלֶכֶת עַד שֶׁנִּמְסְרוּ עַל כָּרְחָן (ספרי):
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| 6Moses sent them the thousand from each tribe to the army, them along with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the kohen to the army, with the sacred utensils and the trumpets for sounding in his possession. |
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ווַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח אֹתָ֥ם משֶׁ֛ה אֶ֥לֶף לַמַּטֶּ֖ה לַצָּבָ֑א אֹ֠תָ֠ם וְאֶת־פִּ֨ינְחָ֜ס בֶּן־אֶלְעָזָ֤ר הַכֹּהֵן֙ לַצָּבָ֔א וּכְלֵ֥י הַקֹּ֛דֶשׁ וַֽחֲצֹֽצְר֥וֹת הַתְּרוּעָ֖ה בְּיָדֽוֹ: |
| them along with Phinehas: This shows that Phinehas equaled them all (Sifrei Mattoth 34). Why did Phinehas go, and Eleazar did not go? The Holy One, blessed is He, said, “The one who began the mitzvah by killing Cozbi the daughter of Zur, should finish it” (Mid. Tanchuma Mattoth 3). Another interpretation: He sought the vengeance of Joseph, his maternal grandfather, for it says, “And the Medanites sold him” (Gen. 37:36) (Sifrei Mattoth 34, Sotah 43a). How do we know that Phinehas’s mother was [descended] from Joseph? Because it says, “[Eleazar the son of Aaron took himself one] of the daughters of Putiel (פּוּטִיאֵל)” (Exod. 6:25) [meaning] of the descendants of Jethro, who fattened (פִּטֵּם) calves for idolatry, and from the descendants of Joseph, who made light of (פִּטְפֵּט) his passion and prevailed over it [when he was tempted by Potiphar’s wife]. Another interpretation: He was [the kohen] anointed for war. — [Sotah 43a] |
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אֹתָם וְאֶת־פִּינְחָס:
מַגִּיד שֶׁהָיָה פִינְחָס שָׁקוּל כְּנֶגֶד כֻּלָּם (ספרי); וּמִפְּנֵי מָה הָלַךְ פִּינְחָס וְלֹא הָלַךְ אֶלְעָזָר? אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִי שֶׁהִתְחִיל בַּמִּצְוָה, שֶׁהָרַג כָּזְבִּי בַת צוּר, יִגְמֹר; דָּבָר אַחֵר — שֶׁהָלַךְ לִנְקֹם נִקְמַת יוֹסֵף אֲבִי אִמּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְהַמְּדָנִים מָכְרוּ אֹתוֹ" (בראשית ל"ז); וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁהָיְתָה אִמּוֹ שֶׁל פִּינְחָס מִשֶּׁל יוֹסֵף? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "מִבְּנוֹת פּוּטִיאֵל" (שמות ו') — מִזֶּרַע יִתְרוֹ שֶׁפִּטֵּם עֲגָלִים לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וּמִזֶּרַע יוֹסֵף שֶׁפִּטְפֵּט בְּיִצְרוֹ (סוטה מ"ג); דָּבָר אַחֵר — שֶׁהָיָה מְשׁוּחַ מִלְחָמָה (שם):
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| the sacred utensils: The holy Ark (Sifrei Mattoth 34, Num. Rabbah 22:4) and the golden showplate (Mid. Aggadah), since Balaam was with them and through sorcery was able to make the Midianite kings fly, and he flew along with them, he [Phinehas] showed them the showplate on which God’s Name was engraved, and they fell down [to earth]. For this reason it says, concerning the Midianite kings, “upon their slain” (verse 8), for they fell from the air on top of those slain. Likewise, it says in the book of Joshua (13:22) in connection with Balaam, “upon (sic) their slain.” - [Mid. Tanchuma Mattoth 4] |
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וּכְלֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ:
זֶה הָאָרוֹן וְהַצִּיץ, שֶׁהָיָה בִּלְעָם עִמָּהֶם וּמַפְרִיחַ מַלְכֵי מִדְיָן בִּכְשָׁפִים וְהוּא עַצְמוֹ פוֹרֵחַ עִמָּהֶם, הֶרְאָה לָהֶם אֶת הַצִּיץ שֶׁהַשֵּׁם חָקוּק בּוֹ וְהֵם נוֹפְלִים, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר "עַל חַלְלֵיהֶם" בְּמַלְכֵי מִדְיָן — שֶׁנּוֹפְלִים עַל הַחֲלָלִים מִן הָאֲוִיר, וְכֵן בְּבִלְעָם כָּתוּב "עַל חַלְלֵיהֶם" בְּסֵ' יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (תנחומא):
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| in his possession: Heb. בְּיָדוֹ, lit. in his hand, [here] in his possession. Similarly, “taking all his land from his possession (מִיָּדוֹ)” (Num. 21: 26). - [Sifrei Mattoth 37] |
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בְּיָדֽוֹ:
בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ, וְכֵן (במדבר כ"א) "וַיִּקַּח אֶת כָּל אַרְצוֹ מִיָּדוֹ" (ספרי):
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| 7They mounted an attack against Midian, as the Lord had commanded Moses, and they killed every male. |
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זוַיִּצְבְּאוּ֙ עַל־מִדְיָ֔ן כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־משֶׁ֑ה וַיַּֽהַרְג֖וּ כָּל־זָכָֽר: |
| 8And they killed the Midianite kings upon their slain: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian, and Balaam the son of Beor they slew with the sword. |
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חוְאֶת־מַלְכֵ֨י מִדְיָ֜ן הָֽרְג֣וּ עַל־חַלְלֵיהֶ֗ם אֶת־אֱוִ֤י וְאֶת־רֶ֨קֶם֙ וְאֶת־צ֤וּר וְאֶת־חוּר֙ וְאֶת־רֶ֔בַע חֲמֵ֖שֶׁת מַלְכֵ֣י מִדְיָ֑ן וְאֵת֙ בִּלְעָ֣ם בֶּן־בְּע֔וֹר הָֽרְג֖וּ בֶּחָֽרֶב: |
| the five kings of Midian: Do I not see that the verse lists five [kings]? Why was it necessary [for Scripture] to say “five”? But it is to teach you that they were all equally involved in the conspiracy, and they all received the same punishment. Balaam went there [to Midian] to receive his reward for the twenty-four thousand that had fallen from Israel as a result of his advice, and now he left Midian to meet the Israelites, and he offered them harmful advice. He said to them, “If, when you were six hundred thousand, you could not overcome them, and now with twelve thousand, you come to fight?” They gave him his just deserts-in full, without depriving him in the least. — [Sifrei Mattoth 40] |
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חֲמֵשֶׁת מַלְכֵי מִדְיָן:
וְכִי אֵינִי רוֹאֶה שֶׁחֲמִשָּׁה מָנָה הַכָּתוּב? לָמָּה הֻזְקַק לוֹמַר חֲמֵשֶׁת? אֶלָּא לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁשָּׁווּ כֻלָּם בָּעֵצָה וְהֻשְׁווּ כֻלָּם בַּפֻּרְעָנוּת (שם); בִּלְעָם הָלַךְ שָׁם לִטֹּל שְׂכַר עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה אֶלֶף שֶׁהִפִּיל מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל בַּעֲצָתוֹ, וְיָצָא מִמִּדְיָן לִקְרַאת יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמַשִּׂיאָן עֵצָה רָעָה — אָמַר לָהֶם אִם כְּשֶׁהֱיִיתֶם שִׁשִּׁים רִבּוֹא לֹא יְכָלְתֶּם לָהֶם, וְעַכְשָׁיו בְּי"ב אֶלֶף אַתֶּם בָּאִים לְהִלָּחֵם? — נָתְנוּ לוֹ שְׂכָרוֹ מִשָּׁלֵם וְלֹא קִפְּחוּהוּ (ספרי):
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| with the sword: He came against Israel and exchanged his craft for theirs. For they are victorious only with their mouths, through prayer and supplication, and he came and adopted their craft to curse them with his mouth. So they too came against him by exchanging their craft for the craft of the nations, who come with the sword, as it says [concerning Esau], “And you shall live by your sword” (Gen. 27:40). - [See Mid. Tanchuma Balak 8] |
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בֶּחָֽרֶב:
הוּא בָא עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהֶחֱלִיף אֻמָּנוּתוֹ בְּאֻמָּנוּתָם, שֶׁאֵין נוֹצְחִים אֶלָּא בְּפִיהֶם וְעַל יְדֵי תְפִלָּה וּבַקָּשָׁה, וּבָא הוּא וְתָפַשׂ אֻמָּנוּתָם לְקַלְּלָם בְּפִיו, אַף הֵם בָּאוּ עָלָיו וְהֶחֱלִיפוּ אֻמָּנוּתָם בְּאֻמָּנוּת הָאֻמּוֹת שֶׁבָּאִין בַּחֶרֶב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְעַל חַרְבְּךָ תִחְיֶה" (בראשית כ"ז):
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| 9The children of Israel took the Midianite women and their small children captive, and they plundered all their beasts, livestock, and all their possessions. |
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טוַיִּשְׁבּ֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶת־נְשֵׁ֥י מִדְיָ֖ן וְאֶת־טַפָּ֑ם וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־בְּהֶמְתָּ֧ם וְאֶת־כָּל־מִקְנֵהֶ֛ם וְאֶת־כָּל־חֵילָ֖ם בָּזָֽזוּ: |
| 10They set fire to all their residential cities and their castles. |
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יוְאֵ֤ת כָּל־עָֽרֵיהֶם֙ בְּמ֣וֹשְׁבֹתָ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־טִֽירֹתָ֑ם שָֽׂרְפ֖וּ בָּאֵֽשׁ: |
| their castles: Heb. בְּטִירֹתָם, the place of their notaries (נוֹטֵירִין), [or the place of their palaces (פַּלְטֵירִין)] which is an expression denoting the residence of the priests, knowledgeable in their laws. Another interpretation: The residence of their lords, for the Targum renders “the lords of the Philistines” פְלִשְׁתִּים) (סַרְנֵי (I Sam. 6:4) as טוּרְנֵי פְלשְׁתָּאֵי. - [See Sifrei Mattoth 41] |
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טִֽירֹתָם:
מְקוֹם נוֹטִירִין שֶׁלָּהֶם, שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן מוֹשַׁב כּוּמָרִים יוֹדְעֵי חֻקֵּיהֶם; דָּבָר אַחֵר — לְשׁוֹן מוֹשַׁב שָׂרֵיהֶם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּתֻרְגָּם "סַרְנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים" (שמואל א ו') — טוּרְנֵי פְלִשְׁתָּאֵי:
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| 11They took all the booty and all the plunder of man and beast. |
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יאוַיִּקְחוּ֙ אֶת־כָּל־הַשָּׁלָ֔ל וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־הַמַּלְק֑וֹחַ בָּֽאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָֽה: |
| They took all the booty: This teaches us that they were virtuous and righteous, and were not suspect of theft, to appropriate the booty without permission, for it says, “all the booty” (Sifrei Mattoth 42). In tradition, [i.e., in the Prophets and the Writings] Scripture explicitly refers to them, [for it says,] “your teeth are like a flock of ewes…” (Song 6:6) - even your warriors; they are all righteous. — [See Rashi on Song 6:6] |
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וַיִּקְחוּ אֶת־כָּל־הַשָּׁלָל וגו':
מַגִּיד שֶׁהָיוּ כְשֵׁרִים וְצַדִּיקִים, וְלֹא נֶחְשְׁדוּ עַל הַגֶּזֶּל לִשְׁלֹחַ יָד בַּבִּזָּה שֶׁלֹּא בִרְשׁוּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר את כל השלל וגו', וַעֲלֵיהֶם מְפֹרָשׁ בַּקַּבָּלָה "שִׁנַּיִךְ כְּעֵדֶר הָרְחֵלִים" וְגוֹ' (שיר השירים ו׳:ו׳) — אַף אַנְשֵׁי הַמִּלְחָמָה שֶׁבָּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים:
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| booty: Heb. שָׁלָל, movable objects such as garments and ornaments. |
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שלל:
הֵן מִטַּלְטְלִין שֶׁל מַלְבּוּשׁ וְתַכְשִׁיטִין:
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| spoil: Heb. בָּז denotes plunder of movable objects which are not ornaments. |
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בז:
הוּא בִזַּת מִטַּלְטְלִין שֶׁאֵינָם תַּכְשִׁיט:
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| plunder: Heb. מַלְקוֹחַ, man and beast, but when “captives” (שְׁבִי) is mentioned together with “plunder” (מַלְקוֹחַ) , the “captives” refers to people and the “plunder” to animals. |
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מלקוח:
אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה, וּבְמָקוֹם שֶׁכָּתוּב שְׁבִי אֵצֶל מַלְקוֹחַ, שְׁבִי בָאָדָם וּמַלְקוֹחַ בַּבְּהֵמָה:
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| 12They brought the captives, the plunder, and the booty to Moses and to Eleazar the kohen and to the entire community of Israel in the camp, in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho. |
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יבוַיָּבִ֡אוּ אֶל־משֶׁה֩ וְאֶל־אֶלְעָזָ֨ר הַכֹּהֵ֜ן וְאֶל־עֲדַ֣ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֶת־הַשְּׁבִ֧י וְאֶת־הַמַּלְק֛וֹחַ וְאֶת־הַשָּׁלָ֖ל אֶל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֑ה אֶל־עַרְבֹ֣ת מוֹאָ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־יַרְדֵּ֥ן יְרֵחֽוֹ: |
