Numbers 31:18

Modern

…but spare for yourselves every girl who has never had relations with a man.

Traditional

But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.

Literal

And every child among the women who have not known the bed of a man, you shall keep alive for yourselves.

Latin

…puellas autem et omnes feminas virgines reservate vobis:

Hebrew

English

…but spare for yourselves every girl who has never had relations with a man.

Only young, virgin women were to be spared. They were allowed to live because they had not taken part in the sin at Baal Peor.

Theme notes and profiles

Deuteronomy 21:10–14
When you go to war against your enemies and the LORD your God delivers them into your hand and you take them captive,
Leviticus 25:44
Your menservants and maidservants shall come from the nations around you, from whom you may purchase them.
2 Chronicles 28:8–10
Then the Israelites took 200,000 captives from their kinsmen—women, sons, and daughters. They also carried off a great deal of plunder and brought it to Samaria.
Deuteronomy 20:14
But the women, children, livestock, and whatever else is in the city—all its spoil—you may take as plunder, and you shall use the spoil of your enemies that the LORD your God gives you.
Isaiah 14:2
The nations will escort Israel and bring it to its homeland. Then the house of Israel will possess the nations as menservants and maidservants in the LORD’s land. They will make captives of their captors and rule over their oppressors.