Numbers 25

1 And Israel abode in Shittim; and the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab:2 for they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods; and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.3 And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor: and the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel.4 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up unto Jehovah before the sun, that the fierce anger of Jehovah may turn away from Israel.5 And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that have joined themselves unto Baal-peor.

6 And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, while they were weeping at the door of the tent of meeting.7 And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from the midst of the congregation, and took a spear in his hand;8 and he went after the man of Israel into the pavilion, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.9 And those that died by the plague were twenty and four thousand.

10 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,11 Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.12 Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace:13 and it shall be unto him, and to his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.

14 Now the name of the man of Israel that was slain, who was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a fathers’ house among the Simeonites.15 And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head of the people of a fathers’ house in Midian.

16 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,17 Vex the Midianites, and smite them;18 for they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the prince of Midian, their sister, who was slain on the day of the plague in the matter of Peor.

Numbers 25

Israel’s Sin with the Moabite Women

1 s Whent Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to commit sexual immoralitys with the daughters of Moab.2 These women invitedt the people to the sacrifices of their gods; then the people ate and bowed down to their gods.s

3 When Israel joined themselves to Baal-peor,ts the anger of the Lord flared up against Israel.

God’s Punishment

4 The Lord said to Moses, “Arrest all the leaderss of the people, and hang them ups before the Lord in broad daylight,t so that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel.”

5 So Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you must execute those of his ment who were joined to Baal-peor.”
6 Just thent one of the Israelites came and brought to his brotherst a Midianite woman in the plain view of Moses and oft the whole community of the Israelites, while theyt were weeping at the entrance of the tent of meeting.7 When Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it,t he got up from among the assembly, took a javelin in his hand,8 and went after the Israelite man into the tentt and thrust through the Israelite man and into the woman’s abdomen.t So the plague was stopped from the Israelites.s

9 Those that died in the plague were 24,000.

The Aftermath

10 The Lord spoke to Moses:11 “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites, when he manifested such zealt for my sake among them, so that I did not consume the Israelites in my zeal.t12 Therefore, announce:t ‘I am going to givet to him my covenant of peace.t

13 So it will be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of a permanent priesthood, because he has been zealous for his God,t and has made atonements for the Israelites.’”
14 Now the name of the Israelite who was stabbed – the one who was stabbed with the Midianite woman – was Zimri son of Salu, a leader of a clant of the Simeonites.

15 The name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi daughter of Zur. He was a leadert over the people of a clan of Midian.s
16 Then the Lord spoke to Moses:17 “Bring troublet to the Midianites, and destroy them,

18 because they bring trouble to you by their treachery with which they have deceivedt you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian,s their sister, who was killed on the day of the plague that happened as a result of Peor.”