Numbers25
New American Standard
1While Israel remained at Shittim, the people began to commit infidelity with the daughters of Moab.
2For they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.
3So Israel became followers of Baal of Peor, and the Lord was angry with Israel.
4And the Lord said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the Lord, so that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.”
5So Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you kill his men who have become followers of Baal of Peor.”
6Then behold, one of the sons of Israel came and brought to his relatives a Midianite woman, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, while they were weeping at the entrance of the tent of meeting.
7When 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,
8and he went after the man of Israel into the inner room of the tent and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman, through the abdomen. So the plague on the sons of Israel was brought to a halt.
9But those who died from the plague were twenty-four thousand in number.
10Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
11“Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has averted My wrath from the sons of Israel in that he was jealous with My jealousy among them, so that I did not destroy the sons of Israel in My jealousy.
12Therefore say, ‘Behold, I am giving him My covenant of peace;
13and it shall be for him and for his descendants after him, a covenant of a permanent priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the sons of Israel.’”
14Now the name of the dead man of Israel who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, a leader of a father’s household among the Simeonites.
15And the name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi the daughter of Zur, who was head of the people of a father’s household in Midian.
16Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
17“Be hostile to the Midianites and attack them;
18for they have been hostile to you with their tricks, with which they have deceived you in the matter of Peor and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the leader of Midian, their sister who was killed on the day of the plague because of Peor.”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Numbers 25.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The Israelites enticed by the daughters of Moab and Midian. (1–5). Phinehas puts Zimri and Cozbi to death. (6–15). The Midianites to be punished. (16–18).
vv1-5
The friendship of the wicked is more dangerous than their enmity; for none can prevail against God's people if they are not overcome by their inbred lusts; nor can any enchantment hurt them, but the enticements of worldly interests and pleasures. Here is the sin of Israel, to which they are enticed by the daughters of Moab and Midian. Those are our worst enemies who draw us to sin, for that is the greatest mischief any man can do us. Israel's sin did that which all Balaam's enchantments could not do; it set God against them. Diseases are the fruits of God's anger, and the just punishments of prevailing sins; one infection follows the other. Ringleaders in sin ought to be made examples of justice.
vv6-15
Phinehas, in the courage of zeal and faith, executed vengeance on Zimri and Cozbi. This act can never be an example for private revenge, or religious persecution, or for irregular public vengeance.
vv16-18
We read not that any Midianites died of the plague; God punished them with the sword of an enemy, not with the rod of a father. We must set ourselves against whatever is an occasion of sin to us, Mt 5:29, 30. Whatever draws us to sin, should be a vexation to us, as a thorn in the flesh. And none will be more surely and severely punished than those who, after Satan's example, and with his subtlety, tempt others to sin.
Key Words
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
יָשַׁב: properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry
שִׁטִּים: Shittim, a place East of the Jordan
עַם: a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
חָלַל: properly, to bore, i.e. (by implication) to wound, to dissolve; figuratively, to profane (a person, place or thing), to break (one's word), to begin (as if by an 'opening wedge'); to play (the flute)
זָנָה: to commit adultery (usually of the female, and less often of simple fornication, rarely of involuntary ravishment); figuratively, to commit idolatry (the Jewish people being regarded as the spouse of Jehovah)
בַּת: a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively)
מוֹאָב: Moab, an incestuous son of Lot; also his territory and descendants
קָרָא: to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)
זֶבַח: properly, a slaughter, i.e. the flesh of an animal; by implication, a sacrifice (the victim or the act)
Cross References
Numbers 25Direct poetic commentary on Israel joining themselves to Baal-peor and eating sacrifices of the dead.
Paul references the plague's death toll (twenty-three thousand vs twenty-four thousand total including executions).
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Hosea explicitly mentions Israel going to Baal-peor and separating themselves unto that shame.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Moses recalls what the Lord did because of Baal-peor, destroying all who followed him.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Commemorates Phinehas's intervention that stood up and executed judgment, staying the plague.
Explicitly connects this incident to Balaam's counsel to cause Israel to trespass at Peor.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Declares that Phinehas's zeal was counted to him for righteousness unto all generations.
Prophetic reference to God's covenant of life and peace established with Levi (Phinehas).
Identifies Shittim as Abel-shittim, the final camp of Israel before crossing Jordan.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Warns against making covenants, eating sacrifices of false gods, and taking their daughters.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Joshua references the 'iniquity of Peor' from which Israel was not yet cleansed.
Lists Zur, Cozbi's father, among the five kings of Midian slain in Israel's vengeance.
Supported by JFB
Jesus condemns Balaam's doctrine of casting a stumblingblock to eat sacrifices to idols.
Establishes the law that bodies hung on a tree must be taken down by sunset.
Supported by JFB
Similar judicial slaughter of idolaters by the Levites to turn away God's wrath.