Numbers 25:1-11

The Sin of Peor

1 While Israel remained at ¹Shittim, the people began ²to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab.

2 For ³they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.

3 So ⁴Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the LORD was angry * against Israel.

4 The LORD said to Moses, "Take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the LORD, ⁵so that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel."

5 So Moses said to the judges of Israel, "Each of you ⁶slay his men who have joined themselves to Baal of Peor."

6 Then behold, one of the sons of Israel came and brought to his relatives a ⁷Midianite woman, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, ⁸while they were weeping at the doorway of the tent of meeting.

7 ⁹When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he arose from the midst of the congregation and took a spear in his hand,

8 and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and pierced both of them through, the man of Israel and the woman, through the body. ¹⁰So the plague on the sons of Israel was checked.

9 ¹¹Those who died by the plague were 24,000 * *.

The Zeal of Phinehas

10 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

11 "¹²Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned away 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 ¹³in My jealousy.

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Numbers 25:1-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 25

The contents of this chapter are, the sin of the people of Israel, their whoredom and idolatry, Nu 25:1-3, their punishment for it, multitudes being slain, Nu 25:4,5, whose number is given, Nu 25:9, the zeal of Phinehas in slaying two notorious offenders, Nu 25:6-8, whose names are observed, Nu 25:14,15 for which he is commended, and the covenant of priesthood was given and confirmed unto him, Nu 25:10-13, and the chapter is concluded with an order to vex the Midianites, for vexing Israel with their wiles, Nu 25:16-18.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 13

1. Numbers 33:49; Joshua 2:1
2. Numbers 31:16; 1 Corinthians 10:8; Revelation 2:14
3. Exodus 34:15; Deuteronomy 32:38
4. Psalms 106:28, 29; Hosea 9:10
5. Deuteronomy 13:17
6. Exodus 32:27
7. Numbers 22:4
8. Joel 2:17
9. Psalms 106:30
10. Numbers 16:46-48
11. Numbers 14:37; Numbers 16:48-50; Numbers 31:16
12. Psalms 106:30
13. Exodus 20:5

Footnotes 6

[a]. Or "Baal-peor"
[b]. Lit "in front of the sun"
[c]. Or "Baal-peor"
[d]. Lit "brothers"
[e]. Or "inner rooms"
[f]. Or "belly"