Numbers 25:10-18

The Zeal of Phinehas

10 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

11 "¹Phinehas 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 ²in My jealousy.

12 "Therefore say, '³Behold, I give him My ⁴covenant of peace;

13 and it shall be for him and his descendants after him, a covenant of a ⁵perpetual priesthood, because * he was jealous for his God and ⁶made atonement for the sons of Israel.' "

14 Now the name of the slain man of Israel who was slain with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, a leader of a father's household among the Simeonites.

15 The name of the Midianite woman who was slain was ⁷Cozbi the daughter of ⁸Zur, who was head of the people of a father's household in Midian.

16 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

17 "⁹Be hostile to the Midianites and strike them;

18 for they have been hostile to you with their tricks, with which they have deceived you in the affair of Peor and in the affair of Cozbi, the daughter of the leader of Midian, their sister who was slain on the day of the plague because * of Peor."

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Numbers 25:10-18 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 9

1. Psalms 106:30
2. Exodus 20:5
3. Psalms 106:30, 31
4. Isaiah 54:10; Ezekiel 34:25; Ezekiel 37:26
5. Exodus 29:9
6. Numbers 16:46
7. Numbers 25:18
8. Numbers 31:8
9. Numbers 25:1; Numbers 22:4; Numbers 31:1-3

Footnotes 5

[a]. Lit "seed"
[b]. Lit "smitten"
[c]. Lit "smitten"
[d]. Lit "smitten"
[e]. Lit "he"