Numbers 25:2-12

2 For ¹they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.

3 So ²Israel 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, ³so that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel."

5 So Moses said to the judges of Israel, "Each of you ⁴slay 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 ⁵Midianite woman, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, ⁶while they were weeping at the doorway of the tent of meeting.

7 ⁷When 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. ⁸So the plague on the sons of Israel was checked.

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

The Zeal of Phinehas

10 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

11 "¹⁰Phinehas 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 ¹¹in My jealousy.

12 "Therefore say, '¹²Behold, I give him My ¹³covenant of peace;

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Numbers 25:2-12 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. Exodus 34:15; Deuteronomy 32:38
2. Psalms 106:28, 29; Hosea 9:10
3. Deuteronomy 13:17
4. Exodus 32:27
5. Numbers 22:4
6. Joel 2:17
7. Psalms 106:30
8. Numbers 16:46-48
9. Numbers 14:37; Numbers 16:48-50; Numbers 31:16
10. Psalms 106:30
11. Exodus 20:5
12. Psalms 106:30, 31
13. Isaiah 54:10; Ezekiel 34:25; Ezekiel 37:26

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"