Numberi 25:8

8 En hij ging den Israelietischen man na in de hoerenwinkel, en doorstak hen beiden, den Israelietischen man en de vrouw, door hun buik. Toen werd de plaag van over de kinderen Israels opgehouden.

Numberi 25:8 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 25:8

And he went after the man of Israel into the tent
Into which he went with his harlot; the word here used is different from what is commonly used for a tent: Aben Ezra observes that in the Kedarene or Arabic language there is a word near to it, which Bochart, putting the article "al" to it, says ^F1, is "alkobba", from whence is the word "alcove" with us; and Aben Ezra says, there was some little difference between the form of a tent and this, as well as others observe ^F2 there was in the matter of it, this being of skins and leather, and the other of hair, boughs of trees the author of Aruch ^F3 says, it was short, or narrow above and broad below, and interprets it a place in which whores were put; and so it is used in the Talmud ^F4 for a brothel house, and is so translated here by some interpreters ^F5:

and thrust both of them through;
with his javelin, spear, or pike;

the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly;
by which, it seems, they were killed in the very act of uncleanness; this was an extraordinary action, done by a person of public authority, and under a more than common emotion of spirit, and not to be drawn into an example by persons of a private character:

so the plague was stayed from the children of Israel;
which had broke out among them and carried off many; even a disease, the pestilence, according to Josephus ^F6; it ceasing upon this fact of Phinehas, shows that that was approved of by the Lord.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 <arabic> "conclave est camerati operis, quo lectus circumdatur", Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 4. c. 8. col. 1092. Vid. Schultens Animadv. Philolog. in Job. p. 183.
F2 Castel. Lex. Heptaglot. col. 3261.
F3 Baal Aruch, fol. 133. 4.
F4 T. Bab. Avoda Zara, fol. 17. 2.
F5 (hbqh la) "in lupanar", V. L. "ad lupanar", Montanus; "in lupanar ipsum", Junius & Tremellius; "in fornicem", Tigurine version.
F6 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 4. c. 6. sect. 12.)

Numberi 25:8 In-Context

6 En ziet, een man uit de kinderen Israels kwam, en bracht een Midianietin tot zijn broederen voor de ogen van Mozes, en voor de ogen van de ganse vergadering der kinderen Israels, toen zij weenden voor de deur van de tent der samenkomst.

7 Toen Pinehas, de zoon van Eleazar, den zoon van Aaron, den priester, dat zag, zo stond hij op uit het midden der vergadering, en nam een spies in zijn hand;

8 En hij ging den Israelietischen man na in de hoerenwinkel, en doorstak hen beiden, den Israelietischen man en de vrouw, door hun buik. Toen werd de plaag van over de kinderen Israels opgehouden.

9 Degenen nu, die aan de plaag stierven, waren vier en twintig duizend.

10 Toen sprak de HEERE tot Mozes, zeggende: