Numbers 25:2

2 who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods.

Read Chapter Compare

PREVIOUS Numbers 25:1 NEXT Numbers 25:3

Numbers 25:2 in Other Translations

KJV

2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.

ESV

2 These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.

NLT

2 These women invited them to attend sacrifices to their gods, so the Israelites feasted with them and worshiped the gods of Moab.

MSG

2 It started when the women invited the men to their sex-and-religion worship. They ate together and then worshiped their gods.

CSB

2 The women invited them to the sacrifices for their gods, and the people ate and bowed in worship to their gods.

Numbers 25:2 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 25:2

And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods,
&c.] That is, the daughters of Moab and Midian, with whom the children of Israel carried on an unlawful correspondence, invited them, their gallants, to come and partake of the feasts which attended the sacrifices of their idols; for part of what was offered to idols a feast was kept with, to which great numbers were invited, and which was observed with all the circumstances of joy and pleasure imaginable, and which was very ensnaring, especially to young people; and the children of Israel being so much enamoured with the beauty of the Moabitish women, and so strong were their lusts and passions, that they could not refuse the invitation:

and the people did eat:
of the things sacrificed to idols, and so became guilty of idolatry, even by so doing, and then when they had eaten and drank, and were merry, they were led on to other acts of idolatry:

and bowed down to their gods:
which was a plain and open act of idolatry, whereby they testified their faith in their divinity, their reverence of them, and their homage and obedience to them: Jarchi says, when the evil concupiscence or lust was strong in them, and they solicited the daughters of Moab to hearken to them, and comply with them, they used to take the image of Peor out of their bosom, and said, worship this, signifying that on that condition they would gratify them; and thus whoredom led them on to idolatry, and they committed the one for the sake of being indulged in the other.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Numbers 25:2 In-Context

1 While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women,

2 who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods.

3 So Israel yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor. And the LORD’s anger burned against them.

4 The LORD said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of these people, kill them and expose them in broad daylight before the LORD, so that the LORD’s fierce anger may turn away from Israel.”

5 So Moses said to Israel’s judges, “Each of you must put to death those of your people who have yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor.”