Numbers 31:16

16 whether it be not these that deceived the sons of Israel, at the suggestion of Balaam, and made you to do trespass against the Lord, upon the sin of Peor, wherefore also the people was slain? (was it not they who deceived the Israelites, at Balaam's suggestion, and made you to trespass against the Lord with your sin at Peor, after which so many of the people then perished with the plague?)

Numbers 31:16 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 31:16

Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the
counsel of Balaam
Who advised the Midianites to send their women into the camp of Israel, and allure them to uncleanness, and so draw them into idolatry, which counsel they followed and it succeeded; for, by this means, they were brought

to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor;
by worshipping Baalpeor, the god of the Moabites and Midianites; whereby they transgressed the commandment of God, which forbid them having and worshipping any other gods besides him, and is a sin highly offensive to him, being greatly derogatory to his honour and glory:

and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord;
for that sin; and in that plague died 24,000 persons, ( Numbers 25:9 ) .

Numbers 31:16 In-Context

14 And Moses was wroth to the princes of the host, to the tribunes, and the centurions [(to the) leaders of thousands, and governors of hundreds], that came from the battle; (And Moses was angry with the leaders of the army, yea, with the tribunes, that is, the leaders of a thousand men, and the centurions, that is, the leaders of a hundred men, who came back from the battle;)

15 and he said to them, Why kept ye (all) [the] women (alive)?

16 whether it be not these that deceived the sons of Israel, at the suggestion of Balaam, and made you to do trespass against the Lord, upon the sin of Peor, wherefore also the people was slain? (was it not they who deceived the Israelites, at Balaam's suggestion, and made you to trespass against the Lord with your sin at Peor, after which so many of the people then perished with the plague?)

17 And therefore slay ye all the men, whatever is of male kind, and the little children (And so kill ye all the men, yea, whoever is a male, and all the little children); and strangle ye the women that have known men fleshly;

18 soothly keep ye to you the young damsels, and all women virgins, (but you can keep for yourselves the young girls, and all the women who still be virgins,)