1And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.2And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.3And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.4And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.5And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baalpeor.6And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.7And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it , he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand;8And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.9And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.10And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,11Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.12Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace:13And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.14Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites.15And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head over a people, and of a chief house in Midian.16And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,17Vex the Midianites, and smite them:18For they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, which was slain in the day of the plague for Peor' sake.
Numbers 25
English Standard Version
Baal Worship at Peor
1While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. (Nu 31:16; Nu 33:49; Jos 2:1; Jos 3:1; Mic 6:5)2These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. (Ex 34:15; Jos 22:17; Ps 106:28; Ho 9:10; 1Co 10:20)3So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.4And the Lord said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people and hang[1] them in the sun before the Lord, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.” (Nu 25:11; De 4:3; De 13:17; De 21:23; 2Sa 21:6; Ga 3:13)5And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.” (Ex 18:21; Ex 18:25; Ex 32:27; Nu 11:16)6And behold, one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the people of Israel, while they were weeping in the entrance of the tent of meeting. (Joe 2:17)7When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand (Ex 6:25; Ps 106:30)8and went after the man of Israel into the chamber and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman through her belly. Thus the plague on the people of Israel was stopped.9Nevertheless, those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand. (De 4:3; 1Co 10:8)
The Zeal of Phinehas
10And the Lord said to Moses,11“Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the people of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the people of Israel in my jealousy. (Ex 20:5; De 32:16; De 32:21; 1Ki 14:22; Ps 78:58; Zep 1:18; Zep 3:8; 1Co 10:22; 2Co 11:2)12Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace, (Mal 2:4)13and it shall be to him and to his descendants after him the covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the people of Israel.’” (Ex 40:15; 1Ch 6:4)14The name of the slain man of Israel, who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, chief of a father’s house belonging to the Simeonites.15And the name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi the daughter of Zur, who was the tribal head of a father’s house in Midian. (Nu 31:8; Jos 13:21)16And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,17“Harass the Midianites and strike them down, (Nu 31:2; Nu 31:7)18for they have harassed you with their wiles, with which they beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the chief of Midian, their sister, who was killed on the day of the plague on account of Peor.” (Nu 23:28; Nu 31:16; Re 2:14)