Numbers Chapter 25
Moab Seduces Israel
1 While Israel was camping in Shittim, the people started carrying on prostitution with the women of Moab. 2 They invited the people to the sacrifices to their gods, and the people ate and bowed to their gods. 3 In this way, Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the LORD was angry. 4 He told Moses, “Seize the ringleaders and execute them in broad daylight in my presence so my fierce anger will turn away from Israel.” 5 Moses told the judges, “Each of you put to death his men that have joined in worshiping Baal of Peor.”
Num 25:1-5
6 One Israelite even brought a Midianite woman among his fellow Jews right in front of Moses and the assembly while they were crying at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 7 When Phinehas son of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest saw it, he got up from the assembly. He took a spear, 8 followed the man into the tent, and ran both of them through, and so checked the plague on Israel. 9 24,000 had died from it.
Num 25:6-9
10 Then the LORD told Moses,
11 “Phinehas has turned away my anger because he was as zealous as I am for my honor, so I didn’t destroy Israel. 12 So say, ‘I’m giving him and his descendants my covenant of peace, 13 a permanent priesthood, because he was zealous for me and atoned for Israel.’”
14 The slain man was Zimri son of Salu, a family leader in Simeon. 15 The Midianite woman was Cozbi, daughter of Zur, a family leader in Midian.
16 The LORD told Moses,
17 “Attack the Midianites and strike them down. 18 They’ve been hostile to you by deceiving you at Peor with Cozbi their sister, who was killed at the time of the plague because of what happened at Peor.”
Num 25:10-18