American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
Numbers 25
1
And Israel stayed in Shittim, and the people began to commit prostitution with the daughters of Moab.
Reference
📍 Shittim
Parallel theme
1 Corinthians 10:8
Joshua 2:1
Numbers 33:49
Micah 6:5
References Israel
Revelation 2:14
Joshua 3:1
2
And they called the people to the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.
Reference
Parallel theme
Joshua 22:17
Hosea 9:10
References God
Exodus 20:5
Sacrifice
1 Corinthians 10:20
Psalm 106:28
3
And Israel joined himself to Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.
Reference
4
And the LORD said to 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.
Reference
References Israel
Numbers 25:11
References Lord
Deuteronomy 13:17
Deuteronomy 4:3
Deuteronomy 21:23
2 Samuel 21:6
5
And Moses said to the judges of Israel, Slay you every one his men that were joined to Baalpeor.
Reference
6
And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought to his brothers 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.
Reference
7
And 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;
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 6:25
8
And 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.
10
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
11
Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has 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.
Reference
13
And 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.
Reference
Creation
Hebrews 2:17
Eternal Life
Exodus 40:15
Parallel theme
Psalm 106:31
Jeremiah 33:18
Jeremiah 33:22
References God
1 Peter 2:5
14
Now 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.
People
15
And 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.
Reference
People
16
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
17
Vex the Midianites, and smite them:
18
For they vex you with their wiles, with which 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's sake.
Reference
Parallel theme
Revelation 2:14
Summary of Numbers 25
Numbers chapter 25 contains God’s judgment on the sons of Israel, who turned to harlotry and idolatry, having been misled by Balak and Balaam. The Israelites’ sin brought a pestilence upon the people. The final verse of this chapter narrates the priest Phineas’s zeal and God’s covenant with Phineas and his descendants.
The people of Israel were encamped in Shittim when this tragedy occurred. The daughters of Moab lured the Israelite men into harlotry, and the Israelites began to participate in the cult of BaalPEOR. The Israelites brought this impurity to the camp, and, because of this sinful deed, a pestilence fell upon the people. God commanded Moses to execute the ringleaders of this sin so that the Israelites would return to the right path.
The Israelites were unfaithful to the Lord, and He was angry with the people. God instructed Moses to bring up the heads of the children of Israel and execute the men who had participated in the outrage. Moses advised the judges of Israel to carry out this execution, and, during the trial, a prince of Israel brought a Midianitish woman before them. This prince brought the woman before the Israelites to the tent of meeting in front of Moses and all the congregation while they were mourning.
The son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron, Phineas, saw this and took up a javelin and pursued the Israelite and the Midianitish woman, thrusting them both through the body. As a result of this deed, the wrath of the Lord was turned away from the children of Israel, and the pestilence ceased.
The Scripture bears witness that a pestilence had occurred among the children of Israel, killing twenty-four thousand people. The reason for this tragedy was the Israelites’ lapse into idolatry and harlotry that had happened at the instance of Balak, the son of Beor, the king of Moab. The Lord said to Moses that Phineas had turned away His wrath from the children of Israel and had made atonement for the Israelites. God made a covenant with Phineas concerning his posterity that his descendants would be priests for His altar because of his zeal in making atonement for the children of Israel.
The Scripture further relates the names of the Israelite and the Midianitish woman. This Israelite was called Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of the tribe of Simeon. The woman was called Cozbi, the daughter of Zur, a ruler among the Midianites. Thus, this Israelite and Midianitish woman belonged to tribes of the leading families among the people of Israel and Moab, respectively.
When the Lord had finished speaking to Moses, concerning the Midianites, He commanded him to bring upon the people of Midian a pestilence because of the sin committed by the people of Israel at Peor. The Midianites had enticed the Israelites to commit a trespass against the Lord, bringing about a grievous pestilence among the children of Israel. The events described in this chapter are directly related to those of the previous chapter.
Although Balak and Balaam had failed to bring about the destruction of the people of Israel by their artfulness and by the means of a curse, the Israelites themselves fell into sin and trespass by entertaining the Midianitish women at their assemblies. Consequently, the Israelites brought about a pestilence among themselves, having trespassed against the Lord.
Moreover, the people of Israel, having trespassed against the Lord, fell under His wrath. The Scripture further bears witness to the fact that one Israelite and one Midianitish woman, having committed an unseemly deed, openly showed their love before the whole congregation. It is noteworthy that the Israelites did not only fall into fornication but further committed the trespass of idolatry.
The main protagonist of this story is Phineas, the priest. The Lord pointed out that the unseemly act of this Israelite and Midianitish woman had caused His wrath to be kindled against the children of Israel. However, the zeal of Phineas made him go after the Israelite and Midianitish woman and kill them. The righteous deed of Phineas led to a cessation of the pestilence among the children of Israel that had occurred as a result of their having committed trespasses against the Lord. The Lord further makes a covenant with Phineas that his posterity will offer sacrifices to Him. Thus, Phineas became the ancestor of a priestly dynasty.
The events narrated in Numbers 25 bear witness to the fact that the Israelites had grievously trespassed against the Lord. They had committed a trespass by falling into the snare of Balak and Balaam. However, the Israelites themselves committed a sin by entertaining the Midianitish women and having participated in the cult of BaalPeor. As a result of these trespasses, the Lord brought a pestilence upon the Israelites and threatened to utterly consume them.
Nevertheless, the Lord restrained His wrath at the intercession of Phineas and, having spared the people, made a covenant with Phineas concerning his posterity that his descendants would offer sacrifices to the Lord. Thus, Numbers 25 is a transition chapter that marks the Israelites’ further trespasses and the Lord’s punishment for these trespasses. The Israelites are approaching the promised land, and, as they are beginning to understand, the greatest danger to them is not an external enemy but the sins that they bring upon themselves.
The people of Israel were encamped in Shittim when this tragedy occurred. The daughters of Moab lured the Israelite men into harlotry, and the Israelites began to participate in the cult of BaalPEOR. The Israelites brought this impurity to the camp, and, because of this sinful deed, a pestilence fell upon the people. God commanded Moses to execute the ringleaders of this sin so that the Israelites would return to the right path.
The Israelites were unfaithful to the Lord, and He was angry with the people. God instructed Moses to bring up the heads of the children of Israel and execute the men who had participated in the outrage. Moses advised the judges of Israel to carry out this execution, and, during the trial, a prince of Israel brought a Midianitish woman before them. This prince brought the woman before the Israelites to the tent of meeting in front of Moses and all the congregation while they were mourning.
The son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron, Phineas, saw this and took up a javelin and pursued the Israelite and the Midianitish woman, thrusting them both through the body. As a result of this deed, the wrath of the Lord was turned away from the children of Israel, and the pestilence ceased.
The Scripture bears witness that a pestilence had occurred among the children of Israel, killing twenty-four thousand people. The reason for this tragedy was the Israelites’ lapse into idolatry and harlotry that had happened at the instance of Balak, the son of Beor, the king of Moab. The Lord said to Moses that Phineas had turned away His wrath from the children of Israel and had made atonement for the Israelites. God made a covenant with Phineas concerning his posterity that his descendants would be priests for His altar because of his zeal in making atonement for the children of Israel.
The Scripture further relates the names of the Israelite and the Midianitish woman. This Israelite was called Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of the tribe of Simeon. The woman was called Cozbi, the daughter of Zur, a ruler among the Midianites. Thus, this Israelite and Midianitish woman belonged to tribes of the leading families among the people of Israel and Moab, respectively.
When the Lord had finished speaking to Moses, concerning the Midianites, He commanded him to bring upon the people of Midian a pestilence because of the sin committed by the people of Israel at Peor. The Midianites had enticed the Israelites to commit a trespass against the Lord, bringing about a grievous pestilence among the children of Israel. The events described in this chapter are directly related to those of the previous chapter.
Although Balak and Balaam had failed to bring about the destruction of the people of Israel by their artfulness and by the means of a curse, the Israelites themselves fell into sin and trespass by entertaining the Midianitish women at their assemblies. Consequently, the Israelites brought about a pestilence among themselves, having trespassed against the Lord.
Moreover, the people of Israel, having trespassed against the Lord, fell under His wrath. The Scripture further bears witness to the fact that one Israelite and one Midianitish woman, having committed an unseemly deed, openly showed their love before the whole congregation. It is noteworthy that the Israelites did not only fall into fornication but further committed the trespass of idolatry.
The main protagonist of this story is Phineas, the priest. The Lord pointed out that the unseemly act of this Israelite and Midianitish woman had caused His wrath to be kindled against the children of Israel. However, the zeal of Phineas made him go after the Israelite and Midianitish woman and kill them. The righteous deed of Phineas led to a cessation of the pestilence among the children of Israel that had occurred as a result of their having committed trespasses against the Lord. The Lord further makes a covenant with Phineas that his posterity will offer sacrifices to Him. Thus, Phineas became the ancestor of a priestly dynasty.
The events narrated in Numbers 25 bear witness to the fact that the Israelites had grievously trespassed against the Lord. They had committed a trespass by falling into the snare of Balak and Balaam. However, the Israelites themselves committed a sin by entertaining the Midianitish women and having participated in the cult of BaalPeor. As a result of these trespasses, the Lord brought a pestilence upon the Israelites and threatened to utterly consume them.
Nevertheless, the Lord restrained His wrath at the intercession of Phineas and, having spared the people, made a covenant with Phineas concerning his posterity that his descendants would offer sacrifices to the Lord. Thus, Numbers 25 is a transition chapter that marks the Israelites’ further trespasses and the Lord’s punishment for these trespasses. The Israelites are approaching the promised land, and, as they are beginning to understand, the greatest danger to them is not an external enemy but the sins that they bring upon themselves.