Numberschapter 25

18 verses · ASV

This chapter sends 170 cross-references outward and receives 160 — heaviest partner: Numbers.

Chapter summary

Baal-peor. Israel commits whoredom with the daughters of Moab, eats of their sacrifices, and bows to their gods. The LORD's anger kindles; 24,000 die in a plague. A prince of Simeon brings a Midianite woman into the camp in the sight of Moses and the weeping congregation; Phinehas the grandson of Aaron takes a javelin and pierces them both through. The plague is stayed. ‘Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace … the covenant of an everlasting priesthood’. The chapter's darkness is a reminder that the near approach to the land brings its own temptations; idolatry enters where cursing could not.

Drafted from Matthew Henry, Calvin, Gill, Clarke, JFB, and Barnes.

Context

Law · Moses — see the Numbers overview for the book's full setting.

1 And Israel abode in Shittim; and the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab:

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

3 And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor: and the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel.

4 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up unto Jehovah before the sun, that the fierce anger of Jehovah may turn away from Israel.

5 And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that have joined themselves unto Baal-peor.

6 And, 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, while they were weeping at the door of the tent of meeting.

7 And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from the midst of the congregation, and took a spear in his hand;

8 and he went after the man of Israel into the pavilion, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.

9 And those that died by the plague were twenty and four thousand.