Numbers 25:1
in Numbers 25While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Israel abode in Shittim; and the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab:
KJV
And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.
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This verse in Numbers 25
Commentary
4 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The records of the neighboring cities of the plain, and the circumstances of the origin of Moab (Gen 19:30 ff) suggest that the people among whom Israel was now thrown were more than ordinarily licentious.
This site's exposition
the men began to indulge in sexual immorality
on Numbers 25:1-2
Four chapters of oracles that could not become a curse are followed by one invitation, and it works. Numbers 31:16 traces it to "the counsel of Balaam". Revelation 2:14 names what he taught Balak, to "eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality".
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
This is noted as a great aggravation of their sin, that they committed it, when God was going to put them into the possession of their long-expected land. The people - Many of them. Whoredom - Either because they prostituted themselves to them upon condition of worshipping their God: or because their filthy God was worshipped by such filthy acts, as Priapus and Venus were.
And Israel abode in Shittim,....
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
AND ISRAEL ABODE IN SHITTIM, AND THE PEOPLE BEGAN TO COMMIT HARLOTRY WITH THE DAUGHTERS OF MOAB — “because of the advice of Balaam, as is related in [the Chapter of] Cheilek.” 228 Literally: “Portion” — “All Israel have ‘a portion’ in the World to Come.” Sanhedrin 106a.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Yisroel settled in Shittim and the people [of Yisroel] began acting promiscuously with the daughters of Moav.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
9 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב | vaiyeshev | and it remained | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| בַּשִּׁטִּ֑ים | bashitim | in <the> Shittim | H7851 → | |
| וַיָּ֣חֶל | vaiyachel | and it began | H2490 → | 143 times |
| הָעָ֔ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| לִזְנ֖וֹת | liznot | to commit fornication | H2181 → | |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | into | H413 → | 5510 times |
| בְּנ֥וֹת | benot | [the] daughters of | H1323 → | 588 times |
| מוֹאָֽב׃ | moav | Moab | H4124 → | 181 times |
וַיֵּ֥שֶׁבand it remained
vaiyeshevH3427 →1079 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
בַּשִּׁטִּ֑יםin <the> Shittim
bashitimH7851 →
וַיָּ֣חֶלand it began
vaiyachelH2490 →143 times
הָעָ֔םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
לִזְנ֖וֹתto commit fornication
liznotH2181 →
אֶל־into
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
בְּנ֥וֹת[the] daughters of
benotH1323 →588 times
מוֹאָֽב׃Moab
moavH4124 →181 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Corinthians 10:8We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.
it leads to
- Numbers 25:1–9
While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab,
- 1 Corinthians 6:18
Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.
- Psalms 106:29
So they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds, and a plague broke out among them.
- Numbers 25:1–9
Through
Revelation 2:14But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food…
it leads to
- 2 Peter 2:15
They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Numbers 31:16
“Look, these women caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to turn unfaithfully against the LORD at Peor, so that the plague struck the congregation of the LORD.
- Revelation 2:20
But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads My servants to be sexually immoral and to eat food sacrificed to idols.
- 2 Peter 2:15
Through
Joshua 2:1Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim, saying, “Go, inspect the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.
it leads to
- Hebrews 11:31
By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies in peace, did not perish with those who were disobedient.
- Hebrews 11:31
Through
Micah 6:5My people, remember what Balak king of Moab counseled and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may acknowledge the righteousness of the LORD.’”
it leads to
- Joshua 5:9–10
Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So that place has been called Gilgal to this day.
- Joshua 5:9–10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
On this chapter
About Numbers
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.