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Numbers 25:2

in Numbers 25

who also invited them to the sacrifices for their gods. And the people ate and bowed down to these gods.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

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

KJV

And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.

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This verse in Numbers 25

Commentary

5 notes on this verse

A commentator

Origen of Alexandria

EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM 6 · Written before 253.

I might say that those who deny Christianity on oath at the tribunals or before they have been put on trial do not worship but only bow down to idols when they take "God" from the name of the Lord God and apply it to vain and lifeless wood. Thus the people who were defiled with the daughters of Moab bowed down to idols but did not worship them.

This site's exposition

the people began to commit whoredom

on Numbers 25:1-2

Four chapters of oracles that could not be turned into a curse are followed by one invitation, and the invitation works. Numbers 31:16 says the counsel behind it was Balaam's, which chapters 22 to 24 never said, and Revelation 2:14 names the two things he taught Balak to set before Israel, food offered to idols and fornication. The order in these two verses runs from the women to the table of their gods to the bowing, so what starts as appetite ends in worship.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

Unto the sacrifices - Unto the feasts which were made of their parts of the sacrifices, after the manner of the Jews and Gentiles too, the participation whereof, was reckoned a participation in the worship of that God to whom the sacrifices were offered. Of their gods - Of their God, Baal-peor, the plural Elohim being here used, as commonly it is, for one God.
And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods,....

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

And they called - i. e., “the daughters of Moab called.”

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

On the verses either side of this one

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.
Ramban: Spain, 1194–1270 · Ramban on Numbers 25:1:1, via Sefaria, Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976
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.
Targum · Onkelos Numbers 25:1, via Sefaria, Metsudah Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009 [with Onkelos translation]

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

8 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • וַתִּקְרֶ֣אןָand they invited

    vatikrenaH7121 →733 times

  • לָעָ֔ם<to> the people

    laamH5971 →1873 times

  • לְזִבְחֵ֖יto [the] sacrifices of

    lezivcheiH2077 →162 times

  • אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ןgods their

    ʾeloheihenH430 →2601 times

  • וַיֹּ֣אכַלand it ate

    vaiyokhalH398 →810 times

  • הָעָ֔םthe people

    haamH5971 →1873 times

  • וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוּ֖וּand they bowed down

    vaiyishtachavuH7812 →

  • לֵֽאלֹהֵיהֶֽן׃to gods their

    leloheihenH430 →2601 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

1 Corinthians 10:20No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons.8 worksExodus 20:5You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,6 worksExodus 34:15–16Do not make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you, and you will eat their sacrifices.5 worksExodus 32:6So the next day they arose, offered burnt offerings, and presented peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to indulge in revelry.5 worksPsalms 106:28They yoked themselves to Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods.4 worksHosea 9:10I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the firstfruits of the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal-peor, and consecrated themselves to Shame; so they became as detestable as the thing they loved.4 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Joshua 22:17Was not the sin of Peor enough for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day? It even brought a plague upon the congregation of the LORD.3 worksRevelation 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 sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.3 works1 Kings 11:1–8King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh—women of Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Sidon, as well as Hittite women.3 worksDeuteronomy 9:7Remember this, and never forget how you provoked the LORD your God in the wilderness. From the day you left the land of Egypt until you reached this place, you have been rebelling against the LORD.3 works1 Corinthians 8:1Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.3 worksDaniel 3:2Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to assemble the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the other officials of the provinces to attend the dedication of the statue he had set up.3 worksEzekiel 18:6He does not eat at the mountain or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her period.3 works2 Corinthians 6:16–17What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.”2 worksExodus 23:24You must not bow down to their gods or serve them or follow their practices. Instead, you are to demolish them and smash their sacred stones to pieces.2 works1 Corinthians 10:27–28If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat anything set before you without raising questions of conscience.2 worksJoshua 23:7So you are not to associate with these nations that remain among you. You must not call on the names of their gods or swear by them, and you must not serve them or bow down to them.2 worksJoshua 23:16If you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from this good land He has given you.”2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Exodus 20:5

    You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth…

    it leads to

    • Deuteronomy 5:9

      You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth…

    • Numbers 14:18

      ‘The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in loving devotion, forgiving iniquity and transgression. Yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished; He will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon…

    • Deuteronomy 4:24

      For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

    • Exodus 34:14

      For you must not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

    • Joshua 24:19

      But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the LORD, for He is a holy God; He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your rebellion or your sins.

  • Through

    1 Corinthians 10:20

    No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons.

    it leads to

    • Revelation 9:20

      Now the rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the works of their hands. They did not stop worshiping demons and idols of gold, silver, bronze,…

    • Psalms 106:37–39

      They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.

    • Deuteronomy 32:16–17

      They provoked His jealousy with foreign gods; they enraged Him with abominations.

Where this verse is studied

About Numbers

The Bronze Serpent, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
The Bronze Serpent, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Numbers: the study guide →Read Numbers 25 →

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; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM 6.

Read on in Numbers 25 →