Numbers 31:16
in Numbers 31“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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against Jehovah in the matter of Peor, and so the plague was among the congregation of Jehovah.
KJV
Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord.
⋯
This verse in Numbers 31
Commentary
4 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Caused ... to commit trespass - More literally, “became to the children of Israel for a cause (or, incitement) of treachery to the Lord.”
This site's exposition
went to meet them outside the camp
on Numbers 31:13-16
Moses meets the army outside the camp and is angry that the women of Midian are alive. Verse 16 supplies what chapters 22 to 25 never said, that these women acted "through the counsel of Balaam" at Peor. The New Testament follows this verse at 2 Peter 2:15, Jude 11 and Revelation 2:14, where Balaam "taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites".
This site's exposition
through the counsel of Balaam
Chapters 22 to 24 end with Balaam going home at 24:25, so this verse adds the fact behind Peor. Albert Barnes renders it more literally, that the women became to Israel a cause of treachery to the LORD. Revelation 2:14 draws on this verse.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam,....
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הֵ֣ן | hen | there! | H2005 → | 316 times |
| הֵ֜נָּה | henah | they | H2007 → | |
| הָי֨וּ | hayu | they were | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לִבְנֵ֤י | livnei | to [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| בִּדְבַ֣ר | bidvar | by [the] word of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| בִּלְעָ֔ם | bilam | Balaam | H1109 → | 61 times |
| לִמְסָר־ | limsor- | to offer | H4560 → | |
| מַ֥עַל | maal | unfaithfulness | H4604 → | 28 times |
| בַּיהוָ֖ה | bayahweh | in Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| דְּבַר־ | devar- | [the] matter of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| פְּע֑וֹר | peor | Peor | H6465 → | 5 times |
| וַתְּהִ֥י | vatehi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| הַמַּגֵּפָ֖ה | hamagefah | the plague | H4046 → | 25 times |
| בַּעֲדַ֥ת | baadat | among [the] congregation of | H5712 → | 149 times |
| יְהוָֽה׃ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
הֵ֣ןthere!
henH2005 →316 times
הֵ֜נָּהthey
henahH2007 →
הָי֨וּthey were
hayuH1961 →3559 times
לִבְנֵ֤יto [the] people of
livneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
בִּדְבַ֣רby [the] word of
bidvarH1697 →1440 times
בִּלְעָ֔םBalaam
bilamH1109 →61 times
לִמְסָר־to offer
limsor-H4560 →
מַ֥עַלunfaithfulness
maalH4604 →28 times
בַּיהוָ֖הin Yahweh
bayahwehH3068 →6520 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
דְּבַר־[the] matter of
devar-H1697 →1440 times
פְּע֑וֹרPeor
peorH6465 →5 times
וַתְּהִ֥יand it was
vatehiH1961 →3559 times
הַמַּגֵּפָ֖הthe plague
hamagefahH4046 →25 times
בַּעֲדַ֥תamong [the] congregation of
baadatH5712 →149 times
יְהוָֽה׃Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 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
2 Peter 2:15They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.
it leads to
- Jude 1:11
Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Revelation 2:14
But 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…
- Jude 1:11
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.
- 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.
- Numbers 25:1–3
While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab,
- Acts 15:29
You must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.
- 2 Peter 2:15
Through
Deuteronomy 4:3Your eyes have seen what the LORD did at Baal-peor, for the LORD your God destroyed from among you all who followed Baal of Peor.
it leads to
- Psalms 106:28–29
They yoked themselves to Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Numbers 25:1–9
While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab,
- Psalms 106:28–29
About Numbers
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.