Numbers 25

1 Yisra'el abode in Shittim; and the people began to play the prostitute with the daughters of Mo'av:

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

3 Yisra'el joined himself to Ba`al-Pe`or: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Yisra'el.

4 The LORD said to Moshe, Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up to the LORD before the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Yisra'el.

5 Moshe said to the judges of Yisra'el, Kill you everyone his men who have joined themselves to Ba`al-Pe`or.

6 Behold, one of the children of Yisra'el came and brought to his brothers a Midyanite woman in the sight of Moshe, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Yisra'el, while they were weeping at the door of the tent of meeting.

7 When Pinechas, the son of El`azar, the son of Aharon the Kohen, 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 Yisra'el into the pavilion, and thrust both of them through, the man of Yisra'el, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stayed from the children of Yisra'el.

9 Those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.

10 The LORD spoke to Moshe, saying,

11 Pinechas, the son of El`azar, the son of Aharon the Kohen, has turned my wrath away from the children of Yisra'el, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I didn't consume the children of Yisra'el in my jealousy.

12 Therefore say, Behold, I give to him my covenant of shalom:

13 and it shall be to him, and to his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Yisra'el.

14 Now the name of the man of Yisra'el that was slain, who was slain with the Midyanite woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a fathers' house among the Shim`oni.

15 The name of the Midyanite woman who was slain was Kozbi, the daughter of Tzur; he was head of the people of a fathers' house in Midyan.

16 The LORD spoke to Moshe, saying,

17 Vex the Midyanim, and strike them;

18 for they vex you with their wiles, with which they have deceived you in the matter of Pe`or, and in the matter of Kozbi, the daughter of the prince of Midyan, their sister, who was slain on the day of the plague in the matter of Pe`or.

Numbers 25 Commentary

Chapter 25

The Israelites enticed by the daughters of Moab and Midian. (1-5) Phinehas puts Zimri and Cozbi to death. (6-15) The Midianites to be punished. (16-18)

Verses 1-5 The friendship of the wicked is more dangerous than their enmity; for none can prevail against God's people if they are not overcome by their inbred lusts; nor can any enchantment hurt them, but the enticements of worldly interests and pleasures. Here is the sin of Israel, to which they are enticed by the daughters of Moab and Midian. Those are our worst enemies who draw us to sin, for that is the greatest mischief any man can do us. Israel's sin did that which all Balaam's enchantments could not do; it set God against them. Diseases are the fruits of God's anger, and the just punishments of prevailing sins; one infection follows the other. Ringleaders in sin ought to be made examples of justice.

Verses 6-15 Phinehas, in the courage of zeal and faith, executed vengeance on Zimri and Cozbi. This act can never be an example for private revenge, or religious persecution, or for irregular public vengeance.

Verses 16-18 We read not that any Midianites died of the plague; God punished them with the sword of an enemy, not with the rod of a father. We must set ourselves against whatever is an occasion of sin to us, ( matthew 5:29 matthew 5:30 ) . Whatever draws us to sin, should be a vexation to us, as a thorn in the flesh. And none will be more surely and severely punished than those who, after Satan's example, and with his subtlety, tempt others to sin.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 25

The contents of this chapter are, the sin of the people of Israel, their whoredom and idolatry, Nu 25:1-3, their punishment for it, multitudes being slain, Nu 25:4,5, whose number is given, Nu 25:9, the zeal of Phinehas in slaying two notorious offenders, Nu 25:6-8, whose names are observed, Nu 25:14,15 for which he is commended, and the covenant of priesthood was given and confirmed unto him, Nu 25:10-13, and the chapter is concluded with an order to vex the Midianites, for vexing Israel with their wiles, Nu 25:16-18.