Numbers 25

1 While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab,

And Israel sojourned in Sattin, and the people profaned itself by going a-whoring after the daughters of Moab.

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

And they called them to the sacrifices of their idols; and the people ate of their sacrifices, and worshipped their idols.

3 So Israel joined in worshiping Baal of Peor, and the anger of the LORD burned against them.

And Israel consecrated themselves to Beel-phegor; and the Lord was very angry with Israel.

4 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the LORD, so that His fierce anger may turn away from Israel.”

And the Lord said to Moses, Take all the princes of the people, and make them examples [of judgment] for the Lord in the face of the sun, and the anger of the Lord shall be turned away from Israel.

5 So Moses told the judges of Israel, “Each of you must kill all of his men who have joined in worshiping Baal of Peor.”

And Moses said to the tribes of Israel, Slay ye every one his friend that is consecrated to Beel-phegor.

6 Just then an Israelite man brought to his family a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and the whole congregation of Israel while they were weeping at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

And, behold, a man of the children of Israel came and brought his brother to a Madianitish woman before Moses, and before all the congregation of the children of Israel; and they were weeping at the door of the tabernacle of witness.

7 On seeing this, Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, got up from the assembly, took a spear in his hand,

And Phinees the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, and rose out of the midst of the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand,

8 followed the Israelite into his tent, and drove the spear through both of them—through the Israelite and on through the belly of the woman. So the plague against the Israelites was halted,

and went in after the Israelitish man into the chamber, and pierced them both through, both the Israelitish man, and the woman through her womb; and the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.

9 but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000.

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

10 Then the LORD said to Moses,

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

11 “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned My wrath away from the Israelites; for he was zealous for My sake among them, so that I did not consume the Israelites in My zeal.

Phinees the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest has caused my wrath to cease from the children of Israel, when I was exceedingly jealous among them, and I did not consume the children of Israel in my jealousy.

12 Declare, therefore, that I am granting him My covenant of peace.

Thus do thou say [to him], Behold, I give him a covenant of peace:

13 It will be a covenant of permanent priesthood for him and his descendants, because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for the Israelites.”

and he and his seed after him shall have a perpetual covenant of priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.

14 The name of the Israelite who was slain with the Midianite woman was Zimri son of Salu, the leader of a Simeonite family.

Now the name of the smitten Israelitish man, who was smitten with the Madianitish woman, [was] Zambri son of Salmon, prince of a house of the tribe of Symeon.

15 And the name of the slain Midianite woman was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur, a tribal chief of a Midianite family.

And the name of the Madianitish woman who was smitten, [was] Chasbi, daughter of Sur, a prince of the nation of Ommoth: it is a chief house among the people of Madiam.

16 And the LORD said to Moses,

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, saying,

17 “Attack the Midianites and strike them dead.

Plague the Madianites as enemies, and smite them,

18 For they assailed you deceitfully when they seduced you in the matter of Peor and their sister Cozbi, the daughter of the Midianite leader, the woman who was killed on the day the plague came because of Peor.”

for they are enemies to you by the treachery wherein they ensnare you through Phogor, and through Chasbi their sister, daughter of a prince of Madiam, who was smitten in the day of the plague because of Phogor.