Numbers 25

1 Now Israel stayed in Shittim; and the people defiled themselves by having sexual relations with the women of Moab,

Now Israel, at that time, dwelt in Shittim, and the people were fornicating with the daughters of Moab,

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

who called them to their sacrifices. And they ate, and they adored their gods.

3 Israel joined himself to Baal Peor: and the anger of YHWH was kindled against Israel.

And Israel was initiated into Baal of Peor. And so the Lord, being angry,

4 YHWH said to Moses, "Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up to YHWH before the sun, that the fierce anger of YHWH may turn away from Israel."

said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people, and hang them on gallows against the sun, so that my fury may be averted from Israel.”

5 Moses said to the judges of Israel, "Everyone kill his men who have joined themselves to Baal Peor."

And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Let each one kill his neighbors, who have been initiated into Baal of Peor.”

6 Look, one of the children of Israel came and brought to his brothers a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, while they were weeping at the door of the Tent of Meeting.

And behold, one of the sons of Israel entered, in the sight of his brothers, to a prostitute of Midian, within view of Moses and of all the crowd of the sons of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle.

7 When Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from the midst of the congregation, and took a spear in his hand;

And when Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, had seen it, he rose up from the midst of the multitude, and, seizing a dagger,

8 and he went after the man of Israel into the pavilion, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.

he entered after the Israelite man, into the brothel, and he pierced both of them at the same time, specifically, the man and the woman at the location of their genitals. And the scourge ceased from among the sons of Israel.

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

And there were slain twenty-four thousand men.

10 YHWH spoke to Moses, saying,

And the Lord said to Moses:

11 "Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in my jealousy.

“Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has averted my wrath from the sons of Israel. For he was moved against them by my zeal, so that I myself, in my zeal, might not wipe away the sons of Israel.

12 Therefore say, 'Look, I give to him my covenant of peace:

Because of this, say to him: Behold, I give to him the peace of my covenant.

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

And the covenant of the everlasting priesthood shall be as much for him as for his offspring. For he was zealous on behalf of his God, and he has made expiation for the wickedness of the sons of Israel.”

14 Now the name of the man of Israel that was slain, who was slain with the Midianite woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a fathers' house among the Simeonites.

Now the name of the Israelite man, who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, a leader from the kinship and tribe of Simeon.

15 The name of the Midianite woman who was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head of the people of a fathers' house in Midian.

Moreover, the Midianite woman, who was put to death together with him, was called Cozbi the daughter of Zur, a most noble leader among the Midianites.

16 And YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to the children of Israel, saying,

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

17 'Harass the Midianites, and strike them;

“Let the Midianites perceive you as enemies, and strike them down,

18 for they harassed you with their tricks, with which they have deceived you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the prince of Midian, their sister, who was slain on the day of the plague in the matter of Peor.'"

for they, too, have behaved with hostility against you, and they have deceived you insidiously by means of the idol Peor, and by Cozbi, the daughter of a commander of Midian, their sister, who was struck down in the day of the scourge because of the sacrilege of Peor.”