Numbers 25

Moab Seduces Israel

25While the Israelites were camped at Acacia Grove

, some of the men defiled themselves by having sexual relations with local Moabite women.H3478H3427H7851H5971H2490H2181H1323H41242These women invited them to attend sacrifices to their gods, so the Israelites feasted with them and worshiped the gods of Moab.H7121H5971H2077H430H5971H398H7812H4303In this way, Israel joined in the worship of Baal of Peor, causing the LORD's anger to blaze against his people.H3478H6775H1187H639H3068H2734H34784The LORD issued the following command to Moses: "Seize all the ringleaders and execute them before the LORD in broad daylight, so his fierce anger will turn away from the people of Israel."H3068H559H4872H3947H7218H5971H3363H5048H3068H8121H2740H639H3068H7725H34785So Moses ordered Israel's judges, "Each of you must put to death the men under your authority who have joined in worshiping Baal of Peor."H4872H559H8199H3478H2026H376H376H582H6775H11876Just then one of the Israelite men brought a Midianite woman into his tent, right before the eyes of Moses and all the people, as everyone was weeping at the entrance of the Tabernacle

.H376H1121H3478H935H7126H251H4084H5869H4872H5869H5712H1121H3478H1058H6607H168H41507When Phinehas son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron the priest saw this, he jumped up and left the assembly. He took a spearH6372H1121H499H1121H175H3548H7200H6965H8432H5712H3947H7420H30278and rushed after the man into his tent. Phinehas thrust the spear all the way through the man's body and into the woman's stomach. So the plague against the Israelites was stopped,H935H310H376H3478H6898H1856H8147H376H3478H802H413H6897H4046H6113H1121H34789but not before 24,000 people had died.H4191H4046H6242H702H50510Then the LORD said to Moses,H3068H1696H4872H55911"Phinehas son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron the priest has turned my anger away from the Israelites by being as zealous among them as I was. So I stopped destroying all Israel as I had intended to do in my zealous anger.H6372H1121H499H1121H175H3548H7725H2534H7725H1121H3478H7065H7068H8432H3615H1121H3478H706812Now tell him that I am making my special covenant of peace with him.H559H5414H1285H796513In this covenant, I give him and his descendants a permanent right to the priesthood, for in his zeal for me, his God, he purified the people of Israel, making them right with me

."H2233H310H1285H5769H3550H834H7065H430H3722H1121H347814The Israelite man killed with the Midianite woman was named Zimri son of Salu, the leader of a family from the tribe of Simeon.H8034H376H5221H5221H4084H2174H1121H5543H5387H1H1004H809915The woman's name was Cozbi; she was the daughter of Zur, the leader of a Midianite clan.H8034H4084H802H5221H3579H1323H6698H7218H523H1H1004H408016Then the LORD said to Moses,H3068H1696H4872H55917"Attack the Midianites and destroy them,H6887H4084H522118because they assaulted you with deceit and tricked you into worshiping Baal of Peor, and because of Cozbi, the daughter of a Midianite leader, who was killed at the time of the plague because of what happened at Peor."H6887H5231H5230H1697H6465H1697H3579H1323H5387H4080H269H5221H3117H4046H6465H1697