Numbers 25:1-11 ▼

1 And Israel remained in Shittim, and the people began to prostitute themselves with the daughters of Moab.

2 And they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.

3 And Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of YHWH was kindled against Israel.

4 And YHWH said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people, and hang the offenders before YHWH out in the sun, that the burning of the nose of YHWH may turn away from Israel.”

5 And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each man must kill his men who were joined to Baal of Peor.”

6 And indeed, one of the sons of Israel came and presented to his brothers a Midianitess before the eyes of Moses and before the eyes of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, and they were weeping at the door of the Tent of Meeting.

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

8 and he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust through the two of them, the man of Israel and the woman—through her body. And the plague was stopped among the sons of Israel.

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

10 And YHWH spoke to Moses, saying,

11 “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the sons of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal in their midst, so that I did not consume the sons of Israel in My zeal.