Numbers 25

Chapter context

What is happening in Numbers 25?

pilgrimagerebellionjudgmentmercy

Numbers 25 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as crises involving spies, Korah, serpents, and Balaam. Numbers combines census lists, camp order, priestly concerns, wilderness rebellion, judgment, mercy, and renewed preparation for entering the promised land. Read this chapter with the wider themes of pilgrimage, rebellion, and judgment in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.

¹ And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. ² And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. ³ And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. ⁴ And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel. ⁵ And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baalpeor. ⁶ And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. ⁷ And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; ⁸ And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. ⁹ And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand. ¹⁰ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, ¹¹ Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy. ¹² Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace: ¹³ And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel. ¹⁴ Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites. ¹⁵ And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head over a people, and of a chief house in Midian. ¹⁶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, ¹⁷ Vex the Midianites, and smite them: ¹⁸ For they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, which was slain in the day of the plague for Peor’s sake.

Study helps

Glossary

Moab Place v. 1-2: Biblical region. Modern identification: Kerak.
Shittim Place v. 1: Acacias, also called “Abel-shittim”. Modern identification: Tall el Hammam.
Peor Place v. 3, 5, 18: Opening. (1. ) A mountain peak ( Num. 23:28 ) to which Balak led Balaam as a last effort to induce him to pronounce a curse upon Israel. Modern identification: Khirbet Ayun Musa.
Tabernacle Object v. 6: (1. ) A house or dwelling-place ( Job 5:24 ; 18:6 , etc. ). (2. ) A portable shrine (comp. Acts 19:24 ) containing the image of Moloch ( Amos 5:26 ; marg. and R. V., “Siccuth”). (3. ) The human body.
Eleazar Person v. 7, 11: God has helped. (1. ) The third son of Aaron ( Ex. 6:23 ). His wife, a daughter of Putiel, bore him Phinehas ( Ex. 6:25 ). After the death of Nadab and Abihu.
Phinehas Person v. 7, 11: Mouth of brass, or from old Egypt, the negro. (1. ) Son of Eleazar, the high priest ( Ex. 6:25 ).
Midian Place v. 15, 18: Biblical region. Modern identification: Al Bad.
Zur Person v. 15: Rock. (1. ) One of the five Midianite kings whom the Israelites defeated and put to death ( Num. 31:8 ). (2. ) A Benjamite ( 1 Chr. 8:30 ).