1 While Israel remained at ANum 33:49; Josh 2:1Shittim, the people began BNum 31:16; 1 Cor 10:8; Rev 2:14to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. 2 For AEx 34:15; Deut 32:38they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 So APs 106:28, 29; Hos 9:10Israel joined themselves to 1Or Baal-peorBaal of Peor, and the Loʀᴅ was angry against Israel. 4 The Loʀᴅ said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and execute them 1Lit in front of the sunin broad daylight before the Loʀᴅ, ADeut 13:17so that the fierce anger of the Loʀᴅ may turn away from Israel.” 5 So Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you AEx 32:27slay his men who have joined themselves to 1Or Baal-peorBaal of Peor.”

6 Then behold, one of the sons of Israel came and brought to his 1Lit brothersrelatives a ANum 22:4Midianite woman, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, BJoel 2:17while they were weeping at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 7 APs 106:30When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he arose from the midst of the congregation and took a spear in his hand, 8 and he went after the man of Israel into the 1Or inner roomstent and pierced both of them through, the man of Israel and the woman, through the 2Or bellybody. ANum 16:46-48So the plague on the sons of Israel was checked. 9 ANum 14:37; 16:48-50; 31:16Those who died by the plague were 24,000.

10 Then the Loʀᴅ spoke to Moses, saying, 11 “APs 106:30Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned away My wrath from the sons of Israel in that he was jealous with My jealousy among them, so that I did not destroy the sons of Israel BEx 20:5in My jealousy. 12  “Therefore say, ‘APs 106:30, 31Behold, I give him My BIs 54:10; Ezek 34:25; 37:26covenant of peace; 13 and it shall be for him and his 1Lit seeddescendants after him, a covenant of a AEx 29:9perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and BNum 16:46made atonement for the sons of Israel.’ ”

14 Now the name of the 1Lit smittenslain man of Israel who was 1Lit smittenslain with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, a leader of a father’s household among the Simeonites. 15 The name of the Midianite woman who was 1Lit smittenslain was ANum 25:18Cozbi the daughter of BNum 31:8Zur, 2Lit hewho was head of the people of a father’s household in Midian.

16 Then the Loʀᴅ spoke to Moses, saying, 17 “ANum 25:1; 22:4; 31:1-3Be hostile to the Midianites and strike them; 18 for they have been hostile to you with their tricks, with which they have deceived you in the affair of Peor and in the affair of Cozbi, the daughter of the leader of Midian, their sister who was slain on the day of the plague because of Peor.”