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Then one of the Israelites came and presented to his relatives a Midianite woman, in the sight of Moses and the whole congregation of the Israelites, while they were weeping [over God’s judgment] at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle). When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw this, he left the congregation and took a spear in his hand, and he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and pierced both of them through the body, the man of Israel and the woman. Then the plague on the Israelites stopped. Nevertheless, those [Israelites] who died in the plague numbered 24,000.

The Zeal of Phinehas

10 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 11 “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my wrath away from the Israelites because he was [a]jealous with My jealousy among them, so that I did not destroy the Israelites in My jealousy. 12 Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to Phinehas My covenant of peace. 13 And it shall be for him and his descendants after him, a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was jealous (impassioned) for [the unique honor and respect owed to] his God and made [b]atonement for the sons of Israel.’”(A)

14 Now the name of the man of Israel who was killed 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 killed was Cozbi the daughter of Zur, who was the tribal head of a father’s household in Midian.

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 25:11 I.e. intolerant of unfaithfulness. God does not tolerate the transfer of the honor and worship that is due Him to any other being or object.
  2. Numbers 25:13 I.e. reconciled the Israelites to God.

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.

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;

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.

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.

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Then an Israelite man brought into the camp a Midianite(A) woman right before the eyes of Moses and the whole assembly of Israel while they were weeping(B) at the entrance to the tent of meeting. When Phinehas(C) son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, he left the assembly, took a spear(D) in his hand and followed the Israelite into the tent. He drove the spear into both of them, right through the Israelite man and into the woman’s stomach. Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped;(E) but those who died in the plague(F) numbered 24,000.(G)

10 The Lord said to Moses, 11 “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites.(H) Since he was as zealous for my honor(I) among them as I am, I did not put an end to them in my zeal. 12 Therefore tell him I am making my covenant of peace(J) with him. 13 He and his descendants will have a covenant of a lasting priesthood,(K) because he was zealous(L) for the honor(M) of his God and made atonement(N) for the Israelites.”(O)

14 The name of the Israelite who was killed with the Midianite woman(P) was Zimri son of Salu, the leader of a Simeonite family.(Q) 15 And the name of the Midianite woman who was put to death was Kozbi(R) daughter of Zur, a tribal chief of a Midianite family.(S)

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