You will die in this desert. Every person who is 20 years old or older and was counted as one of my people will die. You complained against me.

But God said to Balaam, “Don’t go with them. You must not curse those people. They are my people.”

“I was so angry with the Israelites that I wanted to kill them. But Phinehas, son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron the priest, has saved them from my anger. He did this by showing that he feels strongly, just as I do, that my people must worship only me.