Numbers — Chapter 25

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1And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.

2And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.

3And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.

4And 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.

5And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baal-peor.

6And, 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.

7And 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;

8And 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.

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

10And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

11Phinehas, 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.

12Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace:

13And 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.

14Now 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.

15And 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.

16And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

17Vex the Midianites, and smite them:

18For 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.

1And Israel abode in Shittim; and the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab:

2for they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods; and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.

3And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor: and the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel.

4And Jehovah said unto Moses, Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up unto Jehovah before the sun, that the fierce anger of Jehovah may turn away from Israel.

5And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that have joined themselves unto Baal-peor.

6And, 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, while they were weeping at the door of the tent of meeting.

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

8and he went after the man of Israel into the pavilion, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.

9And those that died by the plague were twenty and four thousand.

10And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

11Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.

12Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace:

13and it shall be unto him, and to his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.

14Now the name of the man of Israel that was slain, who was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a fathers` house among the Simeonites.

15And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head of the people of a fathers` house in Midian.

16And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

17Vex the Midianites, and smite them;

18for 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 the prince of Midian, their sister, who was slain on the day of the plague in the matter of Peor.

1When Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to commit sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab.

2These women invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods; then the people ate and bowed down to their gods.

3When Israel joined themselves to Baal Peor, the anger of the Lord flared up against Israel.

4The Lord said to Moses, “Arrest all the leaders of the people, and hang them up before the Lord in broad daylight, so that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel.”

5So Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you must execute those of his men who were joined to Baal Peor.”

6Just then one of the Israelites came and brought to his brothers a Midianite woman in the plain view of Moses and of the whole community of the Israelites, while they were weeping at the entrance of the tent of meeting.

7When Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he got up from among the assembly, took a javelin in his hand,

8and went after the Israelite man into the tent and thrust through the Israelite man and into the woman’s abdomen. So the plague was stopped from the Israelites.

9Those that died in the plague were 24,000.

10The Lord spoke to Moses:

11“Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites, when he manifested such zeal for my sake among them, so that I did not consume the Israelites in my zeal.

12Therefore, announce: ‘I am going to give to him my covenant of peace.

13So it will be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of a permanent priesthood, because he has been zealous for his God, and has made atonement for the Israelites.’”

14Now the name of the Israelite who was stabbed—the one who was stabbed with the Midianite woman—was Zimri son of Salu, a leader of a clan of the Simeonites.

15The name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi daughter of Zur. He was a leader over the people of a clan of Midian.

16Then the Lord spoke to Moses:

17“Bring trouble to the Midianites, and destroy them,

18because they bring trouble to you by their treachery with which they have deceived you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, who was killed on the day of the plague that happened as a result of Peor.”

1Israel stayed in Shittim; and the people began to play the prostitute with the daughters of Moab;

2for they called the people to the sacrifices of their gods. The people ate and bowed down to their gods.

3Israel joined himself to Baal Peor. Yahweh’s anger burned against Israel.

4Yahweh said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up to Yahweh before the sun, that the fierce anger of Yahweh may turn away from Israel.”

5Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Everyone kill his men who have joined themselves to Baal Peor.”

6Behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought to his brothers a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, while they were weeping at the door of the Tent of Meeting.

7When Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from the middle of the congregation, and took a spear in his hand.

8He went after the man of Israel into the pavilion, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.

9Those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.

10Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

11“Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I didn’t consume the children of Israel in my jealousy.

12Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace.

13It shall be to him, and to his offspring after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.’”

14Now the name of the man of Israel that was slain, who was slain with the Midianite woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a fathers’ house among the Simeonites.

15The name of the Midianite woman who was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur. He was head of the people of a fathers’ house in Midian.

16Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

17“Harass the Midianites, and strike them,

18for they harassed you with their wiles, wherein they have deceived you in the matter of Peor, and in the incident regarding Cozbi, the daughter of the prince of Midian, their sister, who was slain on the day of the plague in the matter of Peor.”

Summary
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
Commentary
Videos
Reflection

Summary

Israel sins with Moabite women and worships Baal at Peor; a plague kills 24,000 until Phinehas' zeal for God stops the judgment.

Authorship & Background

Author: Moses. Numbers is the fourth book of the Pentateuch, written during the wilderness period (approximately 1445-1405 BC). Hebrew title: "Bemidbar" — "In the wilderness." The book records Israel's 38 years of wilderness wandering between Sinai and the Promised Land — a journey that should have taken 11 days (Deuteronomy 1:2) but took 40 years due to unbelief.
Historical Context: Chapter 25 records one of Israel's darkest hours — the sin at Baal-Peor. Having failed to curse Israel through Balaam's oracles (chapters 22-24), the enemy succeeds through seduction. Revelation 2:14 reveals that Balaam counseled Balak to use Moabite and Midianite women to entice Israel into sexual immorality and idolatry. The strategy works: Israel "yokes" itself to Baal of Peor, provoking God's fierce anger. A plague kills 24,000 before Phinehas, grandson of Aaron, acts decisively — driving a spear through an Israelite man and a Midianite woman in the very act of their sin. God rewards Phinehas with a "covenant of peace" and a "covenant of perpetual priesthood." This chapter demonstrates that what Balaam's curses could not accomplish, Israel's own sin nearly achieves: their destruction. The enemy's most effective weapon against God's people is not external attack but internal corruption.
Israel's Sin at Shittim (vv.1-3): Israel dwells at Shittim (Abel-shittim, "meadow of acacias") in the plains of Moab, directly across from Jericho. The people "began to commit whoredom" (KJV) / "began to whore" (ESV) with Moabite women — both literal sexual immorality and spiritual adultery through idol worship. The women invite Israel to their sacrificial feasts (v.2) — eating, bowing down, and "yoking" themselves to Baal of Peor (v.3). "Baal-Peor" means "lord of Peor" — a local deity worshiped at Mount Peor with sexually immoral rites. The progression is deliberate: social contact → sexual immorality → religious participation → covenant with a false god.
God's Judgment and Moses' Response (vv.4-5): God commands Moses to "take all the heads of the people and hang them up before the LORD against the sun" (KJV) — public execution of the ringleaders as a deterrent. Moses instructs the judges to execute those who joined themselves to Baal-Peor (v.5). The judgment is swift and public — sin in the covenant community demands corporate accountability.
Phinehas' Zeal (vv.6-9): In brazen defiance, an Israelite man (later identified as Zimri, a Simeonite prince) brings a Midianite woman (Cozbi, daughter of a Midianite chief) into the camp "in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation" (v.6) — while the people are weeping at the tabernacle entrance over the plague already underway. Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, rises from the congregation, takes a spear, follows them into the tent, and pierces both through. The plague stops — but not before 24,000 have died (v.9).
God's Covenant with Phinehas (vv.10-13): God declares that Phinehas "turned back my wrath" because "he was zealous for my sake among them" (KJV) / "he was jealous with my jealousy" (ESV). God gives him: (1) "my covenant of peace" (v.12) — ironic and beautiful: the man of the spear receives peace; and (2) "the covenant of an everlasting priesthood" (v.13) — his line will serve as priests perpetually. Phinehas "made atonement" for Israel — his act of righteous judgment turned away God's consuming wrath.
The Guilty Named (vv.14-15): The Israelite man: Zimri son of Salu, "a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites" (v.14). The Midianite woman: Cozbi daughter of Zur, "head over a people" in Midian (v.15). Both are nobility — this was a deliberate, high-level act of defiance, not a private sin of common people.
Command Against Midian (vv.16-18): God commands Moses to "vex" (KJV) / "harass" (ESV) the Midianites and strike them — "for they vex you with their wiles" (v.18). The Midianites used deception ("wiles") as a weapon — seduction as warfare. This command is fulfilled in chapter 31.

Map & Geography

  • Shittim / Plains of Moab (v.1): "Abel-shittim" — Israel is camped here when they sin with the Moabite women and worship Baal-peor.
  • Baal-peor: A local shrine/deity near Israel's camp on the plains of Moab, east of the Jordan.

Commentary

  • Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik emphasizes that Balaam's strategy succeeded where his curses failed. Satan's most effective weapon against God's people is not persecution but seduction. He notes that Phinehas' act was not vigilante justice but righteous execution of God's already-declared sentence (v.4-5).
  • Charles Spurgeon: "What the devil cannot do by force, he will attempt by fraud. Balaam could not curse Israel, so he corrupted them. The sword that could not pierce them from without was thrust into their own hands to destroy themselves. Beware, Christian — your greatest danger is not the roaring lion but the subtle serpent. The world that cannot defeat you by persecution will embrace you to death. Phinehas teaches us that there is a holy anger, a righteous zeal, that God not only permits but rewards. Indifference to sin is not grace — it is complicity."

Videos

The Bible Project — Numbers Overview

Reflection

  • 1. What curses cannot accomplish, seduction can (vv.1-3). Israel withstood Balaam's curses (chapters 22-24) but fell to Moabite women. The enemy's most dangerous weapon is not opposition but invitation. What "invitations" from the world are more dangerous to your faith than outright persecution?
  • 2. The progression of sin (vv.1-3): social contact → sexual immorality → idolatrous worship → covenant with a false god. Sin rarely begins at the end — it begins with seemingly innocent associations. Where are you in this progression?
  • 3. Brazen sin in the sight of the congregation (v.6). Zimri's defiance was public and deliberate — while others wept in repentance, he paraded his sin. When sin becomes shameless, judgment is near. Do you grieve over sin, or have you grown comfortable with it?
  • 4. One man's zeal stops the plague (vv.7-8). Phinehas did not wait for a committee or consensus. He saw the sin, understood the stakes, and acted. Sometimes faithfulness requires immediate, decisive action — not endless deliberation.
  • 5. "Jealous with my jealousy" (v.11). God is not indifferent to unfaith- fulness. His jealousy is holy love that will not share its beloved with rivals. Do you share God's jealousy for His glory, or are you tolerant of what offends Him?
  • 6. The covenant of peace through atonement (vv.12-13). Phinehas' act foreshadows Christ: righteous judgment against sin that produces peace between God and man. True peace is not the absence of conflict but the resolution of guilt. Christ's cross is the ultimate "spear" that destroys sin and secures eternal peace.