Numbers 25

The Israelites commit whoredome at Sittim, with the daughters of the Moabites, and idolatry with Baal-Peor, v.1.etc. The LORD commandeth Moseh to put the Idolaters to death, 4. Phinehas killeth Zimri and Cozbi, 7. Therefore God promiseth him the priesthood forever, 11. God commands the slaying of the Midianites, 17. For having dealt guilefully with the Israelites.

1. And Israel abode at Sittim, [A place in the wilderness, in the lower country of the Moabites, by Jordan, Num.33.48, 49. It is called Abel Sittim here Israel made their abode till after the death of Moseh, when Joshua brought them thence to Jordan, which they passed at Gilgal, Josua.2.1. and 3 1.] and the people began to whore [viz. many of the people of Israel; (1 Cor.10.8.) for all these that committed this sin, were destroyed; but those that cleaved to the LORD were kept alive, Deut.4.3.4.] with the Daughter of the Moabites. [understand likewise, and of the Midianites; as appears by v.6 and 17,18.]

2. And they [viz. the daughters of the Moabites] invited the people to the slaying-offerings of their Gods; [others, of their God, viz. Baal-Peor] and the people [i.e. some, or a part of the people of Israel] did eat, and bowed themselves before their Gods. [participating thus with their idolatry, 1 Cor.10.18. notwithstanding, that God had warned them of the like, Exod.34.14.]

3. Now when Israel coupled themselves to Baal-Peor, the anger of the LORD kindled against Israel.

4. And the LORD said unto Moseh; Take all the heads of the people; [viz. those which are guilty of this sin; see an example verse 14. Some understand, as if these heads of the people were taken, or appointed to be Judges, and to see the execution done upon the guilty] and hang them to the LORD, [others, before the LORD, to the LORD; i.e. to the honour of the righteous God, that hates and punisheth sin] against the Sun, [i.e. publicly, openly, before all the world, as long as the Sun shall be above the Horizon that day] thus shall the fervency of the LORDS wrath be turned away from Israel.

5. Then said Moseh to the judges of Israel; every one put his men to death, those that coupled themselves to Baal-Peor. [His men, i.e. such as belonged to, or were under his government, according to the orders given, Exod.18.25.]

6. And behold, a man came out of the children of Israel, and bought a Midianitish (woman) to his brethren, [viz. to the Israelites that were in the Camp] before the eyes of Moseh, and before the eyes of all the Congregation of the children of Israel, as they wept, before the door of the Tent of the Congregation.

7. When Phineas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the Priest saw (that:) he arose out of the midst of the Congregation, and took a spear in his hand:

8. And he went after the Israelitish man into the stew, and thrust them through, the Israelitish man, and the woman through her belly: then the plague was ceased from over the children of Israel.

9. Those now that died of the plague, were twenty and four thousand. [The Apostle, 1 Cor.10.8. sets but twenty three thousand. It is to be supposed that the Judges executed one thousand, according to v.5. and that God smote twenty three thousand with the plague; or one thousand were hang’d up, the rest were smitten by Gods own hand.]

10. Then the LORD spake unto Moseh, saying;

11. Phineas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the Priest, hath turned away my fierce anger from over the children of Israel, having been jealous (with) my jealousie, in the midst of them, so that I have not destroyed the children of Israel in my jealousy.

12. Therefore speak; Behold, I give him my covenant of peace, [Or, (to wit) peace: the sense is, I give him the Priest-hood to posses it peaceably and prosperously he and his posterity, he having pacified my wrath by his zeal.]

13. and he shall have, and his seed after him, the Covenant of the everlasting Priest-hood: [i.e. an everlasting Priest-hood established by an everlasting Covenant; but understand by everlasting, to the coming of the Messiah; see Heb.7.11.] therefore because he hath been jealous for his God, and made expiation for the children of Israel.

14. Now the name of the slain Israelitish man, that was slain with the Midianitish (woman,) was Zimri, the son of Salu, a chief of a fatherly house of the Simeonites.

15. And the name of the slain Midianitish woman, was Cozbi, a daughter of Zur, who was a head of the people of a fatherly house among the Midianites; [This Zur is reckoned among the kings of the Midianites, bel.c.31.8.]

16. Moreover, the LORD spake to Moseh saying:

17. Deal hostile-like with the Midianites, etc smite them.

18. For they have dealt hostile-like with you, by their wiles, which they devised guilefully against you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the chiefly of the Midianites, their sister, [Being of their own Nation and Parentage] which was slain in the day of the plague, for the matter of Peor; [or Peors sake.]