Chapter Twenty-Five
Baal Worship Punished
25:1 While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab. 2 These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3 So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. 4 And the LORD said to Moses, “Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the LORD, that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel.” 5 And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.”
Shittim was in the plains of Moab (short for Abel-Shittim, see Numbers 33:49). The name implies a grove of acacia trees (see commentary under Exodus 25:5), possibly near the location where they camped when Balak saw them camped across from Jericho on the east side of the Jordan River (see Numbers 22:1). As referenced in the introduction of Numbers chapter 22, Balaam, at some point (place and time not recorded), suggested a way to weaken and punish the Israelites by seducing them. First, they were to introduce them to foreign women and then as they lust after them, the women would then introduce them to foreign gods, goddesses, and idols (see Numbers 31:16). The plan worked, while camped in Shittim the men of Israel had sexual intercourse with the women of Moab and Midian, who invited them to make sacrifices to their gods. The Israelites participated and bowed down to the Moabite gods, including Baal of Peor. This is the first time the Hebrew word ‘ṣāmaḏ’[1] is found in Scripture, translated here as ‘yoked’, it means to join, as in joining forces, becoming like each other.
Not only was this a violation of several of God’s laws, but it was also an affront and insult to Him as He had been their provider, protector and their God. In anger, God told Moses to find and kill all the leaders in broad daylight so that the anger of YHWH may turn away from the people of Israel. Moses instructed the judges (those appointed to aid and assist Moses in handling disputes, not the tribal leaders, see Exodus 18:24-27; Numbers 11:16-30) to kill anyone who had embraced and joined forces with Baal of Peor.
25:6 And behold, one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the people of Israel, while they were weeping in the entrance of the tent of meeting.
Many believe that this verse may have been “toned down” to make it less repulsive, as the text does not, as it reads here, call for such a drastic response from Phinehas (see verses 7-9). It is believed that this man brought a Midianite woman to the Tabernacle entrance and had sexual intercourse with her in front of Moses and those that were there expressing their grief for those recently killed by Moses and the judges that were yoked to Baal of Peor.
25:7 When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand 8 and went after the man of Israel into the chamber and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman through her belly. Thus the plague on the people of Israel was stopped. 9 Nevertheless, those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.
When Phinehas saw what was going on, he got up and took a spear (perhaps from a nearby Levite guard) and chased them into a chamber (Hebrew word ‘qǔb·bā(h)’,[2] considered a large tent, some believe they went into the Tabernacle’s structure) and pierced them, killing them both. Since the word that is translated as ‘plague’ can refer to any form of calamity,[3] it is believed the word ‘plague’ was referring to the active killing of those involved with Baal of Peor, which now was stopped due to Phinehas’ actions. It is also believed that since it did stop because of these two deaths, that they may have been the primary instigators responsible for introducing Baal to Israel. Sadly, before the plague ended, 24,000 Israelites were killed.
Saved By Phinehas
25:10 And the LORD said to Moses, 11 “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the people of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the people of Israel in my jealousy. 12 Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace, 13 and it shall be to him and to his descendants after him the covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the people of Israel.’ ”
Phinehas’ actions prevented any further destruction and death, as God’s jealousy was now quenched (see commentary under Genesis 30:1-8 and Exodus 20:5 regarding the jealousy of God). He now offers Phinehas a covenant of peace (see also Isaiah 54:10; Ezekiel 34:25; Malachi 2:4-5). The meaning of this phrase is often debated. Some believe it refers to Phinehas and his descendants being blessed with an ongoing promise of them being in the priesthood. Others believe, that since Phinehas was already a priest, this covenant of peace was given to protect him from any of Zimri’s or Cozbi’s relatives seeking revenge for their deaths (see verses 14 and 15 below) allowing him to continue serving as a priest. God further identifies Phinehas’ deed in killing both Zimri and Cozbi as being ‘atonement’ for the people of Israel, thus ending the wrath of God for their unfaithfulness.
25:14 The name of the slain man of Israel, who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, chief of a father’s house belonging to the Simeonites. 15 And the name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi the daughter of Zur, who was the tribal head of a father’s house in Midian.
In these passages we are told the name of the Israelite man and the Midianite woman, both were descendants of influential families. There were several people named Zimri in the Old Testament (see 1 Kings 16:9-20; 1 Chronicles 2:6; 8:36; Jeremiah 25:25). Zur will be later identified as a Midianite king (see Numbers 31:8).
25:16 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 17 “Harass the Midianites and strike them down, 18 for they have harassed you with their wiles, with which they beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the chief of Midian, their sister, who was killed on the day of the plague on account of Peor.”
The Hebrew word ‘ṣā·rôr’[4] (translated here as ‘harass’) can be found in Scripture translated a few ways (distress, oppress, besiege, etc.), indicating a state of frustration or anxiety. Even though Balaam was hired by Balak, a Moabite king, apparently the Midianites listened to Balaam’s suggestion and were responsible for Israel’s exposure to Baal of Peor. God told Moses to “strike them down” (Hebrew ‘hik·kî·ṯěm’,[5] to be hit physically, to be defeated) since they harassed the Israelites with their wiles (Hebrew ‘niḵ·lê’,[6] deception) by which they beguiled them (Hebrew ‘nik·kelû’,[7] the verb form of ‘nē’·ḵěl’, implying a deceptive plan) in Peor and in the matter of Cozbi (another potential clue that seems to support her and Zimri’s guilt in instigating the deceptive plan).
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[1] Strong’s Hebrew 6775.
[2] Strong’s Hebrew 6898.
[3] See Considerations under Exodus 7:13-14 regarding What Makes a Sign or Wonder a Plague?
[4] Strong’s Hebrew 3334.
[5] Strong’s Hebrew 5221.
[6] Strong’s Hebrew 5231.
[7] Strong’s Hebrew 5230.