[1] While Israel dwelt in Shittim the people began to play the harlot 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 Ba'al of Pe'or. 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, "Every one of you slay his men who have yoked themselves to Ba'al
of Pe'or." [6] And behold, one of the people of Israel came and brought a
Mid'ianite 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 at
the door of the tent of meeting. [7] When Phin'ehas the son of Elea'zar,
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
inner room, and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman,
through her body. Thus the plague was stayed from the people of Israel. [9]
Nevertheless those that died by the plague were twenty-four thousand. [10]
And the LORD said to Moses, [11] "Phin'ehas the son of Elea'zar, 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.'"
[14] The name of the slain man of Israel, who was slain with the Mid'ianite
woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, head of a fathers' house belonging to the
Simeonites. [15] And the name of the Mid'ianite woman who was slain was
Cozbi the daughter of Zur, who was the head of the people of a fathers'
house in Mid'ian. [16] And the LORD said to Moses, [17] "Harass the
Mid'ianites, and smite them; [18] for they have harassed you with their
wiles, with which they beguiled you in the matter of Pe'or, and in the
matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the prince of Mid'ian, their sister, who
was slain on the day of the plague on account of Pe'or."
