1 I srael settled down and remained in Shittim, and the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab,

While Israel stayed at Shittim, the people were not faithful to the Lord and began to have sex with the daughters of Moab.

2 W ho invited the to the sacrifices of their gods, and ate and bowed down to Moab’s gods.

They asked the people of Israel to bring gifts to their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.

3 S o Israel joined himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.

So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the Lord was angry with Israel.

4 A nd the Lord said to Moses, Take all the leaders or chiefs of the people, and hang them before the Lord in the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.

The Lord said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people, kill them, and put their bodies in the bright daylight before the Lord. Then the strong anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.”

5 A nd Moses said to the judges of Israel, Each one of you slay his men who joined themselves to Baal of Peor.

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

6 A nd behold, one of the Israelites came and brought to his brethren a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and of all the congregation of Israel while they were weeping at the door of the Tent of Meeting.

Then one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family. Moses and all the people of Israel saw this while they were crying at the door of the meeting tent.

7 A nd when Phinehas 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

When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the religious leader, saw it, he rose up from among the people. He took a spear in his hand

8 A nd went after the man of Israel into the inner room and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel and the woman through her body. Then the plague was stayed from the Israelites.

and went after the man of Israel into the tent. Then he cut through the bodies of both the man of Israel and the woman. So the very bad disease that spread on the people of Israel was stopped.

9 N evertheless those who died in the plague were 24, 000.

Those who died because of this bad disease were 24, 000.

10 A nd the Lord said to Moses,

Then the Lord said to Moses,

11 P hinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my wrath away from the Israelites, in that he was jealous with My jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the Israelites in My jealousy.

“Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the religious leader, has turned My anger away from the people of Israel. He was jealous with My jealousy among them, so I did not destroy the people of Israel in My jealousy.

12 T herefore say, Behold, I give to Phinehas the priest My covenant of peace.

So say to them that I make My agreement of peace with Phinehas.

13 A nd he shall have it, and his descendants after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the Israelites.

It will be an agreement for him and his children after him that they will always be religious leaders, because he was jealous for his God, and did what he was to do to pay for the sin of the people of Israel.”

14 N ow the man of Israel who was slain with the Midianite woman was Zimri son of Salu, a head of a father’s house among the Simeonites.

The name of the man of Israel who was killed with the Midianite woman was Zimri the son of Salu. He was a leader of a father’s house among the Simeonites.

15 A nd the Midianite woman who was slain was Cozbi daughter of Zur; he was head of a father’s house in Midian.

The name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi the daughter of Zur. Zur was the head of the people of a father’s house in Midian.

16 A nd the Lord said to Moses,

The Lord said to Moses,

17 P rovoke hostilities with the Midianites and attack them,

“Be angry at the Midianites and fight against them.

18 F or they harass you with their wiles with which they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and 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.

For they have brought trouble to you with their false ways. They have fooled you and turned you to the wrong way. They have brought you trouble at Peor with Cozbi, the daughter of the leader of Midian, their sister. She was killed on the day the very bad disease came because of Peor.”