1 W hile Israel remained at Shittim, the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab.

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

2 F or they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.

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

3 S o Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the Lord was angry against Israel.

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

4 T he Lord said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the Lord, so that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.”

Yahweh 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.”

5 S o Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Each of you slay his men who have joined themselves to Baal of Peor.”

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

6 T hen behold, one of the sons of Israel came and brought to his relatives a Midianite woman, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, while they were weeping at the doorway of the tent of meeting.

Behold, 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.

7 W hen Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he arose from the midst of the congregation and took a spear in his hand,

When 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.

8 a nd he went after the man of Israel into the tent and pierced both of them through, the man of Israel and the woman, through the body. So the plague on the sons of Israel was checked.

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.

9 T hose who died by the plague were 24, 000. The Zeal of Phinehas

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

10 T hen the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

11 “ Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned away My wrath from the sons of Israel in that he was jealous with My jealousy among them, so that I did not destroy the sons of Israel in My jealousy.

“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.

12 T herefore say, ‘ Behold, I give him My covenant of peace;

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

13 a nd it shall be for him and his descendants after him, a covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the sons of Israel.’”

It 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.’”

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

Now 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.

15 T he name of the Midianite woman who was slain was Cozbi the daughter of Zur, who was head of the people of a father’s household in Midian.

The 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.

16 T hen the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

17 “ Be hostile to the Midianites and strike them;

“Harass the Midianites, and strike them,

18 f or they have been hostile to you with their tricks, with which they have deceived you in the affair of Peor and in the affair of Cozbi, the daughter of the leader of Midian, their sister who was slain on the day of the plague because of Peor.”

for they harassed you with their wiles, with which they have deceived 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.”