1 I srael stayed in Shittim; and the people began to play the prostitute with the daughters of Moab;

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

2 f or they called the people to the sacrifices of their gods. The people ate and bowed down to their gods.

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

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

So Israel joined himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.

4 Y ahweh 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.”

And 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.

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

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

6 B ehold, 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.

And 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.

7 W hen 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.

And 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

8 H e 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.

And 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.

9 T hose who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.

Nevertheless those who died in the plague were 24, 000.

10 Y ahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

And the Lord said to Moses,

11 “ 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.

Phinehas 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.

12 T herefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace.

Therefore say, Behold, I give to Phinehas the priest My covenant of peace.

13 I t 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.’”

And 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.

14 N ow 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.

Now 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.

15 T he 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.

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

16 Y ahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

And the Lord said to Moses,

17 “ Harass the Midianites, and strike them,

Provoke hostilities with the Midianites and attack them,

18 f or 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.”

For 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.