Numbers 25

1And Israel abode in Shittim; and the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab:

1While Israel was staying at Shittim, the men began to have sexual relations with the women of Moab.

2for they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods; and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.

2These women invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the Israelites ate the sacrificial meals and bowed down to their gods.

3And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor: and the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel.

3So Israel joined in worshiping the god Baal of Peor, and the LORD became very angry with Israel.

4And Jehovah said unto Moses, Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up unto Jehovah before the sun, that the fierce anger of Jehovah may turn away from Israel.

4The LORD said to Moses, 'Take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the LORD, so that the LORD’s fierce anger may be turned away from Israel.'

5And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that have joined themselves unto Baal-peor.

5Then Moses said to the judges of Israel, 'Each of you must kill your men who have joined themselves to the god Baal of Peor.'

6And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish 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.

6Just then, an Israelite man arrived and brought a Midianite woman to his family right in front of Moses and the whole community of Israel, while they were weeping at the entrance to the Tabernacle.

7And when Phinehas, the 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;

7When Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw this, he left the assembly and took a spear in his hand.

8and 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.

8He followed the Israelite man into the tent and drove the spear through both of them—through the Israelite man and into the woman’s body. Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped.

9And those that died by the plague were twenty and four thousand.

9But twenty-four thousand people died in that plague.

10And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

10Then the LORD said to Moses,

11Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.

11'Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites. He was as concerned for my honor as I am, so I did not destroy the Israelites in my demand for absolute loyalty.'

12Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace:

12'Therefore tell him that I am making my covenant of peace with him.'

13and it shall be unto him, and to his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.

13'He and his descendants will have a permanent covenant of priesthood, because he was faithful to his God and made atonement for the people of Israel.'

14Now the name of the man of Israel that was slain, who was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a fathers’ house among the Simeonites.

14The name of the Israelite man who was killed with the Midianite woman was Zimri son of Salu, a leader of a family in the tribe of Simeon.

15And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head of the people of a fathers’ house in Midian.

15And the name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi daughter of Zur, who was the head of a family group in Midian.

16And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

16The LORD spoke to Moses again, saying,

17Vex the Midianites, and smite them;

17'Attack the Midianites and strike them down,'

18for they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled 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.

18'because they treated you as enemies when they tricked you in the matter of Peor and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a Midianite leader, the woman who was killed on the day the plague struck because of Peor.'