Numbers 25:1–9

And Israel abode in Shittim; and the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab: ²for they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods; and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. ³And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor: and the anger of Jehovah was kindled against 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. ⁵And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that have joined themselves unto Baal-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. 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; 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. ⁹And those that died by the plague were twenty and four thousand.