Numbers 25:1–9

Israel Worships Baal

25While Israel was staying in the Acacia Grove, ^klthe people began to have sexual relations with the women of Moab. ²The women invited them to the sacrifices for their gods, and the people ate and bowed in worship to their gods. ^m3So Israel aligned itself with Baal of Peor, ⁿand the Lord’s anger burned against Israel. ^o4The Lord said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and execute ^pthem in broad daylight before the Lord so that His burning anger may turn away from Israel.”

⁵So Moses told Israel’s judges, “Kill each of the men who aligned themselves with Baal of Peor.”

Phinehas Intervenes

⁶An Israelite man came bringing a Midianite woman to his relatives in the sight of Moses and the whole Israelite community while they were weeping at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ⁷When Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw this, he got up from the assembly, took a spear in his hand, ⁸followed the Israelite man into the tent, ^qand drove it through both the Israelite man and the woman—through her belly. Then the plague on the Israelites was stopped, ⁹but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000. ^r