43 Heb “joined themselves to.” They worshiped Baal of Peor. See Num 25:3, 5. Baal of Peor was a local manifestation of the Canaanite deity Baal located at Peor.
44 Here “the dead” may refer to deceased ancestors (see Deut 26:14). Another option is to understand the term as a derogatory reference to the various deities which the Israelites worshiped at Peor along with Baal (see Num 25:2 and L. C. Allen, Psalms 101–150 [], ).
45 Heb “They made angry [him].” The pronominal suffix is omitted here, but does appear in a few medieval Hebrew . Perhaps it was accidentally left off, an original וַיַּכְעִיסוּהוּ (vayyakh’isuhu) being misread as וַיַּכְעִיסוּ (vayyakh’isu). In the translation the referent of the pronominal suffix (the Lord) has been specified for clarity to avoid confusion with Baal of Peor (mentioned in the previous verse).
46 The intervention of Phinehas is recounted in Num 25:7–8.
47 Heb “and it was reckoned to him for righteousness, to a generation and a generation forever.” The verb חָשַׁב (khashav, “to reckon”) is collocated with צְדָקָה (tsédaqah, “righteousness”) only in Ps 106:31 and Gen 15:6, where God rewards Abram’s faith with a land grant. Brought him a reward. See Num 25:12–13.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor,

and ate sacrifices offered to the dead;

they provoked the Lord to anger with their deeds,

and a plague broke out among them.

Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,

and the plague was stayed.

And that was counted to him as righteousness

from generation to generation forever.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

They yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor

and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods;

they aroused the Lord’s anger by their wicked deeds,

and a plague broke out among them.

But Phinehas stood up and intervened,

and the plague was checked.

This was credited to him as righteousness

for endless generations to come.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

They aligned themselves with Baal of Peor

and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods.

They angered the Lord with their deeds,

and a plague broke out against them.

But Phinehas stood up and intervened,

and the plague was stopped.

It was credited to him as righteousness

throughout all generations to come.

NLTNew Living Translation

Then our ancestors joined in the worship of Baal at Peor;

they even ate sacrifices offered to the dead!

They angered the Lord with all these things,

so a plague broke out among them.

But Phinehas had the courage to intervene,

and the plague was stopped.

So he has been regarded as a righteous man

ever since that time.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

They also attached themselves to Baal of Peor,

and they ate sacrifices offered to the dead.

Thus they provoked to anger by their deeds,

and a plague broke out among them.

Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,

and so the plague was stopped,

and it was reckoned to him as righteousness

throughout all generations.

KJV 1900King James Version

They joined themselves also unto Baal-peor,

And ate the sacrifices of the dead.

Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions:

And the plague brake in upon them.

Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment:

And so the plague was stayed.

And that was counted unto him for righteousness

Unto all generations for evermore.

Public Domain