Chapter 25 And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom
with the daughters of Moab.
And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods.
And the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.
And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor.
And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.
And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up
before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be
turned away from Israel.
And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined
unto Baal-peor.
And 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, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle
of the congregation.
And when Phinehas, the son of Eliezer, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it,
he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand.
And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through,
the man of Israel and the woman through her belly.
So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel, and those that died in the
plague were twenty and four thousand.
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Phinehas, the son of Eliezer,
the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel,
while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consume not the children of
Israel in my jealousy.
Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace, and he shall have it,
and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he
was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.
Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was slain with the
Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Selu, a prince of a chief house among the
Simeonites.
And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain, was Chosbi, the daughter of
Zur.
He was head over a people, and of a chief house in Midian.
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Vex the Midianites, and smite
them, for they vex you with their wiles.
Wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of
Chosbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, which was slain in
the day of the plague for Peor's sake.