25
1 Israel [God prevails] stayed in Shittim; and the people began to play the prostitute * with the daughters of Moab [From father]; 2 for they called the people to the sacrifices of their deities. The people ate † and bowed down to their deities. 3 Israel [God prevails] joined himself to Baal Peor. Adonai’s anger burned against Israel [God prevails]. 4 Adonai said to Moses [Drawn out], “Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up to Adonai before the sun, that the fierce anger of Adonai may turn away from Israel [God prevails].”
5 Moses [Drawn out] said to the judges of Israel [God prevails], “Everyone kill his men who have joined themselves to Baal Peor.”
6 Behold, one of the children of Israel [God prevails] came and brought to his brothers a Midianite [Descendant of Strife] woman in the sight of Moses [Drawn out], and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel [God prevails], while they were weeping at the door of the Tent of Meeting. (Maftir ·Conclusion·) 7 When Pinchas [Bronze skin], the son of Eleazar [Help of God], the son of Aaron [Light-bringer] the priest, saw it, he rose up from the middle of the congregation, and took a spear in his hand. 8 He went after the man of Israel [God prevails] into the pavilion, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel [God prevails], and the woman through her body. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel [God prevails]. 9 Those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand. ‡ §
Haftarah Balak ·Taking leave· ·Balak [Devastator / Wasting]·:
Mikhah / Micah 5:7-6:8
B'rit Hadashah ·New Covenant·: Mark 11:12-26
Parashah 41: Pinchas ·Pinchas [Bronze skin]· 25:10-29:40
10 Adonai spoke to Moses [Drawn out], saying, 11 “Pinchas [Bronze skin], the son of Eleazar [Help of God], the son of Aaron [Light-bringer] the priest, has turned my wrath away from the children of Israel [God prevails], in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I didn’t consume the children of Israel [God prevails] in my jealousy. 12 Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant ·binding contract between two or more parties· of peace. 13 It shall be to him, and to his offspring after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel [God prevails].’ ”
14 Now the name of the man of Israel [God prevails] that was slain, who was slain with the Midianite [Descendant of Strife] woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a fathers’ house among the Simeonites. 15 The name of the Midianite [Descendant of Strife] woman who was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur. He was head of the people of a fathers’ house in Midian [Strife].
16 Adonai spoke to Moses [Drawn out], saying, 17 “Harass the Midianites [Descendants of Strife], and strike them, 18 for they harassed you with their wiles, with which they have deceived you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the prince of Midian [Strife], their sister, who was slain on the day of the plague in the matter of Peor.”
* 25:1 . Quoted in 1 Cor 10:8 † 25:2 . Quoted in Rev 2:14 ‡ 25:9 . Quoted in 1 Cor 10:8 § 25:9 Context: Num 25:9 says 24,000 died yet 1 Cor 10:8 says 23,000 died. Scholars note those hung in verse 4 could account for the 1,000 people difference.