Baal Worship at Peor

1And Israel sojourned in Sattin, and the people profaned itself by going a-whoring after the daughters of Moab. 2And they called them to the sacrifices of their idols; and the people ate of their sacrifices, and worshipped their idols. 3And Israel consecrated themselves to Beel-phegor; and the Lord was very angry with Israel. 4And the Lord said to Moses, Take all the princes of the people, and make them examples of judgment for the Lord in the face of the sun, and the anger of the Lord shall be turned away from Israel. 5And Moses said to the tribes of Israel, Slay ye every one his friend that is consecrated to Beel-phegor.

Phinehas Kills Zimri and Cozbi

6And, behold, a man of the children of Israel came and brought his brother to a Madianitish woman before Moses, and before all the congregation of the children of Israel; and they were weeping at the door of the tabernacle of witness. 7And Phinees the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, and rose out of the midst of the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand, 8and went in after the Israelitish man into the chamber, and pierced them both through, both the Israelitish man, and the woman through her womb; and the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. 9And those that died in the plague were four and twenty thousand.

Phinehas' Reward

10And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 11Phinees the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest has caused my wrath to cease from the children of Israel, when I was exceedingly jealous among them, and I did not consume the children of Israel in my jealousy. 12Thus do thou say to him, Behold, I give him a covenant of peace: 13and he and his seed after him shall have a perpetual covenant of priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.

14Now the name of the smitten Israelitish man, who was smitten with the Madianitish woman, was Zambri son of Salmon, prince of a house of the tribe of Symeon. 15And the name of the Madianitish woman who was smitten, was Chasbi, daughter of Sur, a prince of the nation of Ommoth: it is a chief house among the people of Madiam.

A Warning against the Midianites

16And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, saying, 17Plague the Madianites as enemies, and smite them, 18for they are enemies to you by the treachery wherein they ensnare you through Phogor, and through Chasbi their sister, daughter of a prince of Madiam, who was smitten in the day of the plague because of Phogor.