The Fourth Book of Moses, called Numbers
Numbers 25
Chapter XXV · Vol. I, pp. 456–457
1 Israel at Shittim commit whoredom and idolatry. 6 Phinehas killeth Zimri and Cozbi. 10 God therefore giveth him an everlasting priesthood. 16 The Midianites are to be vexed.
1 AND Israel abode in a Shittim,1 and the b people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.2
a ch. 33.49; 36.13. Jos. 3.1.
1 Situated in Arboth-Moab, at the foot of the mountain range of Abarim, and immediately under Nebo, and opposite Jericho.—P.
b De. 4.3, 4. ver. 6.17, 18; ch. 31.15, 16. Ec. 7.26. 1 Co. 10.6. Ex. 20.14.
2 The abrupt and almost mysterious manner in which Balaam and Balak part, countenances the high probability that Balaam having observed the manners of the Moabites, and estimated the Israelitish character, had suggested covertly the diabolical counsel recorded to his infamy, ch. 31.16.—C.
2 And they c called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods:3 and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.
c ch. 31.16. Re. 2.14. 1 Co. 10.8. Ps. 106.28. Ex. 34.15. Pr. 1.10, 16.
3 These sacrifices, as we learn from the preceding chapter, were bullocks and sheep, and so well calculated to operate as a lure to a people disgusted with the manna, and longing for the flesh-pots of Egypt.—C.
3 And Israel d joined himself unto Baal-peor:4 and the e anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.
4 Baal-peor, or Peor, was an idol of the Moabites and Midianites.—[The obscene god of the Moabites, a part of whose worship was the violation of the divine law.—C.]
4 And the LORD said unto Moses, f Take all the heads of the people,5 and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.
f De. 4.3. Jos. 22.17. 2 Sa. 21.6, 9. 1 Ti. 5.20. Pr. 21.3.
5 It does not mean that all 'the heads of the people' had been guilty, and were to be condemned, but that they were to assemble in judgment and see the law against idolatry fully carried into effect.—C.
5 And Moses said unto g the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baal-peor.
6 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 h weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
h Eze. 9.4. Ezr. 9.3, 4; 10.6, 9. Ju. 2.4.
7 And i when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a k javelin in his hand;
i Ps. 106.29. Ex. 6.25. ch. 31.6. Jos. 22.13. Ju. 20.28.
A.M. 2552. B.C. 1452.
k A spear or pike, 1 Sa. 18.10, 11; 19.9.
8 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. l So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.
l ch. 16.50. 1 Ch. 21.22. Ps. 106.30.
9 And m those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.
m 1 Co. 10.8. ver. 4, 5. De. 4.3. It seems Moses here includes those who were hanged during the plague.—[Moses reckons them at 24,000, Paul (1 Co. 10.8) at 23,000: is not this a contradiction? No! Moses speaks of all who died, both during the plague and the continuance of the trials and judicial executions; Paul of those who died by the plague 'in one day.'—C.]
10 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
11 Phinehas,n the son of Eleazar, 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 consumed not the children of Israel in my o jealousy.
n Ps. 106.30. Jos. vii. 2 Sa. 21.1-14. 2 Co. 11.2.
13 And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an q everlasting priesthood; because he was r zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.6
q 1 Ch. 6.4-15.
r Ga. 4.18. Ps. 106.30, 31; 69.9; 119.136, 139. Zec. 1.14.
6 The conduct of Phinehas is not to be defended by pleading a special divine warrant, of which we have no mention. It is to be defended on a different ground, viz. that he was a constituted judge, that he rightly interpreted the law, and possessed the legal power of enforcing his sentence, either by deputy or by his own hand. See 1 Sa. 15.33.—C.
14 Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, s a prince of a chief house7 among the Simeonites.8
s 2 Ch. 19.7. 1 Ti. 5.21.
7 Heb. house of a father.
8 Zimri being a man of rank and power, ventured thus openly to defy the authority of Moses and to violate the divine law. The leading men of Moab were also implicated in the impious act, for Cozbi was the daughter of a chief. It was therefore necessary to make an example of them; and Phinehas acted with equal wisdom and daring.—P.
15 And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of t Zur; he was head over a people, and of a chief house in Midian.
t ch. 31.8. Jos. 13.21. This act of Phinehas was done by a warrant from God.
16 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
17 Vexu the Midianites, and smite them:9
A.M. 2552. B.C. 1452.
u ch. 31.2. Re. 18.6.
9 The assertion that the spirit of this Mosaic commandment is opposite to the Christian precept of 'loving our enemies,' is founded either in inexcusable inattention, ignorance, or perversity. To vex a wicked man by opposing, thwarting, exposing, and disappointing him, is no breach of charity: but an exercise of it in favour of his victims. To 'smite' the seducer of innocence, the demoralizer of youth, is so far from being contrary to love, that it is frequently a merciful exercise of it, even towards the guilty, whom it serves to arrest in his career of evil.—C.
Notes
Reflections.—If the devil's agents prevail not against the church one way, they will try another. But let us remember, that no enchantment can hurt us but that of our own lusts; that one sin leads to another; and that few temptations are more dangerous than the lustful love of women. If once the heart be ensnared, the miserable slave of lust and beauty may be enticed to anything sinful. Nothing more endangers the soul's final apostasy from God than yielding to the solicitation of fleshly lusts: nor doth anything more effectually secure the justice of God and despair of hell. Yea, general distempers and loathsome diseases are the fruit of general and loathsome iniquities: and such sinners quickly become impudent in their crimes. It is necessary therefore to punish sins with great impartiality, as the higher men are the more aggravated and hurtful is their offence. A well-timed and prudent zeal for the honour of God, in opposition to prevailing abominations, is a remarkable blessing to nations and churches. And God greatly honours and rewards such as dare to be bold and impartial in his cause for ridding a land of sin, and rescuing it from plagues. But friendship in sin quickly issues in mutual hatred and ruin; and tempters to sin are tormented with trouble. But in Phinehas may I not discern Jesus, whose zeal for his Father's house, and for the destruction of sin and the salvation of men, did, as it were, consume him? who, for destroying the works of the devil, hath everlasting honours bestowed upon him and his spiritual seed; and an everlasting covenant of priesthood established with him, as the reward of his work?