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Numbers Chapter
Twenty-five
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 25
The
contents of this chapter are, the sin of the people of Israel, their whoredom
and idolatry, Numbers 25:1, their
punishment for it, multitudes being slain, Numbers 25:4, whose
number is given, Numbers 25:9, the
zeal of Phinehas in slaying two notorious offenders, Numbers 25:6, whose
names are observed, Numbers 25:14 for
which he is commended, and the covenant of priesthood was given and confirmed
unto him, Numbers 25:10, and
the chapter is concluded with an order to vex the Midianites, for vexing Israel
with their wiles, Numbers 25:16.
Numbers 25:1 Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove,[a] and the
people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab.
YLT
1And Israel dwelleth in
Shittim, and the people begin to go a-whoring unto daughters of Moab,
And Israel abode in Shittim,.... A place in the
plains of Moab, so called from the shittim wood, which grew here in great
abundance, so often mentioned in the building of the tabernacle; which was a
sort of white thorn, or rather the acacia tree, since there was scarcely any
thing else grew in the deserts of Arabia; see Gill on Exodus 25:5 its
full name was Abelshittim, Numbers 33:49, here
the Israelites abode even to the death of Moses, for this was their last
station in the wilderness; they were now on the borders of the land of Canaan,
and just ready to enter into it, which is an aggravation of the sins they here
fell into, and are next observed:
and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab; and of Midian
also, as appears from Numbers 25:6 by the
advice of Balaam, the Moabites and Midianites found ways and means to become
familiar with the Israelites, and to introduce their daughters into their
company and conversation, and being ensnared and enamoured with them, they were
drawn to commit lewdness with them, and hereby were led on to commit other
abominations, which brought the divine displeasure upon them; so that what they
dared not attempt by war, and could not effect by sorceries and divinations,
they accomplished by those iniquitous arts, namely, bringing the wrath, the
curse, and plague of God upon them.
Numbers 25:2 2 They invited the people to the sacrifices of their
gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.
YLT
2and they call for the
people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people eat, and bow themselves
to their gods,
And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods,.... That is,
the daughters of Moab and Midian, with whom the children of Israel carried on
an unlawful correspondence, invited them, their gallants, to come and partake
of the feasts which attended the sacrifices of their idols; for part of what
was offered to idols a feast was kept with, to which great numbers were
invited, and which was observed with all the circumstances of joy and pleasure
imaginable, and which was very ensnaring, especially to young people; and the
children of Israel being so much enamoured with the beauty of the Moabitish
women, and so strong were their lusts and passions, that they could not refuse
the invitation:
and the people did eat: of the things sacrificed
to idols, and so became guilty of idolatry, even by so doing, and then when
they had eaten and drank, and were merry, they were led on to other acts of
idolatry:
and bowed down to their gods: which was a plain and
open act of idolatry, whereby they testified their faith in their divinity,
their reverence of them, and their homage and obedience to them: Jarchi says,
when the evil concupiscence or lust was strong in them, and they solicited the
daughters of Moab to hearken to them, and comply with them, they used to take
the image of Peor out of their bosom, and said, worship this, signifying that
on that condition they would gratify them; and thus whoredom led them on to
idolatry, and they committed the one for the sake of being indulged in the
other.
Numbers 25:3 3 So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of
the Lord was aroused against Israel.
YLT
3and Israel is joined to
Baal-Peor, and the anger of Jehovah burneth against Israel.
And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor,.... The name
of an idol; one of the Baals, Baal being a general name for an idol; and, to
distinguish this from other Baals or idols, it was called Peor, either from its
opening its mouth in prophecy, as Ainsworth; or from some obscene posture and
action used in the worship of it, being, as it is by many thought to be, the
same with Priapus; or rather from the mountain Peor, where it was worshipped,
as Jupiter is called Jupiter Olympius, Capitolinus, &c. from the mountains
where he had a temple, or was worshipped; or from the name of some great
personage, called Lord Peor, who was deified after his death; hence these
Israelites are said to "eat the sacrifices of the dead", Psalm 106:28. Mr.
BedfordF20Scripture Chronology, p. 267. takes him to be Mizraim the
son of Ham, the Osiris of the Egyptians, and the Priapus of other Heathens: and
Father CalmetF21Dictionary, on word "Baal". is of opinion
that he is the same with Orus, Osiris, and Adonis; and that Pe is only a
prepositive article, and that Or is the name, and no other than Orus; but such
a criticism the word will not bear: this idol, the chief god of the Moabites,
was, in all probability, the same with Chemosh, who is expressly called the
abomination of Moab, 1 Kings 11:7 of
whom See Gill on Jeremiah 48:7 so
Chemosh and Peor are thought to be the same by our English poetF23"Next
Chemos, the obscene dread of Moab's sons, Peor his other name, -----"
Milton, B. 1. l. 406, 412. : to him the Israelites joined themselves, forsook
the true God in a great measure, and were initiated into the rites of this
deity, and constantly attended the worship of it, and cleaved unto it with
their hearts and directions, and joined with their harlots in all parts of
service performed unto it; See Gill on Hosea 9:10,
and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel; for no sin is
more provoking to God than idolatry, that being so directly opposite to his
nature, honour, and glory, as well as to his will and worship; and hereby the
end of Balaam and Balak was, in a great measure, answered, and Balaam obtained
that by his evil counsel which he could not by all his conjuring; this was seen
by the plague sent among them; See Gill on Numbers 24:14.
Numbers 25:4 4 Then the Lord said to
Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and hang the offenders before the Lord, out in the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.”
YLT
4And Jehovah saith unto
Moses, `Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them before Jehovah --
over-against the sun; and the fierceness of the anger of Jehovah doth turn back
from Israel.'
And the Lord said unto Moses,.... Being provoked with
the sins of the people, he called to him out of the tabernacle, or out of the
cloud:
take all the heads of the people, the princes of the
tribes, not to hang them, but to judge those that worshipped Peor, as Jarchi
interprets it; though some think that these having sinned, were ordered to be
taken and hanged, and made public examples of; but it can hardly be thought,
though there were some that might be guilty of the above sins, as Zimri, yet
not all of them:
hang them up before the Lord against the sun; that is,
those that were guilty of idolatry: the meaning is, and which all the Targums
give into, that these heads of the people were to assemble at some proper
place, the court of judicature, and order the delinquents to be brought before
them, and try, judge, and condemn those they found guilty, and cause them to be
hanged somewhere near the tabernacle, and before it, having neglected the
worship of God there, and served an idol; and this was to be done openly in the
daytime, that all might see and fear; and if it was the sun that was worshipped
in this idol, as some think, they were hanged against the sun, to show that the
idol they worshipped was not able to deliver them; but, in the face of it, and
as it were in defiance of it, they were ordered to be hanged up; and this,
according to the Targum of Jonathan, was in the morning against the rising sun,
and where they hung all day, and were taken down at sun setting:
that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel; when justice
had taken place, and proper punishment was inflicted upon the criminals,
whereby a just resentment was made against sin, and God glorified.
Numbers 25:5 5 So Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Every one of
you kill his men who were joined to Baal of Peor.”
YLT
5And Moses saith unto the
judges of Israel, `Slay ye each his men who are joined to Baal-Peor.'
And Moses said unto the judges of Israel,.... Either
the same with the heads of the people, or the rulers of thousands, hundreds,
fifties, and tens, according to the distribution by the advice of Jethro:
slay ye everyone his men, that were joined unto Baalpeor; all that were
under their several districts and jurisdictions, that were found guilty of that
crime; these they are ordered to slay, either with their own hands, or rather
cause to be slain by proper persons they should appoint to be executioners.
Numbers 25:6 6 And indeed, one of the children of Israel came and
presented to his brethren a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and in the
sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were
weeping at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
YLT
6And lo, a man of the sons
of Israel hath come, and bringeth in unto his brethren the Midianitess, before
the eyes of Moses, and before the eyes of all the company of the sons of
Israel, who are weeping at the opening of the tent of meeting;
And, behold, one of the children of Israel came,.... From one
of the cities of Moab or Midian, the latter rather, by what follows; where he
had been, very probably, to an idolatrous feast, and had eaten of the
sacrifices, and worshipped idols, and committed fornication with the daughters
of the land; and not content with indulging himself with those impurities at a
distance and where he was less known:
brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman; into his
father's family, into a tent where his brethren dwelt:
in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of
the children of Israel; in the most open and undisguised manner, into the midst of the
camp, passing by Moses, and a great number of the people, who were gathered
together on this solemn occasion, to seek the Lord, and humble themselves
before him:
who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation; the place where the people used to assemble together for
religious exercises; here they were weeping and mourning for the sins and
abominations that were committed among them, and on account of the punishment
inflicted on many of them, by the hand of the civil magistrate, and because of
the plague that was broke out upon them, from an angry God; by which it appears,
that though there were many who had fallen into those foul sins, yet there were
a great number which were not defiled with them, and sighed and cried for the
abominations in the midst of them: and because the fact here recorded was such
an amazing piece of impudence, the word "behold" is prefixed to the
account of it, it being done in such a public, bold, and audacious manner, and
at such a time, when so many had been hanged up for it, and the plague of God
was broke out among the people on account of it, and good men were bewailing
the sin, and the punishment of it; and if this was on a sabbath day, as the
Samaritan ChronicleF24Apud Hottinger. Smegma Oriental. l. 1. c. 8.
p. 448. relates, it was a further aggravation of it.
Numbers 25:7 7 Now when Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron
the priest, saw it, he rose from among the congregation and took a
javelin in his hand;
YLT
7and Phinehas, son of
Eleazar, son of Aaron, the priest, seeth, and riseth from the midst of the
company, and taketh a javelin in his hand,
And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the
priest, saw it,.... Saw the man pass by in this impudent manner, and his whore
with him; his spirit was stirred up, he was filled and fired with zeal for the
glory of God, and with an holy indignation against the sin and sinner, and with
a just concern for the honour of the righteous law of God; and, to prevent
others from falling into the same sin, led by the public example of so great a
personage, as it appears afterwards this man was:
he rose up from among the congregation; who were
weeping at the door of the tabernacle, or from the midst of the court of
judicature, set for trying and judging such persons who were charged with
idolatry; for he was not only the son of the high priest and his successor, but
a ruler over the Korahites, and had, besides his priestly office, a civil
authority, 1 Chronicles 9:20.
and took a javelin in his hand; a spear or pike; the
Jews sayF25Pirke Eliezer, c. 47. fol. 56. 1. he snatched it out of
the hand of Moses; and, according to JosephusF26Antiqu. l. 4. c. 6.
sect. 12. , it was a sword; but the word rather signifies an hand pike; this
being ready at hand, he took it up and pursued the criminal.
Numbers 25:8 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 body.
So the plague was stopped among the children of Israel.
YLT
8and goeth in after the man
of Israel unto the hollow place, and pierceth them both, the man of Israel and
the woman -- unto her belly, and the plague is restrained from the sons of
Israel;
And he went after the man of Israel into the tent,.... Into
which he went with his harlot; the word here used is different from what is
commonly used for a tent: Aben Ezra observes that in the Kedarene or Arabic
language there is a word near to it, which Bochart, putting the article
"al" to it, saysF1"conclave est camerati operis, quo
lectus circumdatur", Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 4. c. 8. Colossians
1092. Vid. Schultens Animadv. Philolog. in Job. p. 183. , is
"alkobba", from whence is the word "alcove" with us; and
Aben Ezra says, there was some little difference between the form of a tent and
this, as well as others observeF2Castel. Lex. Heptaglot. Colossians 3261. there was in the matter of it, this
being of skins and leather, and the other of hair, boughs of trees, &c. the
author of AruchF3Baal Aruch, fol. 133. 4. says, it was short, or
narrow above and broad below, and interprets it a place in which whores were
put; and so it is used in the TalmudF4T. Bab. Avoda Zara, fol. 17.
2. for a brothel house, and is so translated here by some interpretersF5אל הקבה "in lupanar",
V. L. "ad lupanar", Montanus; "in lupanar ipsum", Junius
& Tremellius; "in fornicem", Tigurine version. :
and thrust both of them through; with his javelin, spear,
or pike:
the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly; by which, it
seems, they were killed in the very act of uncleanness; this was an
extraordinary action, done by a person of public authority, and under a more
than common emotion of spirit, and not to be drawn into an example by persons
of a private character:
so the plague was stayed from the children of Israel; which had
broke out among them and carried off many; even a disease, the pestilence,
according to JosephusF6Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 4. c. 6. sect. 12.) ;
it ceasing upon this fact of Phinehas, shows that that was approved of by the
Lord.
Numbers 25:9 9 And those who died in the plague were twenty-four
thousand.
YLT
9and the dead by the plague
are four and twenty thousand.
And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand. The apostle
says 23,000 1 Corinthians 10:8.
Moses includes those that were hanged against the sun, in the time of the
plague, as well as those that were taken off by it, even all that died on this
account; the apostle only those that "fell", which cannot with
propriety be said of those that were hanged, who might be 1000 and so their
numbers agree; but of this and other ways of removing this difficulty See Gill
on 1 Corinthians 10:8.
Numbers 25:10 10 Then the Lord spoke to
Moses, saying:
YLT
10And Jehovah speaketh unto
Moses, saying,
And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... Out of the cloud, or
out of the tabernacle, at the door of which Moses now was, Numbers 25:6, this
was after so many had died of the plague, and after the fact of Phinehas, by
which it was stopped: saying; as follows.
Numbers 25:11 11 “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the
priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was
zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of
Israel in My zeal.
YLT
11`Phinehas, son of Eleazar,
son of Aaron the priest, hath turned back My fury from the sons of Israel, by
his being zealous with My zeal in their midst, and I have not consumed the sons
of Israel in My zeal.
Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest,.... His
descent and genealogy is observed as before, partly to show that he was not a
private person, but a man of public authority that did the above fact; perhaps
one of the judges that Moses ordered to slay every man his man, and therefore
what he did by the order of the supreme magistrate; and partly to show that he
was heir apparent to the office of high priest, who in course was to succeed in
it; nor should this action of his hinder it, but rather serve to secure and
confirm it to him:
hath turned away my wrath from the children of Israel; caused the
effects of it to cease, by slaying the two persons, as before related:
while he was zealous for my sake among you; for the glory
of God, the honour of his law, the credit of religion, and the good of his
people, which is a good cause to be zealously affected in, Galatians 4:18 in
which he was a type of Christ, whose zeal for the house of God, for the
doctrine, discipline, and worship of it, for the salvation of his people, and
the glory of God thereby, ate him up, Psalm 69:9 as well
as in his turning away wrath from Israel; sin is the cause of wrath, and for it
is revealed from heaven; the people of God are deserving of it as others; but
Christ has bore it for them, and so has delivered them from it and all the effects
of it, and they are secure from its coming upon them:
that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy; by the plague
sent among them, being so highly provoked with their shocking abominations.
Numbers 25:12 12 Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him My covenant of
peace;
YLT
12`Therefore say, Lo, I am
giving to him My covenant of peace,
Wherefore say,.... Moses is bid to tell what follows to
Phinehas himself, for his comfort and encouragement, and to the people of
Israel, that they might take notice of it, and give him honour and respect, as
one highly esteemed by the Lord:
behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace; not only
hereby assuring him that he had nothing to fear from the brethren and relations
of the person he had slain, as Aben Ezra; but that he should enjoy all peace
and happiness, external, internal, and eternal: Baal Hatfurira on the place
says, that "Shalom", peace, is by geometry, or numerically, the
Messiah; who is the peace, the peace maker, and peace giver, and in whom all
the blessings of grace and peace are: and if this covenant is the same with the
covenant of the priesthood in the next verse, it may be so called, because the
priests had a peculiar nearness to God, and enjoyed his friendship, favour, and
peace with him, and because the right administration of their office was the
means of peace between God and his people; in this also Phinehas was a type of
Christ; the covenant of grace made with him is called the covenant of peace, Isaiah 54:10 for in
this covenant the scheme of peace and reconciliation was formed, agreed to, and
settled; Christ was appointed the peace maker, which he agreed to be; and in
consequence of it was sent and obtained peace by the blood of his cross, which
is published in the everlasting Gospel, called therefore the Gospel of peace.
Numbers 25:13 13 and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a
covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and
made atonement for the children of Israel.’”
YLT
13and it hath been to him and
to his seed after him a covenant of a priesthood age-during, because that he
hath been zealous for his God, and doth make atonement for the sons of Israel.'
And he shall have it, and his seed after him,.... The
covenant, and all the blessings of it; so the covenant stands fast with Christ,
and all his spiritual seed, Psalm 89:28,
even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; or this may
be read in connection with the preceding words, and the sense be, and he and
his shall have the covenant of an everlasting priesthood, beside the covenant
of peace before promised to him: the Aaronic priesthood is called everlasting,
because it was to continue, and did continue, throughout the whole Jewish
dispensation, unto the coming of the Messiah, in whom it had its fulfilling
end. Now though Phinehas in course was to have the priesthood at his father's
death, yet it is here promised him on account of his zeal, both to assure him
that he should survive his father, and that nothing should befall him that
should render him incapable of the priesthood; and moreover, that he should
have a seed in whom it should be continued; there was indeed an interruption of
it in his line for a little while, on some account or other, it being
translated into the family of Eli, a son of Ithamar; but then it was restored
again in the time of Solomon to the family of Phinehas, where it continued unto
the captivity, and even to the times of Herod, and so of the Messiah: in this
also Phinehas was a type of Christ, the covenant made with him not only being
from everlasting and to everlasting, a covenant that cannot be broken, and will
never be removed; but the priesthood founded on it is so too, being established
by the oath of God, who swore to him, "thou art a priest for ever after
the order of Melchizedek": Christ's priesthood is an unchangeable one, and
does not pass from one to another; his sacrifice has a perpetual virtue and
efficacy in it to take away sin, and he ever lives to make intercession for his
people, Hebrews 7:21,
because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the
children of Israel; by executing judgment upon the delinquents, as Christ has made
atonement for the sins of his people by satisfying law and justice: and,
besides what has been observed, it may be remarked, that there is an agreement
between Phinehas and Christ in his very name; Phinehas signifies either
"the face of him that spares", that is, of God, that spares; Christ
is the face of God, the express image of his person, even of him, who, though
he spared not Christ himself, yet he spares his people for Christ's sake; or
else "he shall look that spares", or "and spare"F7Vid.
Hiller. Onomastic. Sacr. p. 476. ; that is, God, who looks upon the person,
righteousness, blood, and sacrifice of his Son, and spares his people.
Numbers 25:14 14 Now the name of the Israelite who was killed, who was
killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, a leader of
a father’s house among the Simeonites.
YLT
14And the name of the man of
Israel who is smitten, who hath been smitten with the Midianitess, [is] Zimri
son of Salu, prince of the house of a father of the Simeonite;
Now the name of the Israelite that was slain,.... By
Phinehas, as before related:
even that was slain
with the Midianitish woman; who was slain also, both together with one
thrust:
was Zimri, the son of Sela, a prince of a chief house among the
Simeonites; or a prince of his father's house, or family; there were five
families of the Simeonites, and this man was a prince of one of them, see Numbers 26:12
though JosephusF8Antiqu. l. 4. c. 6. sect. 10. , and so the
Samaritan ChronicleF9Apud Hottinger, Smegma Oriental, l. 1. c. 8. p.
448. , make him to be a prince of the tribe of Simeon. His name is mentioned
partly to the reproach of him, and partly for the honour of Phinehas, whose
zeal and courage were such, that he feared not to take away the life of a
person of such figure, authority, and interest among the people.
Numbers 25:15 15 And the name of the Midianite woman who was killed was
Cozbi the daughter of Zur; he was head of the people of a father’s house
in Midian.
YLT
15and the name of the woman
who is smitten, the Midianitess, [is] Cozbi daughter of Zur, head of a people
-- of the house of a father in Midian [is] he.
And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi,
the daughter of Zur,.... One of the five kings of Midian, Numbers 31:8 and so
the Samaritan Chronicle saysF11Apud Hottinger, ut supra. (Smergma
Oriental, l. 1. c. 8. p. 448.) , it was the daughter of a king that came to a
prince of the tribe of Simeon, and enticed him to eat of her food, and worship
her idols. The Targum of Jonathan says she was called Selonae, the daughter of
Balak, chief of the nation of Moab, whose habitation was in Midian:
he was head over a people, and of a chief house in Midian; that is, Zur,
the father of Cozbi, was; there were five sons of Midian, whose names are
given, Genesis 25:4 from
whence Jarchi concludes, that there were five principal families in Midian, and
that this man was the head or chief of one of them, which is not improbable;
and that also makes for the honour of Phinehas, that he spared not any for
their rank and quality, of whatsoever nation they were.
Numbers 25:16 16 Then the Lord spoke to
Moses, saying:
YLT
16And Jehovah speaketh unto
Moses, saying,
And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... This was some time
after the above affair happened; how long it was is not certain; and a little
time before the death of Moses, see Numbers 31:1,
saying; as follows.
Numbers 25:17 17 “Harass the Midianites, and attack them;
YLT
17`Distress the Midianites,
and ye have smitten them,
Vex the Midianites, and smite them. Go to war with them, and
smite them with the sword; not the Moabites, but the Midianites, though they
were both confederates against Israel; but God had given a charge not to contend
in battle with Moab, Deuteronomy 2:9,
they were spared for the sake of Lot, from whom they sprang; and, as Jarchi
says, for the sake of Ruth, who was to come from them; and so in the TalmudF12T.
Bab. Bava Kama, fol. 38. 2. ; though they did not entirely escape the divine
resentment, as appears from Deuteronomy 23:3
but the Midianites were the first that advised to send for Balaam, and with
them he stayed and was entertained, after he had been dismissed by Balak; and
it seems as if it was to them he gave the wicked counsel, to draw Israel into
fornication, and so into idolatry, and thereby bring the curse of God upon
them; which advice they communicated to the Moabites, and both were concerned
in putting it into execution; see Numbers 22:4.
Numbers 25:18 18 for they harassed you with their schemes by which they
seduced you in the matter of Peor and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a
leader of Midian, their sister, who was killed in the day of the plague because
of Peor.”
YLT
18for they are adversaries to
you with their frauds, [with] which they have acted fraudulently to you,
concerning the matter of Peor, and concerning the matter of Cozbi, daughter of
a prince of Midian, their sister, who is smitten in the day of the plague for
the matter of Peor.'
For they vex you with their wiles,.... Not with wars, but
with wiles, with cunning stratagems, and artful methods to draw them into sin,
that thereby they might be exposed to the wrath of God:
wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor; the idol
Peor, that is, Baalpeor; which seems to countenance the notion that Peor was
the name of a man, some great personage, who was deified after his death; now
the Midianites beguiled the Israelites, by sending their daughters among them,
with whom they committed fornication, and by whom they were inveigled to
worship the idol Peor:
and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister;
their countrywoman, as it was common with eastern people to call those of the
same country with them their brethren and sisters: now the Midianites beguiled
the Israelites, by prostituting a person of such quality to a prince of theirs,
which was setting an example to other daughters of Midian to follow her, and so
hereby many of the children of Israel were ensnared into whoredom, and into
idolatry:
which was slain in the day of the plague, for Peor's sake: or for the
business of Peor, as the Targum of Jonathan, because of the worship of that
idol; not that Cozbi was slain upon that account, but the plague came upon
Israel by reason of their worshipping of it, and it was on the day that the
plague was that she was slain; by which it seems that the plague lasted but one
day.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)