Numbers 25:4

Translations

Modern

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the LORD, so that His fierce anger may turn away from Israel.”

Traditional

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.

Literal

And YHWH said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people, and hang the offenders before YHWH out in the sun, that the burning of the nose of YHWH may turn away from Israel.”

Latin

…ait ad Moysen: Tolle cunctos principes populi, et suspende eos contra solem in patibulis, ut avertatur furor meus ab Israël.

Original

Hebrew

English

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the LORD, so that His fierce anger may turn away from Israel.”

Notes

Numbers 25:4

As at Sinai, the Lord required quick justice (Exodus 32:27–28).
execute them in broad daylight: They may have killed the guilty people and hung them on a pole. Then they would leave them in the sun so everyone could see and learn from their mistakes (see 2 Samuel 21:6, 9; compare 2 Samuel 12:12).

Numbers 25:1–18

Israel was camped across the Jordan River from Jericho. They were almost ready to enter the land and begin the conquest. However, at this important moment, they fell into serious sin.

Balaam advised Israel’s enemies to lead the people into sexual immorality and idolatry at Baal-peor (31:16).

He could not harm Israel with a curse, so he chose another way. He led them into sin through lust and the worship of false gods.

The early church faced similar temptations. Believers were warned about idolatry and sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 10:6, 11).

Theme notes and profiles

Balaam Eleazar Moses Holy War Purity and Identity

Related verses

Deuteronomy 13:17
Nothing devoted to destruction shall cling to your hands, so that the LORD will turn from His fierce anger, grant you mercy, show you compassion, and multiply you as He swore to your fathers,
Deuteronomy 4:3
Your eyes have seen what the LORD did at Baal-peor, for the LORD your God destroyed from among you all who followed Baal of Peor.
Deuteronomy 21:23
…you must not leave the body on the tree overnight, but you must be sure to bury him that day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse. You must not defile the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.
Numbers 25:11
“Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned My wrath away from the Israelites; for he was zealous for My sake among them, so that I did not consume the Israelites in My zeal.
2 Samuel 21:6
…let seven of his male descendants be delivered to us so that we may hang them before the LORD at Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD.” “I will give them to you,” said the king.
Exodus 18:25
So Moses chose capable men from all Israel and made them heads over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
Joshua 23:2
…he summoned all Israel, including its elders, leaders, judges, and officers. “I am old and well along in years,” he said,
Joshua 22:17
Was not the sin of Peor enough for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day? It even brought a plague upon the congregation of the LORD.
2 Samuel 21:9
And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the hill before the LORD. So all seven of them fell together; they were put to death in the first days of the harvest, at the beginning of the barley harvest.
Numbers 25:14–15
The name of the Israelite who was slain with the Midianite woman was Zimri son of Salu, the leader of a Simeonite family.
Deuteronomy 13:13
…that wicked men have arisen from among you and have led the people of their city astray, saying, “Let us go and serve other gods” (which you have not known),
Esther 7:9–10
Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said: “There is a gallows fifty cubits high at Haman’s house. He had it built for Mordecai, who gave the report that saved the king.” “Hang him on it!” declared the king.

Parallels

1 Corinthians 10:1–13

People

Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes Moses: Prophet who led Israel out of Egypt

Glossary

Balaam Beth-Peor Criminal Law and Punishment Deuteronomy, Book of Gods and Goddesses Idols, Idolatry Joshua, Book of Midian, Midianite Moab, Moabites Numbers, Book of Peor (Deity) Peor (Place) Shittim (Place)

Topics

Alliance and Society with the Enemies of God: Lead to Idolatry Anger: Anger of God Fellowship with the Wicked Israel: Commit Idolatry with the People of Moab Judgments: Upon the Israelites for Complaining Midianites with the Moabites: Seduced Israel to Idolatry Punishments: Capital Kinds of Hanging

Numbers 25:4

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