Números 25

Números 25

Cole applies the truth that Phinehas' obedience impacted generations of his line - As a result of Phinehas’ bold action, the Lord told Moses that He was giving to Phinehas His covenant of peace, and then added, “and it shall be for him and his descendants after him, a covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God” (Nu 25:13). Phinehas’ bold obedience resulted in blessing on his descendants for hundreds of years, right down to Ezra! (Cole is preaching a sermon on Ezra) The lesson for us who have godly parents is, we can either disobey the Lord and deprive our descendants of God’s blessing, or we can be bold in obeying the Lord and bring His blessing on our descendants. But the point stands in Scripture, that God’s blessing flows through family lines. We never obey or sin in isolation. That sobering thought should motivate us to follow the Lord. Because he was jealous for his God: "zealous" in KJV, NIV & Lxx = zeloo (hotly desire 1 Co 12:31) He was jealous (07065) (qanah from qin'ah = zeal, ardor - from color produced in face by deep emotion) means to be jealous, to be envious, to be zealous. The picture is that of intense fervor, passion, and emotion. Zeal is an eagerness and ardent interest in pursuit of something and implies energetic and unflagging pursuit of an aim or devotion to a cause. Jealousy can be righteous or unrighteous - e.g., Genesis 37:11 records that Joseph's "brothers were jealous of him" and here we see the mindset and emotion of their fleshly jealousy led to unrighteous deeds! Contrast Phinehas godly jealousy that motivated righteous deeds! The Greek verb is zeloo from zelos [word study] = zeal in turn from zeo = boil; source of our English word "zeal") means to be fervent, to "boil" with envy, to be jealous. It can be used commendably to refer to a striving for something or showing zeal. Vine - qana˒ (קָנָא, 7065), “to be jealous; to be zealous.”This verb, derived from the noun qin˒ah, occurs 34 times in the Old Testament. The root appears in several Semitic languages with the meaning “to be zealous” (Aramaic and Ethiopic). In Ugaritic and Arabic the root occurs, but it is questionable if the root is related to the meaning “to be zealous”; the meaning in Ugaritic text is uncertain, and the meaning in Arabic, “became intensely red,” is not to be explained etymologically. The verb qana˒ appears in rabbinic Hebrew. At the interhuman level qana˒ has a strongly competitive sense. In its most positive sense the word means “to be filled with righteous zeal or jealousy.” The law provides that a husband who suspects his wife of adultery can bring her to a priest, who will administer a test of adultery. Whether his accusation turns out to be grounded or not, the suspicious man has a legitimate means of ascertaining the truth. In his case a spirit of jealousy has come over him, as he “is jealous” of his wife (Num. 5:30). However, even in this context (Num. 5:12-31), the jealousy has arisen out of a spirit of rivalry which cannot be tolerated in a marriage relationship. The jealousy must be cleared by a means ordained by the law and administered by the priests. Qana˒, then, in its most basic sense is the act of advancing one’s rights to the exclusion of the rights of others: “… Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim” (Isa. 11:13). Saul sought to murder the Gibeonite enclave “in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah” (2 Sam. 21:2). Next, the word signifies the attitude of envy toward an opponent. Rachel in her barren state “envied her sister” (Gen. 30:1) and in the state of envy approached Jacob: “Give me children, or else I die.” The Philistines envied Isaac because of the multitude of his flocks and herds (Gen. 26:14). The Bible contains a strong warning against being envious of sinners, who might prosper and be powerful today, but will be no more tomorrow: “Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways” (Prov. 3:31, NIV; cf. Ps. 37:1). In man’s relation to God, the act of zeal is more positively viewed as the act of the advancement of God and His glory over against substitutes. The tribe of Levi received the right to service because “he was zealous for his God” (Num. 25:13). Elijah viewed himself as the only faithful servant left in Israel: “I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant … And I, even I only, am left …” (1 Kings 19:10). However, the sense of qana˒ is “to make jealous,” that is, “to provoke to anger”: “They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger” (Deut. 32:16). God is not tainted with the negative connotation of the verb. His holiness does not tolerate competitors or those who sin against Him. In no single passage in the whole Old Testament is God described as envious. Even in those texts where the adjective “jealous” is used, it might be more appropriate to understand it as “zealous.” When God is the subject of the verb qana˒, the meaning is “be zealous,” and the preposition le (“to, for”) is used before the object: His holy name (Ezek. 39:25); His land (Joel 2:18); and His inheritance (Zech. 1:14). Cf. Zech. 8:2: “This is what the Lord Almighty says: I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her” (NIV), where we must interpret “jealous[y]” as “zealous” and “zeal.” In the Septuagint the word zelos (“zeal; ardor; jealousy”) brings out the Hebrew usage. In the English versions similar translations are given: “to be jealous” or “to be zealous” (KJV, RSV, NASB, NIV) and to be envious (KJV and NIV) (Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary) Brown-Driver-Briggs Expanded Definition - [ קָנָא verb denominative Pi`el be jealous, zealous (Gerber131); — Perfect 3 masculine singular קִנֵּא Numbers 25:13+; 1 singular קִנֵּאתִי Zechariah 1:14 + etc.; Imperfect יְקַנֵּא Isaiah 11:13; Proverbs 23:17, etc.; Infinitive absolute קַנֹּא 1 Kings 19:10,14; construct suffix קַנְאוֺ Numbers 25:11; קַנּאֹתוֺ 2 Samuel 21:2; Participle מְקַנֵּא Numbers 11:29; — 1 be jealous of, with accusative אֶתאִֿשְׁתּוֺ Numbers 5:14 (twice in verse); Numbers 5:30 (P); in rivalry Isaiah 11:13. 2 be envious of with ב person, Genesis 30:1 (E), Genesis 37:11 (J) Psalm 37:1; Psalm 73:3; Proverbs 3:31; Proverbs 23:17; Proverbs 24:1,19; with accusative of person Genesis 26:14 (J), Ezekiel 31:9; with ל person Psalm 106:16. 3 be zealous for: a. of Prayer of Manasseh , withל person Numbers 11:29 (J), 2 Samuel 21:2; for God Numbers 25:13 (P), 1 Kings 19:10,14; קנאה׳ק Numbers 25:11(P). b. of God, לְשֵׁם קָדְשִׁי Ezekiel 39:25, לְאַרְצוֺ Joel 2:18, ׳לִירוּשׁ Zechariah 1:14, לְצִיּוֺן Zechariah 8:2 (twice in verse). 4 excite to jealous anger, with בִּ instrumental Deuteronomy 32:21 a (dubious; probably הַקְנִאוּנִי; compare Deuteronomy 32:16.21 b), 1 Kings 14:22. Hiph`il provoke to jealous anger: Imperfect 3 masculine plural suffix יַקְנִאֻהוּ Deuteronomy 32:16; יַקְנִיאוּהוּ Psalm 78:58 ("" וַיַּכְעִיסוּהוּ) 1 singular אַקְנִיאֵם Deuteronomy 32:21 b; Participle metaplastic מַקְנֶה Ezekiel 8:3 (Ges§ 75q, del Co.). Gesenius Definition - קָנָא not used in Kal; Arab. قَنَأَ to become very red. Hence Piel קִנֵּא (1) to be jealous (from the redness with which the face is suffused); followed by an acc. of the wife, Numbers 5:14 followed by בְּ of a woman who is a rival, Genesis 30:1. Causat. i.q. Hiphil, to excite any one’s jealousy and anger, followed by בְּ with anything, Deuteronomy 32:21; 1 Kings 14:22. (2) to envy any one, followed by בְּ of pers. Genesis 37:11; Psalms 37:1, 73:3 Proverbs 23:17, 24:1, 19 Proverbs 24:19 followed by an acc. Genesis 26:14; Isaiah 11:13 followed by לְ Psalms 106:16. (3) to burn with zeal for any person or thing (ζηλόω). (a) followed by לְ to be zealous for any one’s cause (eifern für jem.), Numbers 25:11, 13 Numbers 25:13; 2 Samuel 21:2; 1 Kings 19:10. (b) to envy any one; followed by בְּ Proverbs 3:31. Hiphil, causat., to excite jealousy (see Piel No. 1), Deuteronomy 32:16, 21 Deuteronomy 32:21; Psalms 78:58. Derivatives, קַנָּא, קַנּוֹא, קִנְאה. Qanah - 29v - Usage: became envious(1), became jealous(1), been very zealous(2), envied(1), envious(4), envy(2), jealous(14), jealousy(1), made him jealous(1), made me jealous(1), provoked him to jealousy(1), provokes to jealousy(1), zeal(1), zealous(1). Gen. 26:14; Gen. 30:1; Gen. 37:11; Num. 5:14; Num. 5:30; Num. 11:29; Num. 25:11; Num. 25:13; Deut. 32:16; Deut. 32:21; 2 Sam. 21:2; 1 Ki. 14:22; 1 Ki. 19:10; 1 Ki. 19:14; Ps. 37:1; Ps. 73:3; Ps. 78:58; Ps. 106:16; Prov. 3:31; Prov. 23:17; Prov. 24:1; Prov. 24:19; Isa. 11:13; Ezek. 8:3; Ezek. 31:9; Ezek. 39:25; Joel 2:18; Zech. 1:14; Zech. 8:2 Genesis 26:14 for he had possessions of flocks and herds and a great household, so that the Philistines envied him. Genesis 30:1 Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she became jealous of her sister; and she said to Jacob, "Give me children, or else I die." Genesis 37:11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind. Numbers 5:14 if a spirit of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous of his wife when she has defiled herself, or if a spirit of jealousy comes over him and he is jealous of his wife when she has not defiled herself, 30 or when a spirit of jealousy comes over a man and he is jealous of his wife, he shall then make the woman stand before the LORD, and the priest shall apply all this law to her. Numbers 11:29 But Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD'S people were prophets, that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!" Numbers 25:11 "Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned away My wrath from the sons of Israel in that he was jealous with My jealousy among them, so that I did not destroy the sons of Israel in My jealousy. 13 and it shall be for him and his descendants after him, a covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the sons of Israel.'" Deuteronomy 32:16 "They made Him jealous with strange gods; With abominations they provoked Him to anger. 21 'They have made Me jealous with what is not God; They have provoked Me to anger with their idols. So I will make them jealous with those who are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation, 2 Samuel 21:2 So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the sons of Israel but of the remnant of the Amorites, and the sons of Israel made a covenant with them, but Saul had sought to kill them in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah). 1 Kings 14:22 Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked Him to jealousy more than all that their fathers had done, with the sins which they committed. 1 Kings 19:10 He said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away." 14 Then he said, "I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away." Psalm 37:1 A Psalm of David. Do not fret because of evildoers, Be not envious toward wrongdoers. Psalm 73:3 For I was envious of the arrogant As I saw the prosperity of the wicked. Psalm 78:58 For they provoked Him with their high places And aroused His jealousy with their graven images. Psalm 106:16 When they became envious of Moses in the camp, And of Aaron, the holy one of the LORD, Proverbs 3:31 Do not envy a man of violence And do not choose any of his ways. Proverbs 23:17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, But live in the fear of the LORD always. Proverbs 24:1 Do not be envious of evil men, Nor desire to be with them; 19 Do not fret because of evildoers Or be envious of the wicked; Isaiah 11:13 Then the jealousy of Ephraim will depart, And those who harass Judah will be cut off; Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, And Judah will not harass Ephraim. Ezekiel 8:3 He stretched out the form of a hand and caught me by a lock of my head; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate of the inner court, where the seat of the idol of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy, was located. Ezekiel 31:9 'I made it beautiful with the multitude of its branches, And all the trees of Eden, which were in the garden of God, were jealous of it. Ezekiel 39:25 ¶ Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, "Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacob and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name. Joel 2:18 Then the LORD will be zealous for His land And will have pity on His people. Zechariah 1:14 So the angel who was speaking with me said to me, "Proclaim, saying, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, "I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and Zion. Zechariah 8:2 "Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'I am exceedingly jealous for Zion, yes, with great wrath I am jealous for her.' ACTIONS OF PHINEHAS ACHIEVE ATONEMENT and made atonement for the sons of Israel: Phinehas' action covered over as it were (root meaning of kapar) the horrible sins of Israel at Shittim. NLT paraphrases it as "making them right with Me." The lives (blood) of Zimri and Cozbi although "defiled" were accepted by Yahweh as atonement so that His wrath was propitiated or satisfied for the wages of sin are death and they paid the "wages" so to speak. NET NOTE - The atonement that he made in this passage refers to the killing of the two obviously blatant sinners. By doing this he dispensed with any animal sacrifice, for the sinners themselves died. In Leviticus it was the life of the substitutionary animal that was taken in place of the sinners that made atonement. The point is that sin was punished by death (cp Ro 6:23), and so God was free to end the plague and pardon the people. God's holiness and righteousness have always been every bit as important as God's mercy and compassion, for without righteousness and holiness mercy and compassion mean nothing. F F Bruce explains atonement in this bizarre situation - Because of the Israelites’ apostasy and sin, atonement was required before divine forgiveness could be proffered. The atonement that Phinehas offered was that of two human offenders. Normally in the Old Testament, atonement is mentioned in connection with sacrifices, such as the sin offering. But in twenty-two passages, atonement was effected by means other than ceremonial offerings (for example, Ex 32:30–32; Deut 21:1–9; 2 Sam 21:3–9). Therefore, just as the life of the animal was a substitute, the means of ransoming the life of the guilty party, so the holiness of God was defended in this case through the substitution of the lives of the sinning couple. With atonement made, God could pardon His people and halt the spread of the plague. (Ibid) Atonement was made (03722)(kapar) conveys the primary sense of "to wipe [something off (or on)]" (see especially the goal of the sin offering, Lev 4, "to purge" the tabernacle from impurities), but in some cases it refers metaphorically to "wiping away" anything that might stand in the way of good relations by bringing a gift (see, e.g., Ge 32:20, "to appease; to pacify" as an illustration of this - of Jacob seeking to appease Esau). The usual way atonement was made was in the carrying out of Levitical sacrifices as in Lev 1:3-4 - ‘If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer it, a male without defect; he shall offer it at the doorway of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD. ‘He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, that it may be accepted for him to make atonement on his behalf. Stephen Renn explains that "kapar refers to the process by which the barrier between Yahweh and his people may be removed, or appeasing God’s wrath. For his wrath is the inevitable divine response to the violation of his law." According to W E Vine "Most uses of kapar involve the theological meaning of “covering over,” often with the blood of a sacrifice, in order to atone for some sin. It is not clear whether this means that the “covering over” hides the sin from God’s sight or implies that the sin is wiped away in this process." Of course we know that these OT sins could never be completely removed until they were laid on the body of the Lamb of God (John 1:29), the perfect Sin Bearer Christ Jesus, Whose blood alone could bring about perfect and complete remission of sins. Jesus symbolized and foreshadow His fully atoning sacrifice on the Cross when He shared His last Passover with the disciples declaring "this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness (aphesis) of sins." (Mt 26:26) The noun aphesis means to repay or cancel a debt and through the shedding of His blood Christ took the sins of world upon Himself and carried them infinite distance away with no return possible (compare the foreshadowing of this in the goat in Lev 16:21-note). The writer of Hebrews adds that "now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself" (Heb 9:26-note) and "by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified." (Heb 10:14-note). ANOTHER PRIEST MAKES ATONEMENT In the Rebellion of Korah who was jealous of Moses, and led 250 princes in an insurrection, resulting in his being swallowed up in the earth (Nu 16:1-50+; Nu 26:9,10+; Dt 11:6 ; Ps 106:17; Jude 1:11+), we see another situation in which a priest (Aaron) made atonement (with a censer with incense) and checked a plague... Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer and put in it fire from the altar, and lay incense on it; then bring it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone forth from the LORD, the plague has begun!” Then Aaron took it as Moses had spoken, and ran into the midst of the assembly, for behold, the plague had begun among the people. So he put on the incense and made atonement for the people. He took his stand between the dead and the living, so that the plague was checked. But those who died by the plague were 14,700, besides those who died on account of Korah. Then Aaron returned to Moses at the doorway of the tent of meeting, for the plague had been checked. (Numbers 16:46-50+) Numbers 25:14 Now the name of the slain man of Israel who was slain with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, a leader of a father's household among the Simeonites. BGT Numbers 25:14 τὸ δὲ ὄνομα τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τοῦ Ισραηλίτου τοῦ πεπληγότος ὃς ἐπλήγη μετὰ τῆς Μαδιανίτιδος Ζαμβρι υἱὸς Σαλω ἄρχων οἴκου πατριᾶς τῶν Συμεων NET Numbers 25:14 Now the name of the Israelite who was stabbed– the one who was stabbed with the Midianite woman– was Zimri son of Salu, a leader of a clan of the Simeonites. NLT Numbers 25:14 The Israelite man killed with the Midianite woman was named Zimri son of Salu, the leader of a family from the tribe of Simeon. ESV Numbers 25:14 The name of the slain man of Israel, who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, chief of a father's house belonging to the Simeonites. NIV Numbers 25:14 The name of the Israelite who was killed with the Midianite woman was Zimri son of Salu, the leader of a Simeonite family. KJV Numbers 25:14 Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites. YLT Numbers 25:14 And 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; LXE Numbers 25:14 Now 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. ASV Numbers 25:14 Now the name of the man of Israel that was slain, who was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a fathers' house among the Simeonites. CSB Numbers 25:14 The name of the slain Israelite man, who was struck dead with the Midianite woman, was Zimri son of Salu, the leader of a Simeonite ancestral house. NKJ Numbers 25:14 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. NRS Numbers 25:14 The name of the slain Israelite man, who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri son of Salu, head of an ancestral house belonging to the Simeonites. NAB Numbers 25:14 The Israelite slain with the Midianite woman was Zimri, son of Salu, prince of an ancestral house of the Simeonites. NJB Numbers 25:14 The Israelite who had been killed (the one who was killed with the Midianite woman) was called Zimri son of Salu, leader of one of the Simeonite families. GWN Numbers 25:14 The name of the Israelite man who was killed with the Midianite woman was Zimri, son of Salu. (Salu was the leader of a family from Simeon.) a prince: Nu 25:4,5 2Ch 19:7 chief house: Heb. house of a father the Simeonites: Nu 1:23 26:14 Numbers 25 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries ZIMRI A LEADER OF SIMEONITES PUBLICLY EXECUTED Zimri the son of Salu, a leader of a father's household among the Simeonites - This fact helps even more to understand the zealous anger of Phinehas, for Zimri was not just anyone, but was a leader (Hebrew = Nasi = one lifted up, a chief, a prince). For a leader to commit overt sin in public was dangerous for others might see and follow his lead. However a spear made the point that this was not acceptable behavior before Jehovah, the holy God. Zimri's public behavior was the antithesis of holy which justified a radical remedy! God could have struck them with lightning or opened a hole in the earth to swallow them up, but instead He chose a man, the priest Phinehas, to carry out the just retribution and put the fear of the LORD back into the people's hearts! There is a practical application - when a church leader (pastor, teacher, elder, deacon, music minister, etc) commits heinous sin (and they seem to almost always be sins of immorality), public punishment is called for! God's people will have a holy fear placed in their hearts when they see public discipline of public sin by a prestigious pastor (etc). I am personally aware of several situations where leaders committed heinous evil and yet were not publicly censured for their acts. And guess what? In the subsequent years other leaders fell prey to similar sins (all immorality)! PUBLIC SIN MUST BE PUBLICLY REBUKED if the church is to stay pure (See Paul's similar exhortation in 1 Cor 5:1-13). Ronald Allen - Zimri (“My Remembrance”) had been named in praise of God. However, he has come to be forever remembered as the one who nearly destroyed his people in his flagrant, wanton attack on the pure worship of God. With his name turned on its head, he serves as a memorial to destruction. (Ibid) Ryrie's comment on Nu 25:14-18 - The flagrant sin (Nu 25:6) of Zimri (a Simeonite) may indicate that many Simeonites were also involved and may account for the great decrease in the population of that tribe. See note on Nu 26:5-51. The Midianites were to be treated as enemies (Nu 31:1-24) because of Cozbi's sin and their involvement with Balak (Nu 22:4, 7). (Ibid) Campbell makes an interesting point about the Simeonites - the Simeonite male population between the first census (59,300, Nu 1:23) and the one after this incident (22,200, Nu 26:14). If mainly Simeonites had been involved in the immorality and idolatry it would account for much of the difference in the totals. (Ibid) ISBE entry on Zimri - A Simeonite prince (Numbers 25:14 ; 1 Macc 2:26), slain by Phinehas, Aaron's grandson. Numbers 25:1-5 records how the Israelites, while they were at Shittim, began to consort with Moabite women and "they (i.e. the Moabite women) called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods" (Numbers 25:2), i.e. as explained by Numbers 25:5 to take part in the immoral rites of the god Baal-peor. Moses is bidden to have the offenders punished. The next paragraph (Numbers 25:6-9 ) relates how the people engage in public mourning; but while they do this Zimri brings in among his brethren a Midianitess. Phinehas sees this and goes after Zimri into the ḳubbāh , where he slays the two together, and thus the plague is stayed (Numbers 25:6-9). Numbers 25:15 The name of the Midianite woman who was slain was Cozbi the daughter of Zur, who was head of the people of a father's household in Midian. BGT Numbers 25:15 καὶ ὄνομα τῇ γυναικὶ τῇ Μαδιανίτιδι τῇ πεπληγυίᾳ Χασβι θυγάτηρ Σουρ ἄρχοντος ἔθνους Ομμωθ οἴκου πατριᾶς ἐστιν τῶν Μαδιαν NET Numbers 25:15 The name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi daughter of Zur. He was a leader over the people of a clan of Midian. NLT Numbers 25:15 The woman's name was Cozbi; she was the daughter of Zur, the leader of a Midianite clan. ESV Numbers 25:15 And the name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi the daughter of Zur, who was the tribal head of a father's house in Midian. NIV Numbers 25:15 And the name of the Midianite woman who was put to death was Cozbi daughter of Zur, a tribal chief of a Midianite family. KJV Numbers 25:15 And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head over a people, and of a chief house in Midian. YLT Numbers 25:15 and 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. LXE Numbers 25:15 And 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. ASV Numbers 25:15 And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head of the people of a fathers' house in Midian. CSB Numbers 25:15 The name of the slain Midianite woman was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur, a tribal head of an ancestral house in Midian. NKJ Numbers 25:15 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. NRS Numbers 25:15 The name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi daughter of Zur, who was the head of a clan, an ancestral house in Midian. NAB Numbers 25:15 The slain Midianite woman was Cozbi, daughter of Zur, who was head of a clan, an ancestral house, in Midian. NJB Numbers 25:15 The woman, the Midianite who was killed, was called Cozbi, daughter of Zur, chief of a clan, of a family, in Midian. GWN Numbers 25:15 The name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi, daughter of Zur. (Zur was the head of a family from the Midianite tribes.) Zur: Nu 31:8 Jos 13:21 Numbers 25 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries MIDIANITE WOMAN OF STATURE SLAIN NET NOTE on Cozbi - Cozbi's father, Zur, was one of five Midianite kings who eventually succumbed to Israel (Nu 31:8). When the text gives the name and family of a woman, it is asserting that she is important, at least for social reasons, among her people. Allen - “Cozbi” means “My Lie” or “Deception.” She stands forever memorialized as a prime example of the deception of the allure of pagan worship. Nu 25:18 speaks of her as one who was also from a noble house of her own people. Likely she was a priestess of her religion, a prototype of Jezebel who would later be instrumental in bringing Baal and Asherah worship into the center of the life of Israel. Numbers 25:16 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, BGT Numbers 25:16 καὶ ἐλάλησεν κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων λάλησον τοῖς υἱοῖς Ισραηλ λέγων NET Numbers 25:16 Then the LORD spoke to Moses: NLT Numbers 25:16 Then the LORD said to Moses, ESV Numbers 25:16 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, NIV Numbers 25:16 The LORD said to Moses, KJV Numbers 25:16 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, YLT Numbers 25:16 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying, LXE Numbers 25:16 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ASV Numbers 25:16 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, CSB Numbers 25:16 The LORD told Moses: NKJ Numbers 25:16 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: NRS Numbers 25:16 The LORD said to Moses, NAB Numbers 25:16 The LORD then said to Moses, NJB Numbers 25:16 Yahweh then spoke to Moses and said, GWN Numbers 25:16 The LORD said to Moses, Numbers 25 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries The LORD spoke to Moses - This exact phrase occurs 93x in the NAS - Exod. 6:10, 13, 28f; 7:8; 13:1; 14:1; 16:11; 19:21; 25:1; 30:17, 22; 31:1, 12; 32:7; 33:1; 40:1; Lev. 4:1; 5:14; 6:1, 8, 19, 24; 7:22, 28; 8:1; 12:1; 13:1; 14:1; 16:1; 17:1; 18:1; 19:1; 20:1; 21:16; 22:1, 17, 26; 23:9, 23, 26, 33; 24:1, 13; 27:1; Num. 1:1; 2:1; 3:5, 11, 14, 44; 4:1, 17, 21; 5:1, 5, 11; 6:1, 22; 7:4; 8:1, 5, 23; 9:1, 9; 13:1; 14:26; 15:1, 17; 16:20, 23, 36, 44; 17:1; 18:25; 19:1; 20:7, 23; 25:10, 16; 26:1, 52; 27:6; 28:1; 31:1, 25; 33:50; 34:1, 16; 35:1, 9; Deut. 32:48; Jos. 14:6 Matthew Henry on Nu 25:16-18. We read not that any Midianites died of the plague; God punished them with the sword of an enemy, not with the rod of a father. We must set ourselves against whatever is an occasion of sin to us, Matthew 5:29,30. Whatever draws us to sin, should be a vexation to us, as a thorn in the flesh. And none will be more surely and severely punished than those who, after Satan's example, and with his subtlety, tempt others to sin. Numbers 25:17 "Be hostile to the Midianites and strike them; BGT Numbers 25:17 ἐχθραίνετε τοῖς Μαδιηναίοις καὶ πατάξατε αὐτούς NET Numbers 25:17 "Bring trouble to the Midianites, and destroy them, NLT Numbers 25:17 "Attack the Midianites and destroy them, ESV Numbers 25:17 "Harass the Midianites and strike them down, NIV Numbers 25:17 "Treat the Midianites as enemies and kill them, KJV Numbers 25:17 Vex the Midianites, and smite them: YLT Numbers 25:17 'Distress the Midianites, and ye have smitten them, LXE Numbers 25:17 Plague the Madianites as enemies, and smite them, ASV Numbers 25:17 Vex the Midianites, and smite them; CSB Numbers 25:17 "Attack the Midianites and strike them dead. NKJ Numbers 25:17 "Harass the Midianites, and attack them; NRS Numbers 25:17 "Harass the Midianites, and defeat them; NAB Numbers 25:17 "Treat the Midianites as enemies and crush them, NJB Numbers 25:17 'Harass the Midianites, strike them down, GWN Numbers 25:17 "Treat the Midianites as your enemies, and kill them Nu 31:2 Rev 18:6 Numbers 25 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries NET NOTE on "be hostile" ("bring trouble to") - The idea is that of causing trouble, harassing, vexing Midian. The verb is repeated as the active participle in the line, and so the punishment is talionic. The fulfillment of Yahweh's command to attack the Midianites was fulfilled in Nu 31:1-24, which also describes the slaughter of the instigator, Balaam. Be hostile ((06887)(tsarar) means to be (or to make) narrow, to be (to make) cramped or constricted, to be hemmed in. Figuratively tsarar means to oppress or harass and thus to be hostile or be an adversary or enemy, the best known use being Ps 23:5 "in the presence of my enemies (tsarar)." The Lxx translates tsarar with ecthraino which means to be at enmity with and is used only in the Septuagint (no uses in NT) (9 uses - Nu. 25:17, 18; Deut. 2:9, 19; Ps. 3:7; 35:19) Allen - Because of their active participation in the seduction of the sons of Israel, the Midianites were put under the curse of God and were henceforth to be treated as enemies (v.17). The Midianites had been in league with Balak from the beginning of the confrontation (see Nu 22:4) and became the objects of a holy war of Israel to declare the glory of the name Yahweh (see ch. 31). (Ibid) Be hostile to the Midianites and strike them - The commentary on this verse is found in Numbers 31:1-18: Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Take full vengeance for the sons of Israel on the Midianites; afterward you will be gathered to your people.” 3 And Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian, to execute the LORD’S vengeance on Midian. 4 “A thousand from each tribe of all the tribes of Israel you shall send to the war.” 5 So there were furnished from the thousands of Israel, a thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed for war. 6 And Moses sent them, a thousand from each tribe, to the war, and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war with them, and the holy vessels and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand. 7 So they made war against Midian, just as the LORD had commanded Moses, and they killed every male. 8 And they killed the kings of Midian along with the rest of their slain: Evi and Rekem and Zur and Hur and Reba, the five kings of Midian; they also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword. 9And the sons of Israel captured the women of Midian and their little ones; and all their cattle and all their flocks and all their goods, they plundered. 10 Then they burned all their cities where they lived and all their camps with fire. 11 And they took all the spoil and all the prey, both of man and of beast. 12 And they brought the captives and the prey and the spoil to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest and to the congregation of the sons of Israel, to the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by the Jordan opposite Jericho. 13 And Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the congregation went out to meet them outside the camp. 14 And Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the captains of thousands and the captains of hundreds, who had come from service in the war. 15 And Moses said to them, “Have you spared all the women? 16 “Behold, these caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, so the plague was among the congregation of the LORD. 17 “Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man intimately. 18 “But all the girls who have not known man intimately, spare for yourselves. Treasury of Scripture Knowledge - Balaam's counsel seems to have been first given to Balak, king of Moab; but probably the Midianitish women, especially of the higher ranks, as Cozbi was, were the principal tempters; and the nation of Midian seems to have come into the execrable measure more generally and heartily than that of Moab: they were therefore first selected to be made examples of, for a warning to the Moabites, who were spared at this time. Henry