Num 25 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Num 25:1-18: 25:1-18 Israel was camped across the Jordan from Jericho, almost on the eve of conquest, but they plunged to a new low in moral failure and spiritual bankruptcy. Balaam’s advice led to the immorality and apostasy of Baal-peor (31:16 ); he found a way to damage Israel, if not through a curse, then through lust and idolatry. The same temptation to idolatry and immorality existed for the early church (1 Cor 10:6 , 11 ). 25:1 Acacia Grove: This type of tree thrives in arid regions. From here, Joshua later sent spies across the Jordan, and the Hebrews launched their conquest (Josh 2:1 ; 3:1 ). • Moabite women: The Moabites and Midianites shared culpability in the episode involving Balaam (Num 22:2-4 , 7 ; 31:8 , 15-16 ).

Summary for Num 25:1-18: 25:1-18 ^a Israel was camped across the Jordan from Jericho, almost on the eve of conquest, but they plunged to a new low in moral failure and spiritual bankruptcy. Balaam’s advice led to the immorality and apostasy of Baal-peor (31:16 ^b); he found a way to damage Israel, if not through a curse, then through lust and idolatry. The same temptation to idolatry and immorality existed for the early church (1 Cor 10:6 ^c, 11 ^d). 25:1 ^e Acacia Grove: This type of tree thrives in arid regions. From here, Joshua later sent spies across the Jordan, and the Hebrews launched their conquest (Josh 2:1 ^f; 3:1 ^g).

• Moabite women: The Moabites and Midianites shared culpability in the episode involving Balaam (Num 22:2-4 ^h, 7 ⁱ; 31:8 ^j, 15-16 ^k).
25:2 ^l The Israelites participated in worship feasts associated with the gods of Moab (see Ps 106:28 ^m).
25:3 ⁿ Baal of Peor might refer to Chemosh (21:29 ^o) by a different name, but probably Baal (“lord”), the Canaanite god, was included on the list of deities honored by the Moabites. Numerous place-names were formed with this deity’s name (e.g., Baal-gad, Baal-hermon, Baal-meon, Baal-peor), representing shrines for local manifestations of Baal. Peor was a mountain from which Balaam could see the Israelite camp in the plains of Moab; the mountain and the related shrine of Beth-peor (23:28 ^p; 25:3 ^q, 5 ^r, 18 ^s; 31:16 ^t; Deut 3:29 ^u; 4:3 ^v, 46 ^w; 34:6 ^x; Josh 13:20 ^y; 22:17 ^z) were somewhere in the vicinity of Mount Nebo.

• Israel’s idolatry caused the Lord’s anger to blaze against his people; this included a plague (Num 25:8-9 ^aa; 26:1 ^ab; cp. 11:1 ^ac, 10 ^ad; 12:9 ^ae).
25:4 ^af As he had at Sinai (Exod 32:27-28 ^ag), the Lord required swift justice.

• execute ... in broad daylight: The guilty parties were perhaps impaled and left out in the sun (see 2 Sam 21:6 ^ah, 9 ^ai) so that everyone could see them and learn from their mistakes (cp. 2 Sam 12:12 ^aj).
25:6 ^ak Here another Israelite defiled himself with a foreign woman; apparently both Moabite and Midianite women had been involved in the scandal (25:1-3 ^al, 16-18 ^am; 31:1-2 ^an). The man’s sin was particularly brazen, as he apparently disregarded the judgment and mourning around him.

• Some suggest that his tent was an unauthorized shrine associated with the worship of Yahweh, and not just Zimri’s dwelling.
Summary for Num 25:7-9: 25:7-9 ^ao Phinehas, acting as a representative of the priestly family, killed Zimri and Cozbi with one thrust of a spear (25:7-8 ^ap), which probably indicates that they were engaged in sexual intercourse. Phinehas’s zeal stopped the plague (25:1-3 ^aq).
Summary for Num 25:10-13: 25:10-13 ^ar Israel’s identity as the Lord’s people was severely threatened by their unfaithfulness on this occasion. Phinehas was as zealous as God in his pursuit of holiness and justice. As a result, Phinehas and his descendants were granted a special status; God made a special covenant of peace with Phinehas, and qualified men in his family inherited a permanent right to the priesthood (cp. Mal 2:5 ^as). This unconditional covenant was similar to that extended to David (see Jer 33:19-22 ^at).
25:13 ^au The deaths of Zimri and Cozbi helped to purify Israel from its sin; Phinehas’s act had atoning value (see study note on Lev 1:4).
Summary for Num 25:16-18: 25:16-18 ^av Attack the Midianites and destroy them: This war is recorded in ch 31 ^aw.