1 Quando Israel estava em Sitim, o povo começou a prostituir-se com as filhas dos moabitas. 2 Estas convidaram o povo aos sacrifícios oferecidos aos seus deuses; e o povo comeu a carne dos sacrifícios e adorou os deuses dessas mulheres. 3 Assim, quando Israel se juntou ao culto a Baal-Peor, a ira do Senhor se acendeu contra Israel. 4 O Senhor disse a Moisés:

— Reúna todos os chefes do povo e enforque-os diante do Senhor ao ar livre, e a ardente ira do Senhor se afastará de Israel.

5 Então Moisés disse aos juízes de Israel:

— Cada um mate os homens da sua tribo que se juntaram a Baal-Peor.

6 Naquele momento, eis que um homem dos filhos de Israel trouxe para a sua tenda uma mulher midianita, à vista de Moisés e de toda a congregação dos filhos de Israel, enquanto eles choravam diante da tenda do encontro. 7 Quando Fineias, filho de Eleazar, filho do sacerdote Arão, viu isso, levantou-se do meio da congregação, e, pegando uma lança, 8 seguiu o homem israelita até o interior da tenda, e, com a lança, atravessou os dois, tanto o homem israelita quanto a mulher midianita, pelo ventre; então a praga cessou entre os filhos de Israel. 9 Os que morreram da praga foram vinte e quatro mil.

10 Então o Senhor disse a Moisés:

11 — Fineias, filho de Eleazar, filho do sacerdote Arão, desviou a minha ira de sobre os filhos de Israel, pois estava animado com o meu zelo no meio deles, assim que, no meu zelo, não consumi os filhos de Israel. 12 Portanto, diga: Eis que lhe dou a minha aliança de paz. 13 E ele e a sua descendência terão a aliança do sacerdócio perpétuo, porque teve zelo pelo seu Deus e fez expiação pelos filhos de Israel.

14 O nome do israelita que foi morto, isto é, que foi morto com a mulher midianita, era Zinri, filho de Salu, chefe da casa paterna dos simeonitas. 15 O nome da mulher midianita que foi morta era Cosbi, filha de Zur, chefe do povo da casa paterna entre os midianitas.

16 O Senhor disse a Moisés:

17 — Atormentem e ataquem os midianitas, 18 porque eles atormentaram vocês quando os enganaram no caso de Peor e no caso de Cosbi, filha do chefe dos midianitas, irmã deles, que foi morta no dia da praga no caso de Peor.

1 And Israel remained among the acacias,and the people began to go away unchastely unto the daughters of Moab;

2 who invited the people unto the sacrifices of their gods,so the people did eat, and did bow themselves down unto their gods.

3 Thus Israel let himself be bound unto Baal-peor, and the anger of Yahweh kindled upon Israel.

4 And Yahweh said unto MosesTake all the heads of the people, and crucify them unto Yahweh. in the face of the sun,that the heat of the anger of Yahweh may turn away from Israel.

5 And Moses said unto the judges of Israel,Slay ye each one his men, who have let them-selves he herald unto Baal-peor.

6 And lo! a man of the sons of Israel coming in, who brought near unto his brethren a Midianite woman, before the eyes of Moses, and before the eyes of all the assembly of the sons of Israel, when they were weeping at the entrance of the tent of meeting.

7 And Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest saw it, so he rose up out of the midst of the assembly, and took a spear in his hand;

8 and went in after the man of Israel into the pleasure-tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel and the woman, in her parts of shame,so the plague was restrained from against the sons of Israel.

9 Then was it found that they who had died by the plague were four and twenty thousand.

10 Then spake Yahweh unto Moses saying:

11 Phinehas on of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, hath turned back my wrath front against the sons of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy, in their midst, so that I made not an end of the sons of Israel. in my jealousy.

12 Wherefore say,Behold me! giving unto him my covenant of peace;

13 so shall it prove to be unto him and unto his seed after him, the covenant of our age-abiding priesthood, because he was jealous for his God, and did put a propitiatory-covering over the sons of Israel.

14 Now, the name of the man of Israel that was smitten, who was smitten with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri son of Salu,prince of an ancestral house of the Simeonites;

15 and, the name of the woman who was smitten, the Midianitess, was Cozbi, daughter of Zur,the head of his kindred, of an ancestral house in Midian, was he.

16 And Yahweh spake unto Moses saying:

17 Besiege the Midianites,and ye shall smite them:

18 for, besiegers, were they unto you, with their wiles wherewith they beguiled you, over the matter of Peor,and over he matter of Cozbi, daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, who was smitten in the day of the plague, over the matter of Peor.