Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 25:6
And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who [were] weeping [before] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
6. while they were weeping ] The reason for their weeping is not found till Num 25:8 f.; a plague had been sent. The beginning of the narrative stating the reason for the plague has been lost. But it was probably a punishment for the general immorality of which Num 25:6 relates one instance.
It has been conjectured that the lost portion of the story related that Balaam persuaded the Midianites to seduce the Israelites into intermarriage with them in order to provoke Jehovah’s anger. In this case Balaam lived (according to P ) not in Mesopotamia or Ammon (see on Num 22:5) but in Midian. The conjecture receives support from Num 31:8; Num 31:16.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
6 15. The zeal of Phinehas, and its reward. The passage belongs to the period after the exile, when those only were recognised as priests who could trace their ancestry through Phinehas, and Eleazar his father, to Aaron.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
A Midianite woman – literally, the Midianite woman, the particular one by whom he had been enticed (compare Num 25:15 and Num 31:18). Her high rank proves that Zimri had not fallen in with her by mere chance, but had been deliberately singled out by the Midianites as one whom they must at any price lead astray.
Weeping before the door of the tabernacle – The plague Num 25:9 had already broken out among the people: and the more God-fearing had assembled at the door of the tabernacle of God (compare the marginal reference.) to intercede for mercy, when Zimri committed the fresh and public outrage just described.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 6. One of the children of Israel] Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a chief family in the tribe of Simeon, Nu 25:14, brought a Midianitish woman, Cozbi, daughter of Zur, head over a people of one of the chief families in Midian, Nu 25:15. The condition of these two persons plainly proves it to have been a matrimonial alliance, the one was a prince, the other a princess; therefore I must conclude that fornication or whoredom, in the common sense of the word, was not practised on this occasion. The matter was bad enough, as the marriage was in flat opposition to the law of God; and we need not make it worse by representing the woman as a common prostitute, as the Vulgate and several others have done. In such a case this is absolutely inadmissible. Josephus positively says that Zimri had married Cozbi, Antiq., 1. iv., cap. 6; and if he had not said so, still the thing is nearly self-evident. See Clarke on Nu 24:25.
The children of Israel, who were weeping] This aggravated the crime, because the people were then in a state of great humiliation, because of the late impure and illegal transactions.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
This was done, either,
1. Before Gods command to Moses, and by him to the judges, Num 25:4,5, such transpositions and disorders being not unusual in sacred story. Or rather,
2. In the order it is related, to wit, when Moses had given the charge to the judges, and, as it may seem, before the execution of it, otherwise it is probable he would not have been so bold and foolish to have run upon present and certain ruin, when the examples were fresh and frequent before his eyes.
Unto his brethren, i.e. into the camp of the Israelites, or to his friends and relations in his tent, whither he carried her; Num 25:8, for his or their fleshly satisfaction.
In the sight of Moses; an argument of intolerable impudence and contempt of God and of Moses.
All the congregation, i.e. the rulers of the congregation with divers of the people.
Weeping; bewailing the abominable wickedness of the people, and the dreadful judgments of God, and imploring Gods mercy and favour.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6, 7. behold, one of the children ofIsrael . . . brought . . . a Midianitish womanThis flagitiousact most probably occurred about the time when the order was givenand before its execution.
who were weeping before thedoor of the tabernacleSome of the rulers and well-disposedpersons were deploring the dreadful wickedness of the people andsupplicating the mercy of God to avert impending judgments.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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 Chronicle x relates, it was a further aggravation of it.
x Apud Hottinger. Smegma Oriental. l. 1. c. 8. p. 448.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Whilst the heads of the people were deliberating on the subject, and the whole congregation was assembled before the tabernacle, weeping on account of the divine wrath, there came an Israelite, a prince of the tribe of Simeon, who brought a Midianitish woman, the daughter of a Midianitish chief (Num 25:14), to his brethren, i.e., into the camp of the Israelites, before the eyes of Moses and all the congregation, to commit adultery with her in his tent. This shameless wickedness, in which the depth of the corruption that had penetrated into the congregation came to light, inflamed the zeal of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the high priest, to such an extent, that he seized a spear, and rushing into the tent of the adulterer, pierced both of them through in the very act. , lit., the arched, or arch, is applied here to the inner or hinder division of the tent, the sleeping-room and women’s room in the larger tents of the upper classes.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| The Zeal of Phinehas. | B. C. 1452. |
6 And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 7 And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; 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 belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. 9 And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand. 10 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 11 Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy. 12 Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace: 13 And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel. 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. 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.
Here is a remarkable contest between wickedness and righteousness, which shall be most bold and resolute; and righteousness carries the day, as no doubt it will at last.
I. Never was vice more daring than it was in Zimri, a prince of a chief house in the tribe of Simeon. Such a degree of impudence in wickedness had he arrived at that he publicly appeared leading a Midianitish harlot (and a harlot of quality too like himself, a daughter of a chief house in Midian) in the sight of Moses, and all the good people of Israel. He did not think it enough to go out with his harlot to worship the gods of Moab, but, when he had done that, he brought her with him to dishonour the God of Israel. He not only owned her publicly as his friend, and higher in his favour then any of the daughters of Israel, but openly went with her into the tent, v. 8. The word signifies such a booth or place of retirement as was designed and fitted up for lewdness. Thus he declared his sin as Sodom, as was so far from blushing for it that he rather prided himself in it, and gloried in his shame. All the circumstances concurred to make it exceedingly sinful, exceedingly shameful. 1. It was an affront to the justice of the nation, and bade defiance to that. The judges were ordered to put the criminals to death, but he thought himself too great for them to meddle with, and, in effect, bade them touch him if they durst. He had certainly cast off all fear of God who stood in no awe of the powers which he had ordained to be a terror to evil-doers. 2. It was an affront to the religion of the nation, and put a contempt upon that. Moses, and the main body of the congregation, who kept their integrity, were weeping at the door of the tabernacle, lamenting the sin committed and deprecating the plague begun; they were sanctifying a fast in a solemn assembly, weeping between the porch and the altar, to turn away the wrath of God from the congregation. Then comes Zimri among them, with his harlot in his hand, to banter them, and, in effect, to tell them that he was resolved to fill the measure of sin as fast as they emptied it.
II. Never was virtue more daring than it was in Phinehas. Being aware of the insolence of Zimri, which it is probable, all the congregation took notice of, in a holy indignation at the offenders he rises up from his prayers, takes his sword or half-pike, follows those impudent sinners into their tent, and stabs them both, Num 25:7; Num 25:8. It is not at all difficult to justify Phinehas in what he did; for, being now heir-apparent to the high-priesthood, no doubt he was one of those judges of Israel whom Moses had ordered, by the divine appointment, to slay all those whom they knew to have joined themselves to Baal-peor, so that this gives no countenance at all to private persons, under pretence of zeal against sin, to put offenders to death, who ought to be prosecuted by due course of law. The civil magistrate is the avenger, to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil, and no private person may take his work out of his hand. Two ways God testified his acceptance of the pious zeal of Phinehas:– 1. He immediately put a stop to the plague, v. 8. Their weeping and praying prevailed not till this piece of necessary justice was done. If magistrates do not take care to punish sin, God will; but their justice will be the best prevention of his judgment, as in the case of Achan, Josh. vii. 13. 2. He put an honour upon Phinehas. Though he did no more than it was his duty to do as a judge, yet because he did it with extraordinary zeal against sin, and for the honour of God and Israel, and did it when the other judges, out of respect to Zimri’s character as a prince, were afraid, and declined doing it, therefore God showed himself particularly well pleased with him, and it was counted to him for righteousness, Ps. cvi. 31. There is nothing lost by venturing for God. If Zimri’s relations bore him a grudge for it, and his friends might censure him as indiscreet in this violent and hasty execution, what needed he care, while God accepted him? In a good thing we should be zealously affected. (1.) Phinehas, upon this occasion, though a young man, is pronounced his country’s patriot and best friend, v. 11. He has turned away my wrath from the children of Israel. So much does God delight in showing mercy that he is well pleased with those that are instrumental in turning away his wrath. This is the best service we can do to our people; and we may contribute something towards it by our prayers, and by our endeavours in our places to bring the wickedness of the wicked to an end. (2.) The priesthood is entailed by covenant upon his family. It was designed him before, but now it was confirmed to him, and, which added much to the comfort and honour of it, it was made the recompence of his pious zeal, Num 25:12; Num 25:13. It is here called an everlasting priesthood, because it should continue to the period of the Old-Testament dispensation, and should then have its perfection and perpetuity in the unchangeable priesthood of Christ, who is consecrated for evermore. By the covenant of peace given him, some understand in general a promise of long life and prosperity, and all good; it seems rather to be meant particularly of the covenant of priesthood, for that is called the covenant of life and peace (Mal. ii. 5), and was made for the preservation of peace between God and his people. Observe how the reward answered the service. By executing justice he had made an atonement for the children of Israel (v. 13), and therefore he and his shall henceforward be employed in making atonement by sacrifice. He was zealous for his God, and therefore he shall have the covenant of an everlasting priesthood. Note, It is requisite that ministers should be not only for God, but zealous for God. It is required of them that they do more than others for the support and advancement of the interests of God’s kingdom among men.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Verses 6-9:
The text infers that God sent a plague upon Israel in judgment for their sins of immorality and idolatry in connection with Baal-peor. This was in additon to the execution of the chiefs responsible for this debacle. Representatives of the congregation gathered at the door of the Tabernacle, in mourning because of the sin and its punishment.
One of the men of Israel brought into Israel’s camp a “Midianitish women,” literally, the Midianitish woman.” He was a prominent person in Israel (verse 14), and the circumstances were in such flagrant violation of Jehovah’s will as to be deeply imbedded into the nation’s memo
The text implicates the Midianitas in this affair, and infers that they may have been among the instigators of it. It implies that the Israelite man may have taken the Midianitish woman into the Tabernacle itself.
Phinehas was the only son of Eleazar, Ex 6:25, and was his successor to the office of high priest. He entered the tent where the guilty pair were, and ran both through with a javelin. In this he was not acting from a petty spirit of fleshly anger. It was a judicial act of Divine justice, to purge Israel’s camp from sin.
Phinehas’ action halted the plague which took 24,000 lives.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
6. And, behold, one of the children of Israel came. Moses here relates a case which was foul and detestable beyond others. There is no doubt but that many, in the midst of such gross licentiousness as had now for some time generally prevailed, had filled the camp with various scandalous offenses; but there was something peculiarly enormous in the atrocity of this act, in that this impious despiser of God wantonly insulted both God and men amidst the tears and lamentations of all, as if he were triumphing over all shame and modesty. The multitude were weeping before the tabernacle, that is to say, all the pious who trembled at the thought of approaching calamity, since they were fully persuaded that this licentiousness, accompanied by idolatry and sacrilege, would not be unpunished; meanwhile, this abandoned man rushes forward, and, in mockery of their tears, leads his harlot in procession as it were. No wonder, therefore, that God should have exercised such severity, when things had come to this extremity. But it must be observed that the order of the history is inverted, since it is not credible that, after the Judges had begun to perform their office, such an iniquity should be committed. But this narrative is thus inserted, in order that it may be more apparent how necessary it was to proceed speedily to severe chastisement, since otherwise it would have been impossible to apply a remedy in time to so desperate an evil.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
6-9. One brought a Midianitish woman From Num 25:14-15, we learn that the man was Zimri, a prince of the Simeonites, and the woman Cozbi, the daughter of a chief of Midian.
In the sight of all the congregation This bold affront unveils the depth of the corruption which pervaded some in the camp, and fired the heart of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, with the vehemence of a zealot. Seizing a javelin he rushed into the tent of the adulterer, and with one thrust transfixed both the man and the woman. Hebrew law ever recognised what is called the zealots’ right to correct a flagrant abuse which was overstepping the law and defying the ordinary courts of justice. Jesus, simply as a Hebrew citizen, purged the temple by this right.
So the plague was stayed The stroke of the divine vengeance, which was falling like burning thunderbolts upon the camp, was arrested by this extraordinary immolation of these guilty parties.
Twenty and four thousand St. Paul says that twenty-three thousand fell in “one day.” This Ewald, Alford, and Meyer regard as a slip of memory on the apostle’s part. A better explanation is, that Paul refers only to those cut off by the plague, and that an additional thousand were executed by sentence of the courts. Note, Num 25:5; see note, 1Co 10:8.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
A Midianitish Woman Is Brought Into the Camp by a Simeonite Chieftain ( Num 25:6 ).
Num 25:6
‘And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought to his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, while they were weeping at the door of the tent of meeting.’
But even while the judges were meeting, and there was weeping at the door of the Tent of meeting, because of the sin of Israel and presumably because of the plague which had now broken out, ‘one of the children of Israel’ (a Simeonite chieftain – see Num 25:14) boldly and blatantly brought into the camp a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses and all who were gathered before Yahweh. He appears to have had no shame in the matter. He presented her to his brethren before taking her to his ‘pavilion’ or inner portion of the tent. His open and brash involvement with the Midianite women was made very clear. It was high handed sin.
Prior to this it would appear that all the ‘sinning’ occurred outside the camp. So this was an increase in offence by the introduction of idolatrous behaviour into the holy camp of Yahweh. That was what justified Phinehas’ instant action.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The Zeal of Phinehas.
v. 6. And, behold, one of the children of Israel came, v. 7. And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, v. 8. and he went after the man of Israel into the tent, v. 9. And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand, v. 10. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, v. 11. Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, hath turned My wrath away from the children of Israel while he was zealous for My sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in My jealousy; v. 12. Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him My covenant of peace, v. 13. and he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood, v. 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, v. 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.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Num 25:6. One of the children of Israel came and brought, &c. One cannot conceive a higher degree of insolence and wickedness than this of Zimri; who thought, perhaps, that the eminence of his rank would secure him from punishment, even though he should carry his crime to the greatest height. Nothing could shew a stronger contempt of Moses’s authority, and of the God who gave him that authority.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
It is hardly possible to conceive any act so daring as this. But, alas! what is not the human heart capable of perpetrating, when given up to its own lusts! That is a most awful scripture which saith, Let Ephraim alone he is joined to his idols. Hos 4:17 . Reader! put it down as a sure maxim: when the LORD ceases to correct, destruction is at hand. See those Scriptures, 1Co 11:32 ; Amo 3:2 compared with Isa 1:5 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Num 25:6 And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who [were] weeping [before] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Ver. 6. In the sight of Moses. ] This man’s face was hatched over with detestable impudence; he thought, it may be, that being so great a man, none durst meddle with him. Pliny a reports of Proculus Caesar, that by him, viginti virgines intra dies quindecim faetum conceperunt. Louis II of France inviting our Edward IV to the French court, Recte erit cognate, saith he, iucundi vivemus et suaviter, teque oblectabis cum lectissimis faeminis, &c. – he should have added, “But know, that for all these things thou must come to judgment”: Ecc 11:9 that would have haply allayed his lust, cooled his courage, and not have come in with his – Adhibebo tibi Cardinalem Borbonium; is, quicquid peccaris, pro ea quam habet potestate, facile expiabit. Thou shalt take thy full pleasure, and then my cardinal shall give thee full pardon. b
a Plin, lib. vii.
b Comineus, lib. vi.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.
children = sons.
who = and they.
door = entrance. Hebrew. ‘ohel. App-40.
tabernacle = tent.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
a Midianitish: Num 25:14, Num 25:15, Num 22:4, Num 31:2, Num 31:9-16
in the sight of Moses: Num 15:30, Num 15:31, Deu 29:19-21, Jer 3:3, Jer 8:12, Jer 36:23, Jer 42:15-18, Jer 43:4-7, Jer 44:16, Jer 44:17, 2Pe 2:13-15, Jud 1:13
weeping: Jdg 2:4, Ezr 9:1-4, Ezr 10:6-9, Isa 22:12, Eze 9:4-6, Joe 2:17
Reciprocal: 2Sa 16:22 – went in 1Ki 11:18 – Midian 2Ki 22:19 – wept 1Ch 1:32 – Midian 1Ch 6:4 – Phinehas Psa 94:16 – rise up Psa 106:30 – General Pro 7:13 – she Isa 57:5 – Enflaming Act 17:16 – his spirit 1Co 5:2 – mourned 2Co 11:29 – and I burn
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 25:6. Behold one came This was done when Moses had given the charge to the judges, and, as it may seem, before the execution of it; otherwise it is probable he would not have been so foolish as to have run upon certain ruin, when the examples were frequent before his eyes. To his brethren Into the camp of the Israelites. In the sight of Moses An argument of intolerable impudence and contempt of God and of Moses. Weeping Bewailing the wickedness of the people, and the dreadful judgments of God, and imploring Gods mercy and favour.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
25:6 And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, {e} who [were] weeping [before] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
(e) Repenting that they had offended God.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The situation took a turn for the worse when Zimri brought Cozbi into the camp. Until now, the sinning had taken place in the Moabite and Midianite camps. Evidently Zimri had contempt for the covenant, the tabernacle, Moses, the priests, and God’s judgment on the leaders of Israel including his father (Num 25:14). He took Cozbi into the tabernacle and had intercourse with her there before Moses. They did this according to the custom of Baal worship. We should view Phinehas’ act, therefore, as divine judgment on this attitude and action, not as murder. He slew them in the act of intercourse by driving his spear through both their bodies (lit. bellies). Thus Phinehas (an Egyptian name meaning "the dark-skinned one"), the son of the high priest, atoned for this sin (Num 25:13).
"The point was that in joining the sexual frenzies of the sacrificial feasts of Baal, the man and his priestess-partner now act to transform the worship of the Lord into the type of sexual rites that were the mode of Canaan. Had this outrage not been stopped, there could never have been true worship in the Holy Place again. They were making the place of entrance into a bordello, the entrance of the meeting of God and man into a trysting spot.
"We may observe that while priests were always male in Israel, priests could be women in the pagan religions that surrounded Israel. In fact, the sexually centered religions of Canaan would have catered to women in their priesthood. Women priests were so very closely tied to the sexual outrages of Baal and Asherah worship that the very notion of a women [sic] priest conjured up images of sexual worship. Perhaps this is the principal reason that Israel had no women priests." [Note: Ibid., pp. 919, 920.]
"Amid the time of apostasy, the writer points to . . . the need for new forms of leadership. . . . In this narrative, Moses is remarkably ineffective in the face of a blatant transgression (Num 25:6). The day was saved, however, by the decisive action of one from the next generation of priests, Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron." [Note: Sailhamer, The Pentateuch . . ., p. 410.]