1 And Israel settled in Shittim {bashittim: riverside encampment}, and the people began to commit harlotry {liznot: sexual unfaithfulness} with the daughters of Moab.
2 And they called the people to the sacrifices of their gods {gods: ’ĕlōhēhen, foreign deities}, and the people ate and bowed down {bowed down: vayyishtakhavu, performed worship rites} to their gods.
3 And Israel became attached to Baal of Peor, and the anger {af: fierce wrath} of the LORD {YHWH, Jealous Judge} burned against Israel.
4 And the LORD {YHWH, Supreme Judge} said to Moses, “Take all the heads {rashei: principal heads} of the people and expose them publicly before the LORD, in the sunlight, so that the burning anger of the LORD may turn back from Israel.”
5 And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Kill {hirgu: execute by legal command} each man his men who have joined themselves to Baal of Peor {Peor: Moabite fertility god}.”
6 And behold, a man from among the sons of Israel came and brought near to his brothers the Midianite woman before the eyes of Moses {moshe: Leader and Lawgiver} and before the eyes of all the assembly of the sons of Israel, while they were weeping at the entrance of the tent of meeting {ohel moed: Sacred Encounter Place}.
7 When Phinehas{Pinchas: zealot for purity}, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw this, he arose from the midst of the congregation and took a spear{romach: killing spear} in his hand.
8 He entered after the Israelite man into the chamber, and he pierced both of them—the man and the woman—into her belly {qovah: inner cavity}. Then the plague {magefah: devastating blow} ceased among the Israelites.
9 And those who died in the plague {magefah: divine judgment} were twenty-four thousand {alef: thousand unit}.
10 And the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Lawgiver} spoke to Moses, saying {lemor: speech introducer}.
11 Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, turned back my {YHWH, Sovereign Judge} wrath {chamah: consuming fire} from the sons of Israel, because he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the sons of Israel in my zeal.
12 Therefore say, “Behold, I{YHWH, Covenant Initiator} am giving him my covenant{berit: binding pact} of peace{shalom: wholeness}.”
13 And it shall be for him and for his descendants after him a covenant of everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God {Elohim, Giver of Priesthood} and he made atonement {kippur: covering of guilt} for the children of Israel.
14 And the name of the Israelite man who was struck {hamukkeh: executed or fatally punished} with the Midianite woman was Zimri son of Salu, a leader {nesi: chief of a clan} of a father’s house among the Simeonites.
15 And the name of the woman who was struck down—the Midianite—was Kozbi, daughter of Zur, and he {hūʾ: demonstrative confirmation} was head of the clans {ʾummōṯ: extended families} of a father’s house in Midian.
16 And the LORD {YHWH, Divine Speaker} spoke to Moses, saying {leʾemor: speech-introduction formula}.
17 Harass {tsaror: treat as hostile} the Midianites {midyanim: desert tribes}, and you shall strike them.
18 For they are adversaries to you in their deceptions {nikhlehem: schemes}, with which they deceived you regarding the matter of Peor and the matter of Kozbi, the daughter of the leader of Midian, their sister, who was struck down on the day of the plague {magefah: devastating blow} concerning the matter of Peor.