Israel Worships Baal at Peor

25 While the people of Israel were still camped at ·Acacia [^LShittim], the men began ·sinning sexually [to prostitute themselves] with Moabite women [^Con the advice of Balaam who found another way to get his money; 31:16]. ² The women invited them to their sacrifices to their gods, and the ·Israelites [^Lpeople] ate food there and worshiped these gods. ³ So the Israelites ·began to worship [^Lyoked themselves to] Baal of Peor, and the Lord was very angry with them.

⁴ The Lord said to Moses, “Get all the leaders of the people and ·kill [impale] them in open daylight in the presence of the Lord. Then the Lord will not be angry with the people of Israel.”

⁵ So Moses said to Israel’s judges, “Each of you must ·put to death [kill] your people who have become ·worshipers of [^Lyoked to] Baal of Peor.”

⁶ Moses and the Israelites were gathered at the entrance to the Meeting Tent, crying there. Then an ·Israelite man [^Lman of the sons/^Tchildren of Israel] brought a Midianite woman to his ·brothers [family] in plain sight of Moses and all the ·people [community; congregation; assembly]. ⁷ Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, saw this, so he ·left the meeting [^Lrose up from the community/congregation/assembly] and ·got [^Ltook in his hand] his spear. ⁸ He followed the Israelite into his ·tent [vaulted/newlywed tent] and drove his spear through the belly of both the Israelite man and the Midianite woman [^Cwhile they were embracing]. Then the ·terrible sickness [plague] among the ·Israelites [^Lsons/^Tchildren of Israel] stopped.

⁹ This ·sickness [plague] had killed twenty-four thousand people.