1And while Israel stayed in Acacia, the people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of Moab, 2Who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods; and the people ate, and bowed down to their gods. 3And Israel joined themselves to Baal-peor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. 4And the LORD said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people, kill and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.” 5And Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Put to death every one of your people who joined in worshipping Baal-peor.”

6And then, one of the Israelites brought into the camp a Midianite woman, right in front of Moses, and in sight of all the Israelite congregation, who were weeping before the entrance of the tabernacle of meeting. 7And when Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; 8And he followed the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust them both of through - the man of Israel, and the woman through her abdomen. And so the plague was stayed from the Israelites. 9And those that died in the plague were twenty-four thousand.

10And the LORD said to Moses, 11“Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned My wrath away from the Israelites, since he was zealous for My sake among them, so that I did not consume all the children of Israel in My jealousy. 12Therefore tell him, ‘I am making My covenant of peace with him: 13And he, and his descendants after him, shall have the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.’”

14Now the name of the Israelite who was slain with the Midianite woman was Zimri, son of Salu, a leader of a Simeonite family. 15And the name of the Midianite woman who was slain was Cozbi, daughter of Zur; who was a leader over a people, and of a chief house in Midian.

16And the LORD said to Moses, 17“Attack the Midianites, and kill them; 18Because they deceived you and have seduced Israel in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a leader of Midian, their sister, who was slain when the plague came as a result of that incident.”