Numbers 25:5

And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baalpeor.

And Moses {H4872} said {H559} unto the judges {H8199} of Israel {H3478}, Slay {H2026} ye every {H376} one {H376} his men {H582} that were joined {H6775} unto Baalpeor {H1187}.

Moshe said to the judges of Isra'el, "Each of you is to put to death those in his tribe who have joined themselves to Ba'al-P'or."

So Moses told the judges of Israel, โ€œEach of you must kill all of his men who have joined in worshiping Baal of Peor.โ€

And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that have joined themselves unto Baal-peor.

Commentary

Numbers 25:5 records Moses' command to the judges of Israel to execute those who had participated in the heinous sin at Baal-peor. This verse highlights the immediate and severe divine judgment against the rampant idolatry and sexual immorality that had infected the Israelite camp in the plains of Moab.

Context

This verse follows the shocking narrative in Numbers 25:1-3, where the Israelite men began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. These women then enticed the Israelites to participate in their pagan rituals, including offering sacrifices to their gods and bowing down to Baal-peor. This act of spiritual and physical infidelity enraged the Lord, leading to a severe plague that had already begun to decimate the Israelite population. Moses' command to the judges is a direct response to God's instruction to "take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel" (Numbers 25:4). The judges were tasked with enforcing this immediate, drastic judgment to purge the evil from the community and stem the plague, which ultimately claimed 24,000 lives.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment and Holiness: The swift and severe punishment underscores God's absolute holiness and His intolerance for idolatry and covenant breaking. He demands exclusive worship and purity from His people.
  • Consequences of Sin: The narrative vividly illustrates the devastating consequences of national sin, particularly when it involves spiritual compromise and sexual immorality. The plague and executions were a direct result of Israel's unfaithfulness.
  • Leadership Responsibility: Moses and the judges were charged with the solemn duty of upholding God's law and executing justice. Their role was crucial in maintaining the purity and covenant relationship of the community with God.
  • Zeal for God's Name: The command to slay those joined to Baal-peor reflects a desperate zeal to turn away God's wrath and restore the nation's standing before Him, a zeal exemplified by Phinehas's subsequent act (Numbers 25:7-8).

Linguistic Insights

The term "Baal-peor" (KJV: "Baalpeor") refers to a specific pagan deity worshipped at Peor, a mountain associated with the Moabites. Baal means "lord" or "master," and the full name likely signifies the local manifestation of this fertility god, often associated with licentious rites. The phrase "joined unto Baalpeor" (Hebrew: ื ึดืฆึฐืžึฐื“ึผื•ึผ ืœึฐื‘ึทืขึทืœ ืคึผึฐืขื•ึนืจ, nitsmedu le-ba'al pe'or) implies a deep, binding attachment or yoking oneself to this idol, indicating not just casual participation but a profound commitment to its worship, akin to spiritual prostitution.

Practical Application

Numbers 25:5 serves as a potent reminder of the seriousness of idolatry and sexual immorality in God's eyes. For believers today, this passage warns against spiritual compromise and allowing worldly influences to corrupt one's faith. Just as ancient Israel faced severe consequences for their unfaithfulness, believers are called to maintain purity and exclusive devotion to God. The apostle Paul references this very event as a warning to New Testament believers against lust and idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:8). It underscores the importance of communal accountability and the need for spiritual leaders to address sin within the church, ensuring that God's holiness is honored and His presence is not grieved.

Note: Commentary was generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please remember that only the commentary section is AI-generated. The main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are sourced from trusted and verified materials.
Balaam and His Talking Donkey The Lineage of David: How a Moabite Became Jesus' Ancestor

Cross-References

  • 1 Kings 18:40

    And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

  • Exodus 18:21

    Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place [such] over them, [to be] rulers of thousands, [and] rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

  • Deuteronomy 17:3

    And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded;

  • Deuteronomy 17:5

    Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, [even] that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die.

  • Exodus 22:20

    He that sacrificeth unto [any] god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.

  • Exodus 18:25

    And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

  • Exodus 18:26

    And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
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