Numbers 31:16

Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.

Behold, these {H2007} caused {H1961} the children {H1121} of Israel {H3478}, through the counsel {H1697} of Balaam {H1109}, to commit {H4560} trespass {H4604} against the LORD {H3068} in the matter {H1697} of Peor {H6465}, and there was a plague {H4046} among the congregation {H5712} of the LORD {H3068}.

Why, these are the ones who - because of Bil'am's advice -caused the people of Isra'el to rebel, breaking faith with ADONAI in the P'or incident, so that the plague broke out among ADONAI's community!

“Look, these women caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to turn unfaithfully against the LORD at Peor, so that the plague struck the congregation of the LORD.

Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against Jehovah in the matter of Peor, and so the plague was among the congregation of Jehovah.

Commentary

Numbers 31:16 reveals a crucial historical detail connecting the disastrous events at Baal-peor to the insidious strategy devised by Balaam. This verse serves as a stern reminder of the severe consequences of spiritual compromise and disobedience to God's commands.

Context of Numbers 31:16

This verse is part of Moses' instructions and rebuke to the Israelite commanders after their victory over the Midianites. The Israelites had initially spared the Midianite women, but Moses understood that these very women were instrumental in leading Israel astray. The "matter of Peor" refers to the incident described in Numbers chapter 25, where Israelite men committed sexual immorality with Moabite and Midianite women and participated in the worship of Baal-peor, a local deity.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Spiritual Deception and Corruption: The verse explicitly blames the Midianite women for causing Israel to "commit trespass," but critically, it points to the "counsel of Balaam" as the underlying instigation. Balaam, unable to curse Israel directly, advised Balak to entice them into sin through idolatry and immorality, knowing that God's judgment would follow. This highlights the danger of subtle spiritual attacks.
  • Consequences of Disobedience: The immediate result of Israel's sin at Peor was a devastating "plague among the congregation of the LORD," which claimed 24,000 lives. This demonstrates God's holiness and His swift judgment against unfaithfulness and idolatry.
  • The Seriousness of Trespass: The Hebrew word for "trespass" here, ma'al, signifies an act of unfaithfulness, a betrayal of trust, or a sacrilege against God's covenant. It emphasizes that their actions were not merely moral failings but a profound breach of their relationship with the LORD.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "counsel of Balaam" reveals a deeper layer of spiritual warfare. While Balaam initially sought to curse Israel for monetary gain, when God prevented this, he devised a strategy to make Israel curse themselves by drawing them into sin. This manipulative tactic is later referred to as the "doctrine of Balaam" in the New Testament (Revelation 2:14), emphasizing its lasting significance as a warning against spiritual compromise and idolatry.

Practical Application

Numbers 31:16 offers timeless warnings for believers today:

  • Beware of Subtle Temptations: Sin often comes through seemingly benign influences or relationships that lead one away from God's commands. Just as Balaam's counsel led to Israel's downfall, we must be discerning about the advice and influences we allow into our lives.
  • Guard Against Spiritual Compromise: The incident at Peor was a blend of sexual immorality and idolatry. Believers are called to maintain purity and to worship God alone, avoiding any form of spiritual syncretism or devotion to worldly idols (1 John 2:15).
  • Understand Consequences: While God is merciful, this account reminds us that disobedience has consequences. Recognizing the seriousness of sin can motivate us to live in obedience and faithfulness to God.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Numbers 25:1 (10 votes)

    ¶ And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.

  • Numbers 25:9 (10 votes)

    And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.

  • 2 Peter 2:15 (9 votes)

    Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam [the son] of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

  • Revelation 2:14 (6 votes)

    But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

  • Deuteronomy 4:3 (4 votes)

    Your eyes have seen what the LORD did because of Baalpeor: for all the men that followed Baalpeor, the LORD thy God hath destroyed them from among you.

  • Numbers 24:14 (4 votes)

    And now, behold, I go unto my people: come [therefore, and] I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.

  • Joshua 22:17 (4 votes)

    [Is] the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the LORD,