Psalms 106:30

Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and [so] the plague was stayed.

Then stood up {H5975} Phinehas {H6372}, and executed judgment {H6419}: and so the plague {H4046} was stayed {H6113}.

Then Pinchas stood up and executed judgment; so the plague was checked.

But Phinehas stood and intervened, and the plague was restrained.

Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment; And so the plague was stayed.

Psalms 106:30 recounts a pivotal moment in Israel's history, highlighting the decisive action of Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron. This verse serves as a concise summary of a dramatic event detailed in the book of Numbers, where a plague brought upon Israel due to widespread sin was halted by one man's righteous zeal.

Context

This verse is part of Psalm 106, a historical psalm that provides a litany of Israel's rebellions and God's enduring faithfulness despite their unfaithfulness. Specifically, Psalms 106:30 refers back to the incident at Baal-peor (recorded in Numbers 25), where the Israelites engaged in sexual immorality with Moabite and Midianite women and worshipped their gods. This egregious sin provoked God's wrath, resulting in a devastating plague that swept through the camp, killing thousands.

Amidst this divine judgment, Phinehas, a priest, witnessed an Israelite man, Zimri, openly bringing a Midianite woman, Cozbi, into the camp. Filled with righteous indignation and zeal for God's honor, Phinehas took immediate and decisive action. He pursued them into their tent and executed judgment by thrusting a spear through both of them. This bold act, born of a passion for God's holiness, is credited with stopping the plague.

Key Themes

  • Zeal for God's Holiness: Phinehas's action demonstrates a profound commitment to God's standards and a refusal to tolerate open defiance against divine law. His zeal was not for personal vengeance but for the purity and honor of God's name among His people.
  • Divine Justice and Mercy: The plague itself was a display of God's justice against sin. However, Phinehas's intervention also showcases God's mercy; once righteousness was upheld and the affront to His holiness addressed, the judgment was stayed. This highlights God's readiness to relent from wrath when true repentance or decisive action against sin occurs.
  • Atonement and Intercession: While not a sacrificial atonement in the typical sense, Phinehas's act is described in Numbers 25:13 as making "atonement for the children of Israel." His willingness to execute judgment served as a form of intercession, turning away God's fierce anger from the community.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "executed judgment" for the Hebrew word palal (פָּלַל) here signifies more than just praying; it implies a decisive, authoritative intervention, acting as a judge or an advocate for justice. Phinehas's action was a direct, priestly upholding of God's law. The word "stayed" (Hebrew: 'atsar, עָצַר) means to restrain, hold back, or stop, emphasizing the immediate and complete cessation of the plague as a direct consequence of his righteous act.

Practical Application

While we are not called to perform acts of vigilante justice, the account of Phinehas offers timeless principles for believers today. It underscores the importance of:

  • Spiritual Courage: Standing firm for truth and righteousness in a world that increasingly compromises on moral standards.
  • Zeal for God's Honor: Cultivating a passion for God's holiness and grieving over sin, both personally and communally.
  • Understanding Consequences: Recognizing that sin has severe consequences, but also that righteous action can bring about divine favor and turn away judgment.

Phinehas's legacy, acknowledged by God with a covenant of peace, reminds us that God honors those who honor Him by upholding His righteous commands.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, 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. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Numbers 25:6

    ¶ And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who [were] weeping [before] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

  • Numbers 25:8

    And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.

  • Joshua 7:12

    Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, [but] turned [their] backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.

  • Numbers 25:14

    Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, [even] that was slain with the Midianitish woman, [was] Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites.

  • Numbers 25:15

    And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain [was] Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he [was] head over a people, [and] of a chief house in Midian.

  • Deuteronomy 13:9

    But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.

  • Deuteronomy 13:11

    And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you.

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