Numbers 25:1

“Israel stayed in Shittim, and the people began to prostitute themselves with the daughters of Moab.”

Numbers 25:1 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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1

Explicit type · 1 Corinthians 10:8

Go to 1 Corinthians 10:8

Paul gives as an example the immorality of Baal-peor. He says that 23,000 fell in one day; Numbers 25:9 says that 24,000 died in the plague.

The biblical author himself makes the connection, in these words:

ταῦτα δὲ τυπικῶς συνέβαινεν ἐκείνοις “these things happened to them as examples” (1 Corinthians 10:11)

Theme · Revelation 2:14

Go to Revelation 2:14

Revelation 2:14 attributes to Balaam having taught Balak to make Israel stumble with food sacrificed to idols and with sexual immorality; Numbers 25:1-2 tells of those events without naming him, and Numbers 31:16 attributes them to the counsel of Balaam.

The same term appears in both passages.

  • זִבְחֵיzivjeH2077εἰδωλόθυταeidōlothytaG1494“sacrifice”

Numbers 25:1, word by word

Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyisrael

Israel

Israel, the new name Jacob received from God, explained as "you have striven with God" (Genesis 32:28); then the name of the people that came from him and, after the division, of the northern kingdom.

Where else “yisrael” appears
stayedיֵּשֶׁבyeshev

stay

To remain in a place.

Where else “yeshev” appears
in Shittimשִּׁטִּיםshitim

Shittim

Shittim, a place east of the Jordan where Israel camped before crossing it. The name means "acacias."

Where else “shitim” appears
and the peopleעָםam

crowd

The people gathered in a place: the crowd, or the troops that go out to war.

Where else “am” appears
beganיָּחֶלyachel

begin

To start doing something.

Where else “yachel” appears
to prostitute themselvesזְנוֹתzenot

prostitute oneself

To give one's body to others outside marriage, often for pay; the woman who does so.

Where else “zenot” appears
the daughtersבְּנוֹתbenot

girl

The young women of a people.

Where else “benot” appears

Places in this verse

JerusalemDead SeaMoab
Approximate location. A “?” means it is not known for sure where it was.
  • Moab

    Today: western Jordan, east of the Dead Sea

    The land east of the Dead Sea, in present-day Jordan.

    The Moabites came from a son of Lot (Gen 19:37). Ruth came from Moab (Ruth 1:1-4), and Moses died in its territory (Deut 34:5).

    Genesis 19:37Ruth 1:1Numbers 22:1Deuteronomy 34:5

The context

1 · This verse (above)

2They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.

Read all of Numbers 25

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