“Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I didn’t consume the children of Israel in my jealousy. Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace. It shall be to him, and to his offspring after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.’ ”
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Numbers 25:11-13 sits inside this longer paragraph.
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I didn’t consume the children of Israel in my jealousy. Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace. It shall be to him, and to his offspring after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.’ ”
Parallel Translations
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“Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I didn’t consume the children of Israel in my jealousy.
Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace.
It shall be to him, and to his offspring after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.’ ”
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Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.
Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace:
And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.
Show all 3 translations
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'Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned My wrath away from the children of Israel, in that he was very jealous for My sake among them, so that I consumed not the children of Israel in My jealousy.
Wherefore say: Behold, I give unto him My covenant of peace;
and it shall be unto him, and to his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.'
Cross-references (54)
- Malachi 2:4-5 (v12) You will know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my covenant may be with Levi,” says Yahweh of Armies. “My covenant was with…
- Deuteronomy 32:16 (v11) They moved him to jealousy with strange gods. They provoked him to anger with abominations.
- Deuteronomy 32:21 (v11) They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God. They have provoked me to anger with their vanities. I will move them to jealousy…
- Psalms 78:58 (v11) For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their engraved images.
- Hebrews 2:17 (v13) Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things…
Show all 54 cross-references
- Exodus 40:15 (v13) You shall anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may minister to me in the priest’s office. Their anointing shall be to them…
- 1 Chronicles 6:4-15 (v13) Eleazar became the father of Phinehas, Phinehas became the father of Abishua, Abishua became the father of Bukki. Bukki became the father…
- Psalms 106:31 (v13) That was credited to him for righteousness, for all generations to come.
- Isaiah 54:10 (v12) For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed; but my loving kindness will not depart from you, and my covenant of peace will not…
- Jeremiah 33:18 (v13) The Levitical priests won’t lack a man before me to offer burnt offerings, to burn meal offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.”
- Jeremiah 33:22 (v13) As the army of the sky can’t be counted, and the sand of the sea can’t be measured; so I will multiply the offspring of David my servant…
- Malachi 3:1 (v12) “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me; and the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple; and the…
- Romans 10:2-4 (v13) For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and…
- 1 Peter 2:5 (v13) You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God…
- Exodus 20:5 (v11) you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on…
- Exodus 32:30 (v13) On the next day, Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. Now I will go up to Yahweh. Perhaps I shall make atonement for…
- Numbers 13:29 (v12) Amalek dwells in the land of the South. The Hittite, the Jebusite, and the Amorite dwell in the hill country. The Canaanite dwells by the…
- 1 Kings 14:22 (v11) Judah did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they committed, above all that…
- 1 Kings 19:10 (v13) He said, “I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of Armies; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your…
- 1 Kings 19:14 (v13) He said, “I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of Armies; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your…
- 1 Chronicles 6:50-53 (v13) These are the sons of Aaron: Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son, Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son, Meraioth…
- Psalms 69:9 (v13) For the zeal of your house consumes me. The reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
- Isaiah 61:6 (v13) But you will be called Yahweh’s priests. Men will call you the servants of our God. You will eat the wealth of the nations. You will boast…
- Zephaniah 1:18 (v11) Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of Yahweh’s wrath, but the whole land will be devoured by the…
- Zephaniah 3:8 (v11) “Therefore wait for me”, says Yahweh, “until the day that I rise up to the prey, for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may…
- John 2:17 (v13) His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will eat me up.”
- 1 Corinthians 10:22 (v11) Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
- 2 Corinthians 11:2 (v11) For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I married you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
- Hebrews 7:17-18 (v13) for it is testified, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” For there is an annulling of a foregoing…
- 1 Peter 2:9 (v13) But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of…
- 1 John 2:2 (v13) And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.
- Revelation 1:6 (v13) and he made us to be a Kingdom, priests to his God and Father—to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
- Exodus 22:5 (v11) “If a man causes a field or vineyard to be eaten by letting his animal loose, and it grazes in another man’s field, he shall make…
- Exodus 29:9 (v13) You shall clothe them with belts, Aaron and his sons, and bind headbands on them. They shall have the priesthood by a perpetual statute.…
- Exodus 34:14 (v11) for you shall worship no other god; for Yahweh, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
- Numbers 16:46 (v13) Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, put fire from the altar in it, lay incense on it, carry it quickly to the congregation, and make…
- Deuteronomy 4:24 (v11) For Yahweh your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God.
- Deuteronomy 29:20 (v11) Yahweh will not pardon him, but then Yahweh’s anger and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and all the curse that is written in this…
- Joshua 7:12 (v13) Therefore the children of Israel can’t stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become…
- Joshua 7:25-26 (v11) Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? Yahweh will trouble you today.” All Israel stoned him with stones, and they burned them with fire…
- Joshua 24:19 (v11) Joshua said to the people, “You can’t serve Yahweh, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God. He will not forgive your disobedience nor…
- 1 Samuel 2:30 (v13) “Therefore Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father should walk before me forever.’ But…
- 2 Samuel 21:3 (v13) and David said to the Gibeonites, “What should I do for you? And with what should I make atonement, that you may bless Yahweh’s…
- 2 Samuel 21:14 (v11) They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father: and they performed…
- Psalms 106:23 (v11) Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had Moses, his chosen, not stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, so that he…
- Psalms 106:30 (v11) Then Phinehas stood up and executed judgment, so the plague was stopped.
- Ezekiel 16:38 (v11) I will judge you, as women who break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will bring on you the blood of wrath and jealousy.
- Ezekiel 34:25 (v12) “ ‘I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause evil animals to cease out of the land. They will dwell securely in the…
- Nahum 1:2 (v11) Yahweh is a jealous God and avenges. Yahweh avenges and is full of wrath. Yahweh takes vengeance on his adversaries, and he maintains wrath…
- John 3:36 (v11) One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”
- Acts 22:3-5 (v13) “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict…
- Hebrews 7:11 (v13) Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people have received the law), what further need was there for…
- 1 Kings 2:27 (v13) So Solomon thrust Abiathar out from being priest to Yahweh, that he might fulfill Yahweh’s word, which he spoke concerning the house of Eli…
- Psalms 119:139 (v13) My zeal wears me out, because my enemies ignore your words.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (17 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv11, 13 He was zealous to maintain my glory.
He was zealous to maintain my glory.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On v13 Num 25:13 And he shall have it, and his…
Num 25:13 And he shall have it, and his seed after him, [even] the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.
Ver. 13. Because he was zealous for his God.] Enraged, as a jealous man, with a holy hatred of sin, and inflamed with love to God, Quem aliter amare non didicerat, as Chrysostom speaks of Basil. Non amat, qui non zelat, saith Augustine. {a} He is no friend to God that is not zealous for him. To one that desired to know what kind of man Basil was, there was presented in a dream, saith the history, a pillar of fire, with this motto, Talis est Basilius, Basil is such a one, all on a light fire for God.
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{a} Contra Adamant., cap. 13.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv11–13 He was zealous, fervent and resolute and valiant,
He was zealous, fervent and resolute and valiant,
for my sake, for my satisfaction and vindication.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv11–13 Wherefore say,.... Moses is bid to tell what follows…
Wherefore say,.... Moses is bid to tell what follows to Phinehas himself, for his comfort and encouragement, and to the people of Israel, that they might take notice of it, and give him honour and respect, as one highly esteemed by the Lord:
behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace; not only hereby assuring him that he had nothing to fear from the brethren and relations of the person he had slain, as Aben Ezra; but that he should enjoy all peace and happiness, external, internal, and eternal: Baal Hatfurira on the place says, that "Shalom", peace, is by geometry, or numerically, the Messiah; who is the peace, the peace maker, and peace giver, and in whom all the blessings of grace and peace are: and if this covenant is the same with the covenant of the priesthood in the next verse, it may be so called, because the priests had a peculiar nearness to God, and enjoyed his friendship, favour, and peace with him, and because the right administration of their office was the means of peace between God and his people; in this also Phinehas was a type of Christ; the covenant of grace made with him is called the covenant of peace, Isa 54:10 for in this covenant the scheme of peace and reconciliation was formed, agreed to, and settled; Christ was appointed the peace maker, which he agreed to be; and in consequence of it was sent and obtained peace by the blood of his cross, which is published in the everlasting Gospel, called therefore the Gospel of peace.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv12–13 My covenant of peace - That is, the covenant…
My covenant of peace - That is, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood, as it is expounded, ver. 13, which is called a covenant of peace, partly with respect to the happy effect of this heroical action of his, whereby he made peace between God and his people; and partly with regard to the principal end of the priestly office, which was constantly to do that which Phinehas now did, even to meditate between God and men, to obtain and preserve his own and Israel's peace and reconciliation with God, by offering up sacrifices and incense, and prayers, to God on their behalf, as also by turning them away from iniquity, which is the only peace- breaker, and by teaching and pressing the observation of that law, which is the only bond of their peace.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On v12 Verse 12. - 13. My covenant of peace -…
Verse 12. - 13. My covenant of peace - of an everlasting priesthood] As the word peace implied all kinds of blessings, both spiritual and temporal, it may mean no more here than the promise of God, to grant him and his family the utmost prosperity in reference to both worlds. The everlasting priesthood refers properly to the priesthood of Christ which was shadowed out by the priesthood under the law; no matter in what family it was continued. Therefore the כהנת עולם kehunnath olam, or eternal priesthood, does not merely refer to any sacerdotal ministrations which should be continued in the family of Phinehas, during the Mosaic dispensation, but to that priesthood of Christ typified by that of Aaron and his successors. The priesthood alone is everlasting, and a covenant or grant of that was made to Phinehas, and his descendants. The Jews reckon twelve high priests of the race of Phinehas, from this time to the days of Solomon, nine more from that time to the captivity, (see 1Ch 6:4; 1Ch 6:15), and fifteen from their return to the time of Antiochus Eupator, the last of whom was Onias, slain by Lysias. Ezra, the great priest and scribe, was of this line, Ezr 7:1; Ezr 7:5. The family of Ithamar, uncle of Phinehas, had the priesthood for about 150 years; but it was restored to the family of Phinehas in the person of Zadok the priest, 1Ch 6:50, in which it continued in the whole about 950 years. Probably the Maccabees were of the same family; but though this is not certain, there is no evidence against it. See Calmet. God therefore sufficiently fulfilled his promise; he gave to him and his descendants almost the utmost temporal length that could be given of that priesthood which is, in its own nature, eternal. Here then the word עולם olam means, not a limited time, but what is eternal in its duration. See Clarke on Ge 21:33.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv11–13 Num 25:11. That I consumed not the children of…
Num 25:11. That I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy — When God ascribes jealousy and the passions to himself, in Scripture, he speaks after the manner of men, and in conformity to our apprehension. The meaning is, that his own glory and the salvation of mankind render it necessary that he should proceed with severity against some particular crimes, like that wherewith men proceed when they are prompted by jealousy and other angry passions.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv11–12 Hath turned my wrath away - The signal example…
Hath turned my wrath away - The signal example thus made of a leading offender by Phinehas was accepted by God as an expiation (literally in Num 25:13 “covering;” see the note at the typical significance Lev 1:4), and the exterminating wrath which had gone forth against the whole people was arrested Psa 106:30.
The act of Phinehas must be regarded as exceptional. It was an extraordinary deed of vengeance, justified by the singular atrocity of the crime which provoked it; but it does not confer the right to every man to punish summarily any gross and flagrant breach of divine law committed in his presence. Compare the act of Mattathias (1 Macc. 2:24-26).
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The act was its own justification. Its merit consisted in the evidence it gave that the heart of Phinehas was right before God. He was “zealous with God’s zeal,” and abhorred the presumptuous wickedness of Zimri, as God abhorred it. He therefore risked his own life by dealing according to their deserts with two influential and defiant evil-doers; and his act, done in the face of Moses and the people, and for them, was accepted by God as a national atonement; and rewarded by the people (compare the leadership assigned to him in Num 31:6; Jos 22:13).
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv12–13 Peace. He has the honour of restoring the people…
Peace. He has the honour of restoring the people to peace and to my favour, so that my covenant shall still subsist with them. He shall surely be his father’s successor in the high priesthood, and shall not be prevented by death.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On v11 Phinehas . . . hath turned my wrath away--This…
Phinehas . . . hath turned my wrath away--This assurance was a signal mark of honor that the stain of blood, instead of defiling, confirmed him in office and that his posterity should continue as long as the national existence of Israel.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv11–12 PHINEHAS REWARDED WITH AN EVERLASTING PRIESTHOOD, Num_25:10-13.
PHINEHAS REWARDED WITH AN EVERLASTING PRIESTHOOD, Num_25:10-13.
11. Zealous for my sake — Literally, with my zeal, not zeal for me, but “my zeal” — the vehement zeal of Jehovah, with which this grandson of Aaron was suddenly baptized. R.V., “Jealous with my jealousy.”
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv11–13 11. jealous with my jealousy] His jealousy was so…
11. jealous with my jealousy] His jealousy was so deep and real that it adequately expressed the jealousy of Jehovah, rendering it unnecessary for Jehovah to express it further by consuming Israel. Cf. the ‘godly sorrow’ felt by the Corinthians with regard to a similar sin (2Co_7:9-11). The divine ‘jealousy’ is that which makes Him claim an exclusive right over His people. This right was violated when they gave themselves up to whoredom. Cf. Exo_20:5; Exo_34:14, Nah_1:2, Jas_4:5 (R.V. marg.).
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv11–13 (11) Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of…
(11) Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest . . . —The description of Phinehas, as in Num_25:7, is repeated in full, as if to denote that he was not a private individual, but one invested with public authority.
While he was zealous for my sake among them.—Better, in that he was jealous with my jealousy (or, in that he displayed my jealousy).
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On v11 While he was zealous for my sake. Rather, "while…
While he was zealous for my sake. Rather, "while he was zealous with my zeal" (ytianqiAta. Septuagint, en tw zhlwsai mou to zhlon , where mou stands emphatically before zhlon ). In my jealousy. Rather, "in my zeal;" the same word is used.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On v13 (See Scofield "Exo 29:33").
atonement
(See Scofield "Exo 29:33").
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v12 Therefore say, 'Yahweh says, "Look, I am giving to…
Therefore say, 'Yahweh says, "Look, I am giving to Phinehas ... the people of Israel."'
This continues Yahweh's speech from the previous verse. This has quotations within quotations. The direct quotations can be stated as indirect quotation. AT: "Therefore say to Phinehas that I am giving to him ... the people of Israel." (See: Quotes Within Quotes and Direct and Indirect Quotations)
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translationWords
covenant
peace
descend
eternity
priest
zeal
God
atonement
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v13 25:13 The deaths of Zimri and Cozbi helped to…
25:13 The deaths of Zimri and Cozbi helped to purify Israel from its sin; Phinehas’s act had atoning value (see study note on Lev 1:4).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.