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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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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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.
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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 (28)
Passages linked to Numbers 25:13 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Hebrews 2:17 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 pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.
- Exodus 40:15 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 for an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.”
- 1 Chronicles 6:4-15 Eleazar became the father of Phinehas, Phinehas became the father of Abishua, Abishua became the father of Bukki. Bukki became the father of Uzzi. Uzzi became the father of Zerahiah. Zerahiah became the father of Meraioth. Meraioth became the father of Amariah. Amariah became the father of Ahitub. Ahitub became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Ahimaaz. Ahimaaz became the father of Azariah. Azariah became the father of Johanan. Johanan became the father of Azariah, who executed the priest’s office in the house that Solomon built in Jerusalem. Azariah became the father of Amariah. Amariah became the father of Ahitub. Ahitub became the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Shallum. Shallum became the father of Hilkiah. Hilkiah became the father of Azariah. Azariah became the father of Seraiah. Seraiah became the father of Jehozadak. Jehozadak went into captivity, when Yahweh carried Judah and Jerusalem away by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.
- Psalms 106:31 That was credited to him for righteousness, for all generations to come.
- Jeremiah 33:18 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 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 and the Levites who minister to me.’ ”
- Romans 10:2-4 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 seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn’t subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
- 1 Peter 2:5 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 through Jesus Christ.
- Exodus 32:30 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 your sin.”
- 1 Kings 19:10 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 altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”
- 1 Kings 19:14 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 altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”
- 1 Chronicles 6:50-53 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 his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son, Zadok his son, and Ahimaaz his son.
- Psalms 69:9 For the zeal of your house consumes me. The reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
- Isaiah 61:6 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 in their glory.
- John 2:17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will eat me up.”
- Hebrews 7:17-18 for it is testified, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” For there is an annulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and uselessness
- 1 Peter 2:9 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 him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
- 1 John 2:2 And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.
- Revelation 1:6 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 29:9 You shall clothe them with belts, Aaron and his sons, and bind headbands on them. They shall have the priesthood by a perpetual statute. You shall consecrate Aaron and his sons.
- Numbers 16:46 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 atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from Yahweh! The plague has begun.”
- Joshua 7:12 Therefore the children of Israel can’t stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will not be with you any more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you.
- 1 Samuel 2:30 “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 now Yahweh says, ‘Far be it from me; for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me will be cursed.
- 2 Samuel 21:3 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 inheritance?”
- Acts 22:3-5 “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 tradition of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are today. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. As also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and traveled to Damascus to bring them also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds to be punished.
- Hebrews 7:11 Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people have received the law), what further need was there for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
- 1 Kings 2:27 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 in Shiloh.
- Psalms 119:139 My zeal wears me out, because my enemies ignore your words.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (11 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain He hath pacified God’s wrath.
He hath pacified God’s wrath.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 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 And his seed after him.
And his seed after him.
Quest. What advantage had he by this promise, seeing the thing here promised was due to him by birth?
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Answ. 1. The same blessing may be ofttimes promised, as the kingdom was to David; and the renewing of this promise might seem convenient here, To signify that bloodshed was so far from polluting him, and thereby casting him out of the priesthood, that it was a mean to confirm him in it.
2. This promise secured him and his against divers contingencies, which otherwise might have befallen him or them; as that he should live longer than his father, else he could not have been the high priest; that he should be preserved from those blemishes which might have rendered him incapable of the priesthood, which were many; that he should have a seed, and they such as were fit for that office.
An everlasting priesthood, i.e. to continue as long as the law and commonwealth of the Jews did.
Quest. How was this verified, seeing the priesthood went from Eleazar’s to Ithamar’s line in Eli and three or four of his successors? Answ. 1. This promise, as others of the like nature, was conditional, and therefore might be made void, and of none effect, by the miscarriages of Phinehas’s sons, as it seems it was; and thereupon a like promise was made to Eli of the line of Ithamar, that he and his should walk before the Lord, to wit, in the office of high priest, for ever, which also for his and their sins was made void, 1Sa 2:30.
Answ. 2. That was but a short interruption, and not considerable in so long a succession, for the priesthood returned to Phinehas’s line in the time of Solomon, 1Ki 2:26,27,35; 1Ch 24:3; and continued in that line till the captivity of Babylon, as is evident, and afterward too, 1Ch 6:4; Ezr 7:1,5, even until Christ’s time, for any thing which appears to the contrary.
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 Now the name of the Israelite that was slain,....…
Now the name of the Israelite that was slain,.... By Phinehas, as before related:
even that was slain with the Midianitish woman; who was slain also, both together with one thrust:
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was Zimri, the son of Sela, a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites; or a prince of his father's house, or family; there were five families of the Simeonites, and this man was a prince of one of them, see Num 26:12 though Josephus (h), and so the Samaritan Chronicle (i), make him to be a prince of the tribe of Simeon. His name is mentioned partly to the reproach of him, and partly for the honour of Phinehas, whose zeal and courage were such, that he feared not to take away the life of a person of such figure, authority, and interest among the people.
(h) Antiqu. l. 4. c. 6. sect. 10. (i) Apud Hottinger, Smegma Oriental, l. 1. c. 8. p. 448.
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 At everlasting priesthood - To continue as long as…
At everlasting priesthood - To continue as long as the law and common-wealth of the Jews did. But this promise was conditional, and therefore might be made void, by the miscarriages of Phinehas's sons, as it seems it was, and thereupon a like promise was made to Eli of the line of Ithamar, that he and his should walk before the Lord, namely, in the office of high- priest, forever, which also for his and their sins was made void, 1 Sam. ii, 30. And the the priesthood returned to Phinehas's line in the time of Solomon, 1 Kings ii, 26, 27, 34.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Num 25:13-14. An everlasting priesthood — To continue as…
Num 25:13-14. An everlasting priesthood — To continue as long as the law and commonwealth of the Jews did. But this promise was conditional, and therefore might be made void by the miscarriages of Phinehas’s sons, as it seems it was, and thereupon a like promise was made to Eli, of the line of Ithamar, that he and his should walk before the Lord, namely, in the office of high-priest, for ever, which also for his and their sins was made void, 1Sa 2:30. And the priesthood returned to Phinehas’s line in the time of Solomon, 1Ki 2:26-27; 1Ki 2:34. Because he was zealous for his God — God, who searches the heart, saw that this emotion proceeded not from private passion, but from just indignation against such infamous lewdness, and a truly pious zeal for the honour of God. And made an atonement for Israel — Procured pardon and peace for them from God. Zimri, a prince of a chief house — This is mentioned to do honour to Phinehas, who in this brave act feared not the dignity of a man of so great interest in his tribe.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Seed. A short interruption of 150 years (from Heli…
Seed. A short interruption of 150 years (from Heli to Abiathar, of the race of Ithamar) may be accounted trifling in a duration of so many ages, during which the posterity of Phinees enjoyed this dignity. Phinees succeeded Eleazar and had for his successors, Abiezer Bocci, and Elsi. (Calmet) --- Some add Zararias, Meraioth, and Amarias, upon whose death, 1157 years before Christ, Heli got possession, by some means, and was followed by Achitob, Achielech, and Abiathar, of the same family, till David joined Sadoc with the latter, and he was acknowledged sole pontiff on the rebellion of Abiathar, B.C. 1014. See Lenglet’s tables. (Haydock) --- We have no proof that the succeeding high priests were of a different family, (Calmet) till our Saviour’s time, who re-united in his person the right both to his priesthood and to the kingdom of Israel for ever. See St. Augustine, City of God xvii. 6. (Haydock) --- God did not promise that no interruption should take place. He only granted a perpetual right to the family of Phinees, (Cajetan) which they might forfeit by their misconduct. (Tirinus) --- He was certainly always disposed to comply with his promise, and really granted the effects of it to the posterity of Phinees, at least for almost 1000 years, even if we grant that the Machabees were not his lineal descendants, of which there is no positive proof either way. Thus, for ever, often denotes a long duration. Though Phinees was entitled already to the high priesthood, in quality of the eldest son of Eleazar, he had before no assurance of surviving him, nor of having a succession of children who might be capable of the high office, and free from every blemish; (Calmet) so that the promise made to him was not only a ratification of his title, but a new and real benefit. (Haydock) --- Zealous. The Jews allow any person to kill one who publicly, or in the presence of ten people, commits idolatry, sacrilege, fornication with a strange woman, and also a priest who, being unclean, approaches to the altar. This they call the judgment of zeal. (Selden, Jur. iv. 4.; Grotius, ii. 20.) This practice they authorize by the example of Phinees, Mathathias, &c. (1 Machabees ii. 24.) Such liberty was carried to a great excess, by the Zealots, in the last siege of Jerusalem; and it would be very criminal, where such a law is not in force. (Calmet) --- Phinees was, however, either one of the judges, and thus gave an example of just severity to his fellow magistrates, or he was inspired by God to resent the public injury done to his name. It is never lawful to kill by private authority. (Roman Catechism p. 3., chap. vi. 5.; St. Thomas Aquinas, [Summa Theologiae] ii. 2, q. lx. 6.) (Worthington) --- Those who act under the influence of inspiration must be very careful not to give in to any delusion; and the examples of holy persons who are mentioned, with applause, in Scripture, for having been the instruments of God’s vengeance, will not authorize us to do the like, unless we can produce the like testimony. (Haydock) --- Atonement, by averting the scourge of God, (ver. 8, 11,) and by putting a stop to the corruption of the people, which might otherwise have greatly increased, if Zambri had escaped with impunity. (Calmet)
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).
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 13. the covenant of an everlasting priesthood]. This passage…
13. the covenant of an everlasting priesthood]. This passage expressly confines the priesthood to the line of Aaron. In Jer_33:21, Mal_2:4 f., 8 the covenant is given to the whole tribe of Levi. Other covenants spoken of in the O.T. are those given to Abram (with the sign of circumcision), to Noah (with the sign of the rainbow), to Israel at Sinai, and to David. See the writer’s Exodus, pp. 150–4.
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 (13) And he shall have it, and his seed…
(13) And he shall have it, and his seed after him.—The covenant of peace, which was made by the blood of the Cross, and all the blessings which belong to that covenant, stand fast with Christ, and are secured to His spiritual seed. (Comp. Psa_89:28-29.)
Even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood.—Phinehas succeeded his father Eleazar as high priest (Jdg_20:28). After a temporary interruption in the succession, which existed in the time of Eli, and continued until the time of David, when there appears to have been a joint high-priesthood, the office was restored by Solomon to Zadok, the descendant of Phinehas, and so continued until the gradual dissolution of the Jewish state. Christ’s priesthood is “an unchangeable priesthood” (Heb_7:24): “Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec” (Heb_7:17).
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain (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.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 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.