Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab.
Parallel translations
- WEB Israel stayed in Shittim; and the people began to play the prostitute with the daughters of Moab;
- KJV And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.
- BSB While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab,
- NASB While Israel remained at Shittim, the people began to commit infidelity with the daughters of Moab.
- NLT While the Israelites were camped at Acacia Grove, some of the men defiled themselves by having sexual relations with local Moabite women.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
While camped at Shittim, Israelite men begin committing sexual immorality with Moabite women. This marks Israel's fall into the very corruption Balaam could not curse them into.
Overview
Having been protected from external cursing, Israel now stumbles through internal compromise and seduction. The sin at Shittim, just before entering Canaan, reveals that the greatest danger to God's people is not enemy attack but their own unfaithfulness. Scripture later identifies Balaam's counsel as the source of this snare, showing how spiritual seduction can accomplish what direct opposition could not.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- 1 Cor 10:8Let us not commit sexual immorality, as some of them committed, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell.
- Num 33:49They encamped by the Jordan, from Beth Jeshimoth even to Abel Shittim in the plains of Moab.
- Josh 2:1Joshua the son of Nun secretly sent two men out of Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, including Jericho.” They went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and slept there.
- Mic 6:5My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of Yahweh.”
- Rev 2:14But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.
- Josh 3:1Joshua got up early in the morning; and they moved from Shittim, and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel. They camped there before they crossed over.
- Num 31:15–16Moses said to them, “Have you saved all the women alive?
- Eccl 7:26I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and traps, whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner will be ensnared by her.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 25:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.