So Israel joined in worshiping Baal of Peor, and the anger of the LORD burned against them.
Parallel translations
- WEB Israel joined himself to Baal Peor. Yahweh’s anger burned against Israel.
- KJV And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.
- NKJV So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel.
- NASB So Israel became followers of Baal of Peor, and the Lord was angry with Israel.
- NLT In this way, Israel joined in the worship of Baal of Peor, causing the Lord’s anger to blaze against his people.
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
Israel joins itself to Baal of Peor, and the LORD's anger burns against them. Their idolatry triggers divine judgment.
Overview
To 'join' to Baal of Peor signals a binding covenant loyalty given to a false god, a direct betrayal of the LORD. God's burning anger reflects His holy jealousy for the exclusive devotion of His people. This grievous apostasy at the threshold of the Promised Land sets the stage for the plague and the decisive act of Phinehas.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Hos 9:10I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the firstfruits of the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal-peor, and consecrated themselves to Shame; so they became as detestable as the thing they loved.
- Josh 22:17Was not the sin of Peor enough for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day? It even brought a plague upon the congregation of the LORD.
- Ps 106:28–29They yoked themselves to Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods.
- Judg 2:20So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He said, “Because this nation has transgressed the covenant I laid down for their fathers and has not heeded My voice,
- Jer 17:4And you yourself will relinquish the inheritance that I gave you. I will enslave you to your enemies in a land that you do not know, for you have kindled My anger; it will burn forever.”
- Num 25:5So Moses told the judges of Israel, “Each of you must kill all of his men who have joined in worshiping Baal of Peor.”
- Judg 2:14Then the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He delivered them into the hands of those who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist.
- Ps 90:11Who knows the power of Your anger? Your wrath matches the fear You are due.
- Deut 4:3–4Your eyes have seen what the LORD did at Baal-peor, for the LORD your God destroyed from among you all who followed Baal of Peor.
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 25:3 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.