Bible Strands
Numbers 25:1
While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrative addresses Israel's wilderness encampment at Shittim, reporting the actions of the Israelite men during this specific phase of the journey.
The words — וַיֵּשֶׁב (va.yeshev) translates literally to "and he remained" or "and he stayed," and לִזְנוֹת (li.znot) means "to commit fornication" or "to engage in sexual immorality."
The thread — The location Shittim reappears in Numbers 33:49 as a Moabite border camp and in Joshua 2:1 as the departure point for Joshua's spies. The incident's consequences are directly cited in 1 Corinthians 10:8 as a historical warning against sexual immorality.
Why it lands — The text records the initial step of covenant violation that requires readers to identify how casual proximity to foreign religious and cultural systems initiates moral compromise.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.
Cross-references
- 1 Corinthians 10:8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.
- Numbers 33:49 And there on the plains of Moab they camped by the Jordan, from Beth-jeshimoth to Abel-shittim.
- Joshua 2:1 Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim, saying, “Go, inspect the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.
- Micah 6:5 My people, remember what Balak king of Moab counseled and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may acknowledge the righteousness of the LORD.’”
- Revelation 2:14 But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.
- Numbers 31:15 “Have you spared all the women?” he asked them.
- Joshua 3:1 Early the next morning Joshua got up and left Shittim with all the Israelites. They went as far as the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over.
- Ecclesiastes 7:26 And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared.