Numbers 25:17

Study note

Setting — The LORD addresses Moses immediately after the Peor incident, issuing a direct command following the plague that struck Israel for their seduction. The words — The Hebrew צָר֖וֹר (tza.Ror) literally means to oppose or harass, while וְ/הִכִּיתֶ֖ם (ve./hi.ki.Tem) translates to you will strike down, emphasizing a sustained campaign of violent opposition. The thread — This command initiates the war against Midian recorded in Numbers 31:1 and establishes a pattern of divine retribution later mirrored in Revelation 18:6. Why it lands — The text demands unhesitating execution of covenant justice against those who deliberately led God’s people into idolatry, leaving no room for negotiation or delay.

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.