Bible Strands
Numbers 31:16
“Look, these women caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to turn unfaithfully against the LORD at Peor, so that the plague struck the congregation of the LORD.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses confronts the Israelite military commanders immediately after their campaign against Midian, responding to their report of sparing the women (Numbers 31:15). He addresses the officers for allowing foreign women to remain among the troops.
The words — The text highlights הֵ֣ן (hen), rendered “look!” or “there!”, to demand attention to the source of the crisis. It also names בִּלְעָ֔ם (bil.'Am), identifying Balaam as the strategist behind the betrayal.
The thread — This event traces back to Israel’s initial compromise at Peor (Numbers 25:1) and resurfaces in the New Testament as a warning against false teaching and apostasy (2 Peter 2:15; Revelation 2:14).
Why it lands — It requires the reader to identify the precise origin of spiritual compromise and to act decisively against corrupting influences rather than tolerating them.
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
Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord.
Cross-references
- Numbers 25:1 While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab,
- 2 Peter 2:15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.
- 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.
- Deuteronomy 4:3 Your 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.
- Joshua 22:17 Was 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.
- Numbers 24:14 Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you what this people will do to your people in the days to come.”
- Numbers 25:18 For they assailed you deceitfully when they seduced you in the matter of Peor and their sister Cozbi, the daughter of the Midianite leader, the woman who was killed on the day the plague came because of Peor.”
- Proverbs 23:27 For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an adulteress is a narrow well.
- 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.