Numbers 25 10

Numbers 25:10 kjv

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Numbers 25:10 nkjv

Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:

Numbers 25:10 niv

The LORD said to Moses,

Numbers 25:10 esv

And the LORD said to Moses,

Numbers 25:10 nlt

Then the LORD said to Moses,

Numbers 25 10 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Exod 3:4When the LORD saw that he had turned aside... God called to him...God initiating communication with Moses
Lev 1:1The LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting...Regular pattern of God speaking to Moses
Num 1:1The LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai...Divine instructions to Moses
Num 7:89...he would hear the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat...God communicating with Moses in the tabernacle
Deut 4:10...the day that you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, when the LORD said to me...Emphasizing divine directness to Moses
Deut 34:10And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face...Moses's unique relationship with God
Josh 1:1After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua...Divine speech continuing leadership
Gen 6:13And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before me...”God's response to human corruption
Exod 32:7-8Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go down, for your people... have corrupted themselves.”God's immediate response to sin
Gen 22:15-16And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD...”Divine oath following obedience
Ps 106:30-31Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was stayed... This was counted to him as righteousness...Commendation for Phinehas's zeal
Num 25:11-13“Phinehas... has turned back my wrath... Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace.’”Direct consequence of Num 25:10
Ps 69:9For zeal for your house has consumed me...Zeal for God's holiness
John 2:17His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”Jesus's zeal for God's holiness
Exod 34:14(for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God)...God's jealous nature against idolatry
Deut 4:24For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.God's righteous judgment and holiness
Heb 10:23Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.God's faithfulness to His word and promises
Mal 3:6“For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.”God's unchanging nature and reliability
Isa 55:11...so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty...Efficacy of God's spoken word
Deut 7:9Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant...God's covenant-keeping nature
Neh 9:8You found his heart faithful before you, and made with him a covenant...God responding to faithfulness with covenant
1 Kgs 8:56“Blessed be the LORD who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised...”Fulfillment of God's spoken word
Rom 10:17So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.Importance of God's spoken word for faith

Numbers 25 verses

Numbers 25 10 Meaning

Numbers 25:10 signifies the Lord's immediate and direct address to Moses following the swift and decisive action of Phinehas in stopping the plague and stemming Israel's idolatry with Baal of Peor. It marks the commencement of a divine declaration of commendation and the establishment of a lasting covenant with Phinehas, demonstrating God's faithful response to zeal for His holiness.

Numbers 25 10 Context

Numbers chapter 25 describes a critical moment for Israel at the end of their forty-year wilderness wandering, as they were encamped on the plains of Moab, poised to enter Canaan. The chapter begins with Israel falling into severe sin: sexual immorality with Moabite women and idolatry, specifically worshipping Baal of Peor. This blatant violation of the first two commandments and the covenant brought God's intense wrath, resulting in a devastating plague that killed 24,000 Israelites. In response, God commanded Moses to execute the leaders involved in the transgression. Amidst the chaos and weeping at the tent of meeting, an Israelite man, Zimri, defiantly brought a Midianite woman, Cozbi, into the camp. Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron the priest, motivated by righteous indignation and zeal for God's holiness, took a spear and impaled both Zimri and Cozbi, stopping the plague. Numbers 25:10 then immediately follows this act of righteous judgment. It introduces God's direct response and approval, emphasizing that Phinehas's zeal was divinely acknowledged and would be eternally rewarded through a covenant of peace. This sequence highlights the swiftness of divine justice, the necessity of holy zeal, and the purity required of God's people before entering the Promised Land. The incident is also a powerful polemic against the pervasive idolatry and associated immorality of the surrounding pagan nations.

Numbers 25 10 Word analysis

  • Then: (Heb. wa-y'dabber) This conjunctive "and" (here rendered "then") marks a sequential and direct connection to the immediately preceding event of Phinehas's action. It signifies an immediate divine response to the specific human deed.
  • The Lord: (Heb. YHWH) This is God's personal covenant name, the Tetragrammaton, revealing His essential, eternal, and unchanging nature. In this context of covenant breaking and the display of righteous zeal, the use of YHWH underscores God's personal stake in His people's holiness and His faithfulness to His own character and promises.
  • said: (Heb. way-yōʾmer / dāvar) The verb dabar refers to a solemn, authoritative pronouncement, a definitive declaration rather than a casual utterance. It implies intentionality and weight in the words to follow. The repetition here with "saying" adds emphasis to the ensuing divine message.
  • to Moses: (Heb. ʾel Mōsheh) Moses remains God's chosen and uniquely positioned mediator. God addresses Moses directly, reinforcing his prophetic authority and his unique role in receiving and transmitting divine decrees to Israel. This direct communication with Moses highlights the divine origin and authoritative nature of the subsequent message concerning Phinehas.
  • saying: (Heb. lēʾmōr) This participial form literally means "to say" or "as follows." It typically introduces the direct speech or verbatim pronouncement of the speaker, indicating that the exact words of the Lord are about to be conveyed. It adds formality and weight to the divine communication.
  • "The Lord said to Moses, saying": This entire phrase is a common introductory formula found frequently in the Pentateuch, particularly in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. Its repeated use establishes the divine authority behind the words that follow. In this specific context, it is profoundly significant because it validates Phinehas's radical act, legitimizing it as a divine necessity and not mere human violence. It shows God's immediate attention and personal involvement in the aftermath of such a severe transgression and the subsequent act of zealous obedience.

Numbers 25 10 Bonus section

  • The structure "Then the Lord said to Moses, saying," often signals a significant shift in divine discourse or a profound declaration, indicating a turning point or a foundational statement, as seen with the institution of laws or the imparting of covenants.
  • God's immediate pronouncement through Moses not only validates Phinehas's action but also sets a divine precedent regarding zeal for God's glory in the face of idolatry and compromise within the covenant community.
  • This verse subtly reinforces Moses's ongoing, irreplaceable role as God's primary communicator, even as new figures like Phinehas rise to prominence through their actions. God continues to use Moses to transmit crucial divine messages.
  • The fact that God speaks immediately emphasizes divine sovereignty and control, especially over the consequences of human actions, and ensures that the narrative moves directly from the problem (sin, plague) and its immediate human solution (Phinehas's zeal) to the divine response and ultimate resolution (covenant).

Numbers 25 10 Commentary

Numbers 25:10 serves as a pivotal bridge, transforming Phinehas's raw, albeit righteous, act into a divinely ordained and approved deed with lasting implications. The concise phrase, "Then the Lord said to Moses, saying," signals the direct and immediate divine intervention after the Peor crisis. It underscores God's active engagement with His people's actions, demonstrating His keen awareness and rapid response to both their sin and acts of faithful zeal. By speaking personally to Moses about this event, YHWH stamps His unreserved approval on Phinehas's decisive intervention, transforming a singular, violent act into a testament of covenant loyalty and the proper execution of divine justice. This divine address legitimizes Phinehas's role, setting the stage for the unparalleled blessing of a perpetual priesthood—a "covenant of peace"—detailed in the subsequent verses. It's a testament that God observes and values those who stand for His holiness when others compromise.