Numbers 25 2

Numbers 25:2 kjv

And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.

Numbers 25:2 nkjv

They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.

Numbers 25:2 niv

who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods.

Numbers 25:2 esv

These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.

Numbers 25:2 nlt

These women invited them to attend sacrifices to their gods, so the Israelites feasted with them and worshiped the gods of Moab.

Numbers 25 verses

Numbers 25 2 Meaning

This verse describes the immediate consequence of the Israelites' harlotry with the Moabite and Midianite women at Peor. The foreign women actively invited the Israelite men to partake in their religious ceremonies. This invitation led the Israelites to participate in sacrificial meals dedicated to pagan deities and subsequently to bow down and worship these false gods. It marks a critical moment of Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness, directly violating the covenant demands for exclusive worship of the One True God.

Numbers 25 2 Context

Numbers 25:2 follows directly after Israel's moral failure described in Numbers 25:1, where the men "began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women." This sets the immediate stage for how that initial moral compromise quickly escalated into profound spiritual apostasy. The chapter recounts Israel's encampment in Shittim on the plains of Moab, poised to enter the Promised Land. This sin occurred shortly after God had preserved Israel from Balaam's direct curses, yet Israel succumbed to a more insidious attack—an internal moral and spiritual compromise initiated by pagan seduction. The sin at Peor represents a calculated spiritual assault, confirmed later in Numbers 31:16 as part of Balaam's subtle counsel to Balak, aiming to induce Israel's spiritual self-destruction through idolatry, knowing God would judge His own people for such unfaithfulness.

Numbers 25 2 Word analysis

• For they called: The Hebrew verb is וַתִּקְרֶאנָה (va-tik-r'e-nah), from the root קרא (qara'), meaning "to call," "invite," "summon," or "proclaim." The feminine plural suffix indicates that the Moabite/Midianite women (from v.1) were the active agents. This was not an accidental or passive interaction but a deliberate, organized invitation to join their religious practices. This active invitation highlights their intent to ensnare the Israelites spiritually.
• the people: לָעָם (la-'am), refers specifically to the men of Israel. The inclusion of the article 'the' emphasizes that it was the community, or a significant portion thereof, who were called.
• to the sacrifices of: לְזִבְחֵי (le-ziv-khei), from זֶבַח (zevach), meaning "sacrifice" or "offering." These were not casual meals but formal, ritualistic acts of worship dedicated to specific deities. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, eating part of a sacrifice signified communion with the god to whom the offering was made, creating a covenant bond. This act directly violated the Mosaic law, which stipulated that Israel’s sacrificial system was exclusively for Yahweh.
• their gods: אֱלֹהֵיהֶן (Elohe-i-hen), from אֱלֹהִים (Elohim), here referring to pagan deities. The feminine plural possessive suffix indicates these were the deities belonging to or worshipped by the Moabite/Midianite women. This underscores the foreign, alien nature of these gods to Israel’s covenant God, Yahweh. It emphasizes the direct breach of the first commandment.
• and the people ate: וַיֹּאכַל (vai-yo'-khal), from אָכַל (akal), "to eat." This indicates full participation in the sacrificial meal. It was an act of partaking in pagan ritual, a public affirmation of their willingness to share fellowship with false gods, in opposition to their covenant with Yahweh.
• and bowed down: וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲוּוּ (vai-yish-ta-chaw-vu), from שָׁחָה (shachah), "to bow down," "prostrate oneself," "worship." This is the climactic act of the verse. It is an overt, physical act of homage, signifying allegiance, submission, and adoration. Bowing down to another god was the most direct and egregious violation of the first and second commandments, an act of overt idolatry and spiritual adultery.

• "called the people to the sacrifices of their gods": This phrase delineates the progression from mere immoral association (v.1) to outright religious defection. The invitation to sacrifices meant an invitation to enter into the religious life and practices of the pagan peoples. These sacrifices were often fertility rites dedicated to deities like Baal of Peor, frequently involving revelry, drunkenness, and ritualistic sexual acts, thus intertwining physical immorality with spiritual idolatry. The intentionality of the invitation highlights a seductive trap, designed to lead Israel astray.
• "and the people ate and bowed down to their gods": This powerful culmination details the Israelites' dual transgression. Eating the sacrificial food was an act of communion and acceptance of the foreign deities. It paved the way for, and led to, the ultimate act of worship: bowing down. This sequence signifies a complete compromise and betrayal of their exclusive covenant with Yahweh, demonstrating that they actively embraced foreign worship and rejected their divine Protector. The dual action confirms a full commitment to spiritual harlotry.

Numbers 25 2 Bonus section

The sin at Baal-Peor, depicted in this verse, holds profound theological significance in biblical narrative. It is specifically recalled by Moses in Deut 4:3-4 as a dire warning against idolatry and by the Psalmist in Psa 106:28-29 as a historical example of Israel's unfaithfulness and its severe consequences. Most notably, in the New Testament, Paul refers to this very event in 1 Cor 10:8 as an example of what happened to "some of them" who were idolaters and fornicators, cautioning New Covenant believers against similar temptations. Revelation 2:14 directly connects the "teaching of Balaam" with the sin at Peor, suggesting a premeditated strategy to ensnare God's people by leading them to "eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality," a clear parallel to Num 25:2. This demonstrates that spiritual warfare often targets the weak points of lust and compromise, intending to corrupt believers from within.

Numbers 25 2 Commentary

Numbers 25:2 exposes the profound spiritual danger Israel faced at the cusp of the Promised Land. It unveils the insidious nature of temptation, showing how sexual immorality, beginning as a mere "indulgence" (v.1), rapidly escalated into open idolatry. The Moabite and Midianite women, whether by design or custom, initiated a deliberate "calling" or invitation, drawing the Israelites into cultic practices. Eating from pagan sacrifices was not merely a dietary violation but an act of sacred communion with false gods, signifying loyalty and dependence on them. The subsequent act of "bowing down" represented a complete surrender and allegiance, directly flouting the very core of Israel’s covenant with Yahweh, which demanded exclusive worship and absolute monotheism. This incident underscores God's jealousy for His holiness and His severe intolerance for spiritual infidelity. It serves as a perpetual warning against cultural assimilation that leads to spiritual compromise, reminding believers that participation in seemingly harmless social customs can swiftly lead to defiling worship.