Numbers 25 9

Numbers 25:9 kjv

And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.

Numbers 25:9 nkjv

And those who died in the plague were twenty-four thousand.

Numbers 25:9 niv

but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000.

Numbers 25:9 esv

Nevertheless, those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.

Numbers 25:9 nlt

but not before 24,000 people had died.

Numbers 25 verses

Numbers 25 9 Meaning

Numbers 25:9 states the total count of those who perished in the plague sent by God upon Israel at Shittim, precisely after their participation in idolatry with Baal of Peor and sexual immorality with Moabite women. This verse encapsulates the devastating consequence of the community's grave sin, marking the end of God's judgment in response to the covenantal violation and demonstrating the severe price of spiritual unfaithfulness and moral corruption.

Numbers 25 9 Context

Numbers chapter 25 details a grave national apostasy that occurred shortly before Israel's entry into the Promised Land. The Israelites, while encamped in Shittim, engaged in two severe sins: sexual immorality with Moabite and Midianite women, and participation in their idolatrous worship of Baal of Peor. This betrayal of God's covenant aroused His intense wrath, leading Him to command a swift and severe judgment. A plague erupted among the people, devastating the community. Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, acted decisively to halt the plague by executing an Israelite man and a Midianite woman who publicly defied God's command. It was this zealous act of righteous judgment that atoned for the people's sin and caused the plague to cease. Verse 9 delivers the grim statistics of this divine judgment, finalizing the count of those who died, underscoring the severity of God's holy response to corporate sin and defilement.

Numbers 25 9 Word analysis

• And those that died (וַיִּהְיוּ הַמֵּתִים - vayihyu hammetim):
  • vayihyu: From the root hayah (to be, to exist), implying the definite occurrence and state. It introduces the result or consequence of the preceding events.
  • hammetim: The participle form of muth (to die), specifically meaning "the dead ones" or "those who died." It highlights the individuals as victims of a fatal event, directly linking their demise to the divine action. This phrase directly attributes their deaths to the immediate situation described.
• in the plague (בַּמַּגֵּפָה - bammagefah):
  • ba: The preposition "in" or "by means of."
  • magefah: From the root nagaf (to strike, to plague, to smite). This term refers to a divine scourge or judgment, a fatal stroke often of epidemic proportion sent directly by God as punishment. It is not merely a natural illness but a divinely ordained destructive visitation, emphasizing the hand of God in the fatalities. Its use underscores that the deaths were a direct consequence of God's righteous wrath.
• were twenty and four thousand (אַרְבָּעָה וְעֶשְׂרִים אָלֶף - arba'ah v'esrim alef):
  • This numerical count of 24,000 specifies the enormity of the loss. It is a precise figure provided to indicate the widespread devastation and the grave impact of God's judgment on the community. The large number underscores the severity of the sin and God's uncompromising holiness in response to direct disobedience and defilement, emphasizing that sin carries a significant cost, even to the very life of the people.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And those that died in the plague": This phrase clearly establishes a direct cause-and-effect relationship: the death toll was specifically a result of the divinely sent plague. This emphasizes God's agency in dispensing justice. It signifies that the consequence was not random but a targeted act of divine retribution against a specific offense, namely the worship of Baal of Peor and sexual immorality.
• "were twenty and four thousand": The inclusion of such a specific, high number serves several purposes. It quantifies the severity of God's judgment, demonstrating the far-reaching effects of corporate sin. It functions as a sober reminder of the gravity of the rebellion at Peor, providing an unforgettable marker of divine wrath. The specificity adds a chilling impact, contrasting with Phinehas's singular act which stayed this vast death toll.

Numbers 25 9 Bonus section

The specific figure of "twenty and four thousand" in Numbers 25:9 has often been cross-referenced with 1 Corinthians 10:8, where Paul writes concerning the same event, "nor commit sexual immorality, as some of them did; twenty-three thousand fell in a single day." This apparent discrepancy has led to various scholarly explanations. One common understanding is that Numbers 25:9 refers to the total number of those who died during the entire duration of the plague, while 1 Corinthians 10:8 specifically mentions the number who died in one single day, representing a major portion of the total but not the absolute sum. Another perspective suggests that round numbers were used in one or both accounts, or that the difference accounts for various groups or methods of counting. Regardless, both passages emphatically communicate the colossal and swift judgment of God against widespread and public sin. The significance of Phinehas's zeal (Num 25:7-8) cannot be overstated, as his specific action of confronting public defiance and maintaining God's holiness was directly credited with turning away God's wrath and stopping this devastating plague, securing a covenant of peace for his priestly line.

Numbers 25 9 Commentary

Numbers 25:9 succinctly records the dreadful outcome of Israel's defilement at Peor: 24,000 lives claimed by a divine plague. This verse serves as a stark testament to the absolute seriousness with which God views spiritual unfaithfulness and moral impurity within His covenant people. The magnitude of the fatalities underscores that such violations, particularly combining idolatry (worshipping Baal of Peor) and sexual immorality, elicit an immediate and devastating response from a holy God. This judgment highlights several theological truths: God's jealousy for His exclusive worship, His intolerance for sin within His redeemed community, and the collective responsibility that often accompanies corporate sin. The plague's cessation only after Phinehas's zealous action further emphasizes that righteous intervention, rooted in a commitment to God's standards, can turn away divine wrath. Ultimately, the verse functions as a sobering warning: compromise with the world's false gods and its immoral practices invites dire consequences from the One who is a consuming fire.

• Practical usage example: The passage serves as a reminder to the Church today to guard against syncretism and sexual immorality, understanding that such compromises grieves God and can bring His corrective discipline, both individually and corporately.
• Practical usage example: It highlights the importance of individual and corporate repentance, as well as zealous adherence to God's holiness.