New International Version They treated you as enemies when they deceived you in the Peor incident involving their sister Kozbi, the daughter of a Midianite leader, the woman who was killed when the plague came as a result of that incident.” New Living Translation because they assaulted you with deceit and tricked you into worshiping Baal of Peor, and because of Cozbi, the daughter of a Midianite leader, who was killed at the time of the plague because of what happened at Peor.” English Standard Version for they have harassed you with their wiles, with which they beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the chief of Midian, their sister, who was killed on the day of the plague on account of Peor.” Berean Standard Bible 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.” Berean Literal Bible For they harassed you⁺ with their schemes by which they seduced you⁺ in the matter of Peor and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a leader of Midian, their sister who was killed in the day of the plague over the matter of Peor.” King James Bible For they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, which was slain in the day of the plague for Peor's sake. New King James Version for they harassed you with their schemes by which they seduced you in the matter of Peor and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a leader of Midian, their sister, who was killed in the day of the plague because of Peor.” New American Standard Bible for they have been hostile to you with their tricks, with which they have deceived you in the matter of Peor and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the leader of Midian, their sister who was killed on the day of the plague because of Peor.” NASB 1995 for they have been hostile to you with their tricks, with which they have deceived you in the affair of Peor and in the affair of Cozbi, the daughter of the leader of Midian, their sister who was slain on the day of the plague because of Peor.” NASB 1977 for they have been hostile to you with their tricks, with which they have deceived you in the affair of Peor, and in the affair of Cozbi, the daughter of the leader of Midian, their sister who was slain on the day of the plague because of Peor.” Legacy Standard Bible for they have been hostile to you with their deceptive tricks, with which they have deceived you in the affair of Peor and in the affair of Cozbi, the daughter of the leader of Midian, their sister who was slain on the day of the plague because of Peor.” Amplified Bible for they harass you with their tricks, the tricks with which they have deceived you in the matter [of the Baal] of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the leader of Midian, their sister, who was killed on the day of the plague because [of the Baal] of Peor.” Berean Annotated Bible For they assailed you⁺ deceitfully when they seduced you⁺ in the matter of Peor (cleft) and their sister Cozbi (my lie), the daughter of the Midianite (strife) leader, the woman who was killed on the day the plague came because of Peor. Christian Standard Bible For they attacked you with the treachery that they used against you in the Peor incident. They did the same in the case involving their sister Cozbi, daughter of the Midianite leader who was killed the day the plague came at Peor.” Holman Christian Standard Bible For they attacked you with the treachery that they used against you in the Peor incident. They did the same in the case involving their sister Cozbi, daughter of the Midianite leader who was killed the day the plague came at Peor.” American Standard Version for they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the prince of Midian, their sister, who was slain on the day of the plague in the matter of Peor. English Revised Version for they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the prince of Midian, their sister, which was slain on the day of the plague in the matter of Peor. GOD'S WORD® Translation because they treated you as enemies. They plotted to trick you in the incident that took place at Peor. They used their sister Cozbi, daughter of a Midianite leader, who was killed on the day of the plague caused by the incident at Peor." Good News Translation because of the evil they did to you when they deceived you at Peor, and because of Cozbi, who was killed at the time of the epidemic at Peor." International Standard Version because they've acted deceitfully, bringing trouble to you in this incident at Peor with Cozbi, daughter of a prince from Midian, who was killed during the plague that came about because of the incident at Peor." NET Bible because they bring trouble to you by their treachery with which they have deceived you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, who was killed on the day of the plague that happened as a result of Peor." New Heart English Bible for they harassed you with their tricks, with which they have deceived you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the prince of Midian, their sister, who was slain on the day of the plague in the matter of Peor.'" Webster's Bible Translation For they distress you with their wiles, with which they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian their sister, who was slain in the day of the plague for Peor's sake. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleFor 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.” World English Bible for they harassed you with their wiles, wherein they have deceived you in the matter of Peor, and in the incident regarding Cozbi, the daughter of the prince of Midian, their sister, who was slain on the day of the plague in the matter of Peor.” Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionfor they are adversaries to you with their frauds, [with] which they have acted fraudulently to you, concerning the matter of Peor and concerning the matter of Cozbi, daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, who is struck in the day of the plague for the matter of Peor.” Berean Literal Bible For they harassed you⁺ with their schemes by which they seduced you⁺ in the matter of Peor and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a leader of Midian, their sister who was killed in the day of the plague over the matter of Peor.” Young's Literal Translation for they are adversaries to you with their frauds, with which they have acted fraudulently to you, concerning the matter of Peor, and concerning the matter of Cozbi, daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, who is smitten in the day of the plague for the matter of Peor.' Smith's Literal Translation For they are hostile to you with their deceits in which they acted deceitfully to you, upon the word of Peor and upon the word of Cozbi, daughter of a chief of Midian, their sister, being smitten in the day of the smiting concerning the word of Peor. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleBecause they also have acted like enemies against you, and have guilefully deceived you by the idol Phogor, and Cozbi their sister, a daughter of a prince of Madian, who was slain in the day the plague for the sacrilege of Phogor. Catholic Public Domain Version for they, too, have behaved with hostility against you, and they have deceived you insidiously by means of the idol Peor, and by Cozbi, the daughter of a commander of Midian, their sister, who was struck down in the day of the scourge because of the sacrilege of Peor.” New American Bible for they have been your enemies by the deceitful dealings they had with you regarding Peor and their kinswoman Cozbi, the daughter of a Midianite prince, who was slain at the time of the plague because of Peor. New Revised Standard Version for they have harassed you by the trickery with which they deceived you in the affair of Peor, and in the affair of Cozbi, the daughter of a leader of Midian, their sister; she was killed on the day of the plague that resulted from Peor.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleFor they have distressed you with their treachery, wherewith they have plotted against you in the matter of Peor and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, who was slain in the day of the plague in the matter of Peor. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Because they distress you with their treachery by which they betrayed you in the matter of Peor and in the matter of Cosbi, daughter of the Prince of Midian, their sister who was killed in the days of the plague that came suddenly in the matter of Peor.” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917for they harass you, by their wiles wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of the prince of Midian, their sister, who was slain on the day of the plague in the matter of Peor.' Brenton Septuagint Translation for they are enemies to you by the treachery wherein they ensnare you through Phogor, and through Chasbi their sister, daughter of a prince of Madiam, who was smitten in the day of the plague because of Phogor. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context The Zeal of Phinehas…17“Attack the Midianites and strike them dead. 18For 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.” Cross References For they assailed you deceitfully Psalm 83:3-4 With cunning they scheme against Your people and conspire against those You cherish, / saying, “Come, let us erase them as a nation; may the name of Israel be remembered no more.” Deuteronomy 23:4-5 For they did not meet you with food and water on your way out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram-naharaim to curse you. / Yet the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam, and the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you. Psalm 55:21 His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed. when they seduced you in the matter of Peor Deuteronomy 4:3-4 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. / But you who held fast to the LORD your God are alive to this day, every one of you. Hosea 9:10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the firstfruits of the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal-peor, and consecrated themselves to Shame; so they became as detestable as the thing they loved. 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. and their sister Cozbi, the daughter of the Midianite leader, Numbers 31:8 Among the slain were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword. Judges 8:21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “Get up and kill us yourself, for as the man is, so is his strength.” So Gideon got up and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the crescent ornaments from the necks of their camels. Judges 7:25 They also captured Oreb and Zeeb, the two princes of Midian; and they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. So they pursued the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side of the Jordan. the woman who was killed on the day the plague came because of Peor.” Psalm 106:28-31 They yoked themselves to Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods. / So they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds, and a plague broke out among them. / But Phinehas stood and intervened, and the plague was restrained. … 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. 1 Corinthians 10:8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 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. 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. Micah 6:5 My people, remember what Balak king of Moab counseled and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may acknowledge the righteousness of the LORD.’” 1 Corinthians 5:1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is intolerable even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife. Treasury of Scripture For they vex you with their wiles, with which they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, which was slain in the day of the plague for Peor's sake. Numbers 25:1 And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. Numbers 25:9 And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand. Jump to Previous Account Acted Adversaries Affair Beguiled Causing Chief Cozbi Danger Daughter Death Deceived Distress Harass Hostile Killed Leader Matter Midian Mid'ian Midianite Peor Pe'or Plague Prince Sake Sin Sister Slain Time Treated Tricks Vex Ways Wherewith WilesJump to Next Account Acted Adversaries Affair Beguiled Causing Chief Cozbi Danger Daughter Death Deceived Distress Harass Hostile Killed Leader Matter Midian Mid'ian Midianite Peor Pe'or Plague Prince Sake Sin Sister Slain Time Treated Tricks Vex Ways Wherewith WilesNumbers 25 1. Israel at Shittim commit unfaithfulness and idolatry6. Phinehas kills Zimri and Cozbi 10. God therefore gives him an everlasting priesthood 16. The Midianites are to be troubled For they assailed you deceitfully Midian and Moab did not prevail through open warfare but through a calculated spiritual attack. Their scheme exploited Israel’s vulnerability to idolatry and sexual immorality, drawing the people away from covenant faithfulness to the LORD. Balaam had counseled this strategy, as Numbers 31:16 later confirms. The danger of deceit runs throughout Scripture, from the serpent’s seduction of Eve in Genesis 3 to the false teachings that threaten the church. God’s people must remain watchful because rebellion often begins with an invitation that appears desirable or harmless. Psa 83:3-4 With cunning they scheme against Your people… when they seduced you in the matter of Peor At Baal Peor, Israel joined itself to Moabite worship through sacrificial meals and immorality with foreign women (Numbers 25:1–3). The sin was not merely personal misconduct; it was covenant betrayal, for Israel gave honor to a false god rather than to the LORD who had redeemed them. The judgment that followed revealed the deadly seriousness of idolatry. Friendship with the world’s rebellious values remains spiritual adultery against God (James 4:4). Deu 4:3-4 Your eyes have seen what the LORD did at Baal-peor… and their sister Cozbi, the daughter of the Midianite leader, Cozbi was the daughter of Zur, a Midianite tribal leader, and her prominence shows that the seduction of Israel involved more than isolated acts. Midianite leadership participated in a deliberate attempt to corrupt the nation God had chosen. Her public union with Zimri, a leader from the tribe of Simeon, displayed open contempt for God’s holiness while Israel mourned at the entrance to the tent of meeting. Num 31:8 Among the slain were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba… the woman who was killed on the day the plague came because of Peor.” Phinehas killed Cozbi and Zimri, and the plague stopped after twenty-four thousand Israelites had died (Numbers 25:6–9, 14–15). Their deaths demonstrated God’s righteous judgment upon those who led His people into sin and those who willingly embraced it. The severity of Peor points to the penalty sin deserves, a penalty ultimately borne by Christ for all who repent and believe in Him. Psa 106:28-31 They yoked themselves to Baal of Peor… Persons / Places / Events 1. PeorA location associated with the worship of Baal, where the Israelites were led into idolatry and immorality. 2. Cozbi A Midianite woman, daughter of a leader, who was involved in leading Israel into sin. 3. Midian A region and people who were adversaries of Israel, often leading them into idolatry. 4. Plague A divine punishment that struck the Israelites due to their sin at Peor. 5. Treachery The deceitful actions of the Midianites and Moabites in leading Israel astray. Teaching Points Guard Against IdolatryThe incident at Peor serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of idolatry and the importance of remaining faithful to God. Believers today must be vigilant against modern forms of idolatry that can lead them away from God. The Consequences of Sin The plague that struck Israel illustrates the serious consequences of sin. It is a call to repentance and a reminder of God's holiness and justice. The Role of Leadership Cozbi's involvement as a leader's daughter highlights the influence of leadership. Christian leaders must set a godly example and lead others in righteousness. The Importance of Righteous Zeal Phinehas' zeal for God's honor, which stopped the plague, teaches the importance of standing up for righteousness and taking decisive action against sin. Community Accountability The collective punishment of Israel underscores the concept of community accountability. Believers are called to support one another in faithfulness and hold each other accountable. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Numbers 25:18?2. How can we guard against being "deceived" by worldly influences today? 3. What lessons from Numbers 25:18 apply to maintaining spiritual purity? 4. How does Numbers 25:18 connect with warnings against idolatry in the New Testament? 5. In what ways can we "stand against" cultural pressures contrary to God's commands? 6. How can accountability help us avoid the pitfalls described in Numbers 25:18? 7. Why did God command vengeance against the Midianites in Numbers 25:18? 8. How does Numbers 25:18 reflect God's justice and mercy? 9. What historical evidence supports the events described in Numbers 25:18? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Numbers 25? What Does Numbers 25:18 Mean For they assailed you deceitfully• The Midianites’ attack was not a frontal military assault; it was a stealthy, moral ambush. • Scripture often warns that the most dangerous opposition to God’s people comes through deception rather than force (2 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 6:11). • God exposes the tactic so Israel will recognize that spiritual warfare can look like friendship, romance, or cultural accommodation rather than swords and shields. When they seduced you in the matter of Peor • “The matter of Peor” refers to the idolatrous revelry at Baal-peor, where Israel “joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor, and the LORD’s anger burned against them” (Numbers 25:3). • Seduction combined sexual immorality with idol worship, blending physical temptation and false religion (Revelation 2:14; Psalm 106:28-29; 1 Corinthians 10:8). • The verse reminds us that compromise with sin is never merely personal; it opens a door for national judgment. And their sister Cozbi, the daughter of the Midianite leader • Cozbi is singled out to show that the scheme was led from the top; her father was “Zur, a tribal leader of a Midianite family” (Numbers 25:15). • By calling her their “sister,” the text highlights the sense of family connection the Midianites offered—an invitation to belong that masked deadly intent. • Leadership-level involvement underscores how whole cultures can oppose God by enticing His people away from covenant loyalty (Micah 6:5). The woman who was killed on the day the plague came because of Peor • Cozbi’s death, along with Zimri’s, came at the hand of Phinehas, whose zeal “turned My wrath away from the Israelites” (Numbers 25:7-11). • The plague that struck 24,000 Israelites (Numbers 25:9) shows that sin’s fallout is swift and severe when left unchecked. • God’s justice and mercy meet here: judgment fell, the plague was halted, and Israel was reminded that holiness cannot be negotiated (Psalm 106:30-31; 1 Corinthians 10:11-12). summary Numbers 25:18 explains why God ordered Israel to treat Midian as an enemy: Midian’s leaders used deception, sexual temptation, and idolatry to lure Israel into covenant unfaithfulness, bringing a lethal plague. The verse calls believers to stay alert to subtle spiritual assaults, reject enticements that mix devotion to God with cultural idols, and remember that wholehearted loyalty to the Lord is both protective and life-giving. Hebrew Forכִּ֣י (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction they הֵם֙ (hêm) Pronoun - third person masculine plural Strong's 1992: They assailed you צֹרְרִ֥ים (ṣō·rə·rîm) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural Strong's 6887: To bind, tie up, be restricted, narrow, scant, or cramped deceitfully בְּנִכְלֵיהֶ֛ם (bə·niḵ·lê·hem) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 5231: Wiliness, craft, knavery when אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-) Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that they seduced נִכְּל֥וּ (nik·kə·lū) Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 5230: To be crafty, deceitful or knavish you לָכֶ֖ם (lā·ḵem) Preposition | second person masculine plural Strong's Hebrew in עַל־ (‘al-) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against the matter דְּבַר־ (də·ḇar-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause of Peor פְּע֑וֹר (pə·‘ō·wr) Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 6465: Peor -- a mountain in Moab, also a god worshiped there and וְעַל־ (wə·‘al-) Conjunctive waw | Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against their sister אֲחֹתָ֔ם (’ă·ḥō·ṯām) Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 269: Sister -- a sister Cozbi, כָּזְבִּ֨י (kā·zə·bî) Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 3579: Cozbi -- a woman of Midian the daughter בַת־ (ḇaṯ-) Noun - feminine singular construct Strong's 1323: A daughter of the Midianite מִדְיָן֙ (miḏ·yān) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 4080: Midian -- a son of Abraham and Keturah, also his descendants and the region where they settled leader, נְשִׂ֤יא (nə·śî) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 5387: An exalted one, a king, sheik, a rising mist [the woman] who was killed הַמֻּכָּ֥ה (ham·muk·kāh) Article | Verb - Hofal - Participle - feminine singular Strong's 5221: To strike on the day בְיוֹם־ (ḇə·yō·wm-) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3117: A day the plague הַמַּגֵּפָ֖ה (ham·mag·gê·p̄āh) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 4046: A blow, slaughter, plague, pestilence came עַל־ (‘al-) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against because of דְּבַר־ (də·ḇar-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause Peor.” פְּעֽוֹר׃ (pə·‘ō·wr) Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 6465: Peor -- a mountain in Moab, also a god worshiped there Additonal Resources Numbers 25:18 Blue Letter BibleNumbers 25:18 Bible Gateway Numbers 25:18 Bible.com Numbers 25:18 NIV |
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