Numbers 25:1

Numbers 25:1

And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.

a. ASV: And Israel abode in Shittim; and the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab:

b. YLT: And Israel dwelleth in Shittim, and the people begin to go a-whoring unto daughters of Moab,

c. Amplified Bible Classic: Israel settled down and remained in Shittim, and the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab,

d. Septuagint: And Israel sojourned in Sattin, and the people profaned itself by going a-whoring after the daughters of Moab.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: Israel settled in the Shittim and the people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of Moab.

1. “And Israel abode in Shittim…”

a. [And] Israel [Strong: 3478 Yisrâʼêl, yis-raw-ale'; from H8280 and H410; he will rule as God; Jisraël, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity:—Israel.]

b. abode [Strong: 3437  yâshab, yaw-shab'; a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:—(make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, × fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, × marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(-tle), (down-) sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry.]

c. [in] Shittim [Strong: 7851 Shiṭṭîym, shit-teem'; the same as the plural of H7848; acacia trees; Shittim, a place East of the Jordan:—Shittim.]

1). Israel settled here immediately after the defeat of Sihon and Og (Numbers 21:21-35; Numbers 22:1). It was located not far from the banks of the Jordan River and Jericho. They stayed in that location until after the death of Moses and immediately before they crossed the Jordan to go into Canaan.

2. “...and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.”

a. [and the] people [Strong: 5971 ʻam, am; from H6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock:—folk, men, nation, people.]

b. began [Strong: 2490 châlal, khaw-lal'; a primitive root (compare H2470); also denominative (from H2485) properly, to bore, i.e. (by implication) to wound, to dissolve; figuratively, to profane (a person, place or thing), to break (one's word), to begin (as if by an 'opening wedge'); to play (the flute):—begin (× men began), defile, × break, defile, × eat (as common things), × first, × gather the grape thereof, × take inheritance, pipe, player on instruments, pollute, (cast as) profane (self), prostitute, slay (slain), sorrow, stain, wound.]

c. [to] commit whoredom [Strong: 2181  zânâh, zaw-naw'; a primitive root [highly fed and therefore wanton]; to commit adultery (usually of the female, and less often of simple fornication, rarely of involuntary ravishment); figuratively, to commit idolatry (the Jewish people being regarded as the spouse of Jehovah):—(cause to) commit fornication, × continually, × great, (be an, play the) harlot, (cause to be, play the) whore, (commit, fall to) whoredom, (cause to) go a-whoring, whorish.]

d. with [Strong: 413 'el ale (but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el}); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).]

e. [the]  daughters [Strong: 1323 bath, bath; from H1129 (as feminine of H1121); a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively):—apple (of the eye), branch, company, daughter, × first, × old, owl, town, village.]

f. [of] Moab [Strong: 4124 Môwʼâb, mo-awb; from a prolonged form of the prepositional prefix m- and H1; from (her [the mother's]) father; Moab, an incestuous son of Lot; also his territory and descendants:—Moab.]

1). This was women from both Moab and Midian because this was an alliance between Moab and Midian.

a). Numbers 22:2-4 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

22:3 And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.

22:4 And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.