Numbers 31:16

Numbers 31:16

Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.

a. NLT: “These are the very ones who followed Balaam’s advice and caused the people of Israel to rebel against the LORD at Mount Peor. They are the ones who caused the plague to strike the LORD’s people. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against Jehovah in the matter of Peor, and so the plague was among the congregation of Jehovah. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: Lo, they -- they have been to the sons of Israel, through the word of Balaam, to cause a trespass against Jehovah in the matter of Peor, and the plague is in the company of Jehovah. [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Classic Amplified: Behold, these caused the Israelites by the counsel of Balaam to trespass and act treacherously against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and so a [smiting] plague came among the congregation of the Lord. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Septuagint: For they were [the occasion] to the children of Israel by the word of Balaam of their revolting and despising the word of the Lord, because of Phogor; and there was a plague in the congregation of the Lord.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/ Writings: Behold! It was they who caused the Children of Israel, by the word of balaam, to commit a betrayal against HASHEM regarding the matter of Peor; and the plague occurred in the assembly of HASHEM.  [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ldt.]

1. “Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam…”

a. Behold [Strong: 2005 hen hane a primitive particle; lo!; also (as expressing surprise) if:--behold, if, lo, though.]

b. these [Strong: 2007 hennah hane'-naw prolongation for 2004; themselves (often used emphatic for the copula, also in indirect relation):--X in, X such (and such things), their, (into) them, thence, therein, these, they (had), on this side, whose, wherein.]

c. caused [Strong: 1961 hayah haw-yaw a primitive root (Compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-)self, require, X use.]

d. [the] children [Strong: 1121 ben bane from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, + spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.]

e. [of] Israel [Strong: 3478 Yisra'el yis-raw-ale' from 8280 and 410; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity: --Israel.]

f. [through the] counsel [Strong: 1697 dabar daw-baw' from 1696; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause:--act, advice, affair, answer, X any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, + chronicles, commandment, X commune(-ication), + concern(-ing), + confer, counsel, + dearth, decree, deed, X disease, due, duty, effect, + eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-)ness, + glory, + harm, hurt, + iniquity, + judgment, language, + lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, X ought, X parts, + pertaining, + please, portion, + power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, X (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, + sign, + so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, + song, speech, X spoken, talk, task, + that, X there done, thing (concerning), thought, + thus, tidings, what(-soever), + wherewith, which, word, work.]

g. [of] Balaam [also] [Strong: 1109 Bil`am bil-awm' probably from 1077 and 5971; not (of the) people, i.e. foreigner; Bilam, a Mesopotamian prophet; also a place in Palestine:--Balaam, Bileam.]

1). Balaam could not curse Israel but what he did was instruct Balac to throw temptation in Israel’s way and cause them to sin against God and God would punish them.

a). Revelation 2:14  But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

2. “...to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.”

a. [to] commit [Strong: 4560 macar maw-sar' a primitive root; to sunder, i.e. (transitively) set apart, or (reflex.) apostatize:--commit, deliver.]

b. trespass [Strong: 4604 ma`al mah'-al from 4603; treachery, i.e. sin:--falsehood, grievously, sore, transgression, trespass, X very.]

c. [against the] LORD [Strong: 3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw' from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord.]

d. in [Strong: 5921 `al al properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications (as follow):--above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, X with.]

e. [the] matter [Strong: 1697 dabar daw-baw' from 1696; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause:--act, advice, affair, answer, X any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, + chronicles, commandment, X commune(-ication), + concern(-ing), + confer, counsel, + dearth, decree, deed, X disease, due, duty, effect, + eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-)ness, + glory, + harm, hurt, + iniquity, + judgment, language, + lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, X ought, X parts, + pertaining, + please, portion, + power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, X (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, + sign, + so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, + song, speech, X spoken, talk, task, + that, X there done, thing (concerning), thought, + thus, tidings, what(-soever), + wherewith, which, word, work.]

f. [of] Peor [Strong: 6465 P`owr peh-ore' from 6473; a gap; Peor, a mountain East of Jordan; also (for 1187) a deity worshipped there:--Peor.]

1). This incident happened not long after Israel arrived near the banks of the Jordan River (Numbers 22:1). Tens of thousands of Israelites were tempter and seduce to commit spiritual and physical whoredom with the women of Moab and Midian.

a). Numbers 25:1-3  And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.

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

3 And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.

g. [and there] was [Strong: 1961 hayah haw-yaw a primitive root (Compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-)self, require, X use.]

h. [a] plague [Strong: 4046 maggephah mag-gay-faw' from 5062; a pestilence; by analogy, defeat:--(X be) plague(-d), slaughter, stroke.]

i. [among the] congregation [Strong: 5712 `edah ay-daw' feminine of 5707 in the original sense of fixture; a stated assemblage (specifically, a concourse, or generally, a family or crowd):--assembly, company, congregation, multitude, people, swarm.]

j. [of the] LORD [Strong: 3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw' from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord.]

1). Although the end of Numbers 24 has Balaam going back home, and Balak going back to his home, later when Israel executes a war on Midian, Balaam is in Midian and loses his life. Balaam was not a false prophet because what he spoke about Israel was true, including the last recorded prophetic utterance he spoke to Balak (Numbers 24:15-24). Where Balaam went wrong was he knew he couldn't curse Israel, so what he did was instruct Balak to use the women of Moab and Midian to seduce the men of Israel to commit idolatry and fornication and God would punish Israel Numbers 31:15, 16). It became known as the doctrine of Balaam.   

a). Revelation 2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

2). 1). As a result of this disobedience twenty four thousand Israelites died by a plague from the LORD.

a). Numbers 25:9 And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.

3). The plague was stopped when Phineas, the grandson of Aaron followed an Israelite and a Midian woman into a tent and ran a spear through both of them (Numbers 25:6-8).

4). The Apostle Paul used this incident as a warning to us in the New Covenant not to commit fornication.

a). 1 Corinthians 10:8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

(1) Twenty three thousand were killed by the plague and one thousand were slain at the command of Moses (Numbers 25:4, 5), and twenty three thousand by the plague (1 Corinthians 10:8).

5). The doctrine of Balaam, to teach how to throw a stumbling block in front of someone in order that they will fall into sin is what is being taught in Public Schools and college campuses in the form of sex education.