Numbers 25:13

An everlasting priesthood] Phinehas succeeded to the high priesthood after his father's death (Judges 20:28), and the succession remained in his family till the time of Eli, wheh it passed for some reason to the house of Ithamar. Solomon, however, restored the high priesthood to the descendants of Phinehas (1 Kings 2:35). This action of Phinehas in defending the purity of the religion of Israel at a critical moment was rewarded, not only with this blessing from the Lord, but with the grateful admiration of succeeding generations. In Psalms 106 we read that his zeal was 'counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore,' words which St. Paul applies to Abraham himself (Romans 4:22; Galatians 3:6;). In Sir 45:23-26 he is called the 'third in glory' after Moses and Aaron, and his example is quoted in 1Ma 2:26. So blessed is the memory of the just.

16-18. Commandment is given to vex the Midianites (i.e. count them as dangerous adversaries) and to smite them. For its fulfilment see Numbers 31. Injunctions like this, which were ordered to be carried out with extreme severity, were given in the interests of Israel and the purity of religion and morals. In no other way could that 'separateness' be maintained which Balaam recognised as one of the distinctions of the Israelites (see on Numbers 23:9). For the Christian parallel see 2 Corinthians 6:14 and cp. Numbers 5:29; Numbers 5:30.

The omission of any reference to the Moabites in this passage bears out what is said above as to the different sources of Numbers 25:1 and Numbers 25:6.