Numbers 25:7

_AND WHEN PHINEHAS, THE SON OF ELEAZAR, THE SON OF AARON THE PRIEST, SAW IT, HE ROSE UP FROM AMONG THE CONGREGATION, AND TOOK A JAVELIN IN HIS HAND;_ Phinehas ... saw it, he rose up ... - i:e., he assumed the office of judge, and performed the duty from which, probably in deference to the princely rank of the offender, the ordinary magistrates appeared to shrink. Judges in ancient Israel both pronounced and executed judgment....

7._And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar. _The courage of Phinehas is celebrated, who, whilst the rest were hesitating, inflamed with holy zeal, hastens forward to inflict punishment. The backwardness of others is therefore condemned by implication, though their tears were praiseworthy; but, since they were almost stupified by grief, their virtue was not dear from all defect. And certainly, whilst the yet unbridled licentiousness of the people was foaming like a tempestuous sea, we cannot wonder that the minds of the good were altogether or partially disabled. Hence was the zeal of Phinehas the more distinguished, when he did not hesitate to provoke so many worthless and wicked persons infuriated by their lechery. If any object that he transgressed the limits of his calling, when he laid hold of the sword with which God had not armed him, to inflict capital punishment, the reply is obvio...

6-15 Phinehas, in the courage of zeal and faith, executed vengeance on Zimri and Cozbi. This act can never be an example for private revenge, or religious persecution, or for irregular public vengeance....

EXPOSITION THE SIN OF ISRAEL AND ATONEMENT OF PHINEHAS (Numbers 25:1). NUMBERS 25:1 ABODE IN SHITTIM. For a considerable time; from their first arrival in the Arboth Moab until the crossing of the Jordan. Shittim is the shortened form of Abel-Shittim, "Field of Acacias" (Numbers 33:49). It seems to have been the northernmost part of the last encampment of Israel on that side Jordan, and the head-quarters of the host (Joshua 2:1;...

AND WHEN PHINEHAS, THE SON OF ELEAZAR, THE SON OF AARON THE PRIEST, SAW IT,.... Saw the man pass by in this impudent manner, and his whore with him; his spirit was stirred up, he was filled and fired with zeal for the glory of God, and with an holy indignation against the sin and sinner, and with a just concern for the honour of the righteous law of God; and, to prevent others from falling into the same sin, led by the public example of so great a personage, as it appears afterwards this man was: HE ROSE UP FROM AMONG THE CONGREGATION; who were weeping at the door of the tabernacle, or from the midst of the court of judicature, set for trying and judging such persons who were charged with idolatry; for he was not only the son of the high priest and his successor, but a ruler over the Korahites, and had, besides his priestly office, a civil authority, 1 Chronicles 9:2

2. ISRAEL'S SIN WITH THE DAUGHTERS OF MOAB: PHINEHAS CHAPTER 25 _ 1. The transgression and the anger of Jehovah (Numbers 25:1)_ 2. Phinehas' action (Numbers 25:6) 3. Phinehas and his reward (Numbers 25:10) 4. The Midianites to be smitten (Numbers 26:16) The sin of Israel was the result of Balaam's work. He could not turn Jehovah from Israel (no enemy can), but he could turn Israel from God. While we do not read here that the fornication and idolatry into which Israel fell was Balaam's work, elsewhere this information is given. See...

NUMBERS 25. In this chapter fragments of two distinct narratives have been united. In the first (from JE), the Israelites sin with _Moabite_ women, and the sin is punished by the _judicial execution_ of the offenders. In the second (from P), the sin is committed with _Midianite_ women, and is avenged by a _plague._ The first fragment lacks a conclusion, the second its beginning. NUMBERS 25:1. (JE). IMMORALITY WITH MOABITE WOMEN AT SHITTIM. This was followed by participation in the idolatrous worship of the Moabite god Chemosh (Numbers 21:29), who was styled (Numbers 25:3 _mg.)_ the Baal (or lord) of Peor (just as there was a Baal of Hermon, and a Baal of Lebanon). The carrying o

PHINEHAS. Compare Psalms 106:30....

_The zeal of Phinehas, and its reward_. The passage belongs to the period after the exile, when those only were recognised as priests who could trace their ancestry through Phinehas, and Eleazar his father, to Aaron....

WHEN PHINEHAS, THE SON OF ELEAZAR—SAW IT, &C.— Phinehas was a man of great authority, being next to the high priest, whom he succeeded in office. Warmed with a religious zeal at this insolent and unfeeling crime, _he rose from amongst the congregation; i.e._ from among the _judges,_ and with his own hand put the criminals to death, in the very moment of their offence. Considering Phinehas as one of the judges appointed to pass sentence on those Israelites who were guilty in this matter, Numbers 25:5 we may look upon this step as the generous action of a magistrate, who, seeing justice affronted and not intimidated by the audacity and quality of one of the criminals had the courage to transcend the regular modes of proceeding, to execute, with his own hand, a just sentence against a notorious criminal, whose offence was so heinous. This blow of vengeance, struck at such a p