The Israelites Worship Baal
1 While the Israelites were camped at Acacia, some of the men had sex with Moabite women. 2 These women then invited the men to ceremonies where sacrifices were offered to their gods. The men ate the meat from the sacrifices and worshiped the Moabite gods.
3 The Lord was angry with Israel because they had worshiped the god Baal Peor. 4 So he said to Moses, “Take the Israelite leaders who are responsible for this and have them killed in front of my sacred tent where everyone can see. Maybe then I will stop being angry with the Israelites.”
5 Moses told Israel's officials, “Each of you must put to death any of your men who worshiped Baal.”
6 Later, Moses and the people were at the sacred tent, crying, when one of the Israelite men brought a Midianite woman to meet his family. 7 Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron the priest, saw the couple and left the crowd. He found a spear 8 and followed the man into his tent, where he ran the spear through the man and into the woman's stomach. The Lord immediately stopped punishing Israel with a deadly disease, 9 but 24,000 Israelites had already died.
10 The Lord said to Moses, 11 “In my anger, I would have wiped out the Israelites if Phinehas had not been faithful to me. 12-13 But instead of punishing them, I forgave them. So because of the loyalty that Phinehas showed, I solemnly promise that he and his descendants will always be my priests.”
14 The Israelite man that was killed was Zimri son of Salu, who was one of the leaders of the Simeon tribe. 15 And the Midianite woman killed with him was Cozbi, the daughter of a Midianite clan leader named Zur.
16 The Lord told Moses, 17-18 “The Midianites are now enemies of Israel, so attack and defeat them! They tricked the people of Israel into worshiping their god at Peor, and they are responsible for the death of Cozbi, the daughter of one of their own leaders.”
Oluhaelo lOvaisraeli nokufimaneka oikalunga muSittim
1 Ovaisraeli eshi va kala muSittim, ovanhu va hovela okuhaela novana oukadona Ovamoab. 2 Venya ova ifana ovanhu koivilo yomayambo oikalunga yavo. Novanhu va lya ndele ve linyongamenena oikalunga yavo. 3 Osho ngaha hano Ovaisraeli ve liyandjela okufimaneka Baal-Peor; ndelenee ehandu lOmwene la xwamena Ovaisraeli. 4 Opo nee Omwene ta ti kuMoses: “Kufa ovakulunhu aveshe voshiwana u va endjelelifile Omwene momutenya, opo oupyuhandu wOmwene okuhandukila Israel u lote.” 5 Moses okwa lombwela ovatokoli veendjovo vomuIsrael ndee ta ti: “Keshe umwe na dipae movalumenhu vaye ovo ve liyandjela Baal-Peor.”
6 Ndele omulumenhu umwe Omuisraeli e uya nokwa etela ovaneumbo vaye omukainhu Omumidian moipafi yaMoses nomoipafi yeongalo alishe lovana vaIsrael, fimbo va li tava lili poshivelo shetwali leongalo. 7 Pinehas yaEliaser, omona womupristeli Aron, eshi e shi mona, okwa dja mo mongudu, ndee ta kufa eonga meke laye. 8 Nokwa shikula omulumenhu Omuisraeli nokwa ya metwali ndee te va twile kumwe aveshe vavali, omulumenhu Omuisraeli nomukainhu. Opo nee omupya wa lota mokati kovana vaIsrael. 9 Ndelenee ava va fila momupya ou, va li ve fike pomayovi omilongo mbali naane.
10 Opo nee Omwene okwa popya naMoses ndee ta ti: 11 “Pinehas yaEliaser, omona womupristeli Aron okwa kandula po oupyuhandu wange movana vaIsrael, ye eshi a monifa ouladi wange nokudiinina ouladi mokati kavo, opo ame mouladi wange inandi mana po ovana vaIsrael. 12 Onghee hano popya u tye: ‘Tala, Ame ohandi ningi naye ehangano lombili yange, 13 ndele lo tali ka ninga kuye nokomaludalo aye konima yaye ehangano laalushe loupristeli, shaashi ye okwa fya ouladi omolwaKalunga kaye nokwa kwatakanifa ovana vaIsrael.’ ” 14 Nedina lomulumenhu Omuisraeli ou a dipawa, pamwe nomukainhu Omumidian, ola li Simri yaSalu, omukulunhu wepata laSimeon. 15 Nedina lomukainhu Omumidian ou a dipawa, ola li Kosbi yaSur. Xe okwa li omukulunhu wepata lOvamidian.
16 Omwene okwa popya vali naMoses ndee ta ti: 17 “Pongekeni Ovamidian mu ke va hanaune po, 18 osheshi vo ove mu pongeka omolwekengelelo lavo ve li mu diladilila moshinima shaPeor nomoshinima shaKosbi, omona okakadona komukulunhu Omumidian, ou a dipaelwa Peor mefiku lomupya.”
