Numbers 31:16

¹⁴ But Moses was angry with the officers of the army—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—who were returning from the battle.

¹⁵ “Have you spared all the women?” he asked them.

“Look, these women caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to turn unfaithfully against the LORD at Peor, so that the plague struck the congregation of the LORD.

¹⁷ So now, kill all the boys, as well as every woman who has had relations with a man,

¹⁸ but spare for yourselves every girl who has never had relations with a man.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: “Look, these women caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to turn unfaithfully against the LORD at Peor, so that the plague struck the congregation of the LORD.
KJV: 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.
WEB: Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and so the plague was among the congregation of the LORD.
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.
DARBY: Lo, these, through the counsel of Balaam, caused the children of Israel to commit sin against Jehovah in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague on the assembly of Jehovah.
BLB: Behold, these women caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against YHWH in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of YHWH.

ÅB: Det var jo de som på Bileams råd forførte Israels barn til troløshet mot Herren for Peors skyld, så sotten kom over Herrens menighet.
OTB: Se, det var de som etter Bileams råd fikk israelittene til å være utro mot Herren ved Peor, slik at en plage rammet Herrens folk.
B1930: Det var jo de som på Bileams råd forførte Israels barn til troløshet mot Herren for Peors skyld, så sotten kom over Herrens menighet.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

2 Peter 2:15
They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.
Read in context
Numbers 25:1–9
While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab,
Read in context
Revelation 2:14
But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.
Read in context
Deuteronomy 4:3
Your eyes have seen what the LORD did at Baal-peor, for the LORD your God destroyed from among you all who followed Baal of Peor.
Read in context
Joshua 22:17
Was not the sin of Peor enough for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day? It even brought a plague upon the congregation of the LORD.
Read in context
Numbers 24:14
Now I am going back to my people, but come, let me warn you what this people will do to your people in the days to come.”
Read in context
Proverbs 23:27
For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an adulteress is a narrow well.
Read in context
Numbers 25:18
For they assailed you deceitfully when they seduced you in the matter of Peor and their sister Cozbi, the daughter of the Midianite leader, the woman who was killed on the day the plague came because of Peor.”
Read in context