Numbers 25
Commentary from 6 fathers
And Israel sojourned in Sattin, and the people profaned itself by going a-whoring after the daughters of Moab.
ΚΑΙ κατέλυσεν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν Σαττείν· καὶ ἐβεβηλώθη ὁ λαὸς ἐκπορνεῦσαι εἰς τὰς θυγατέρας Μωάβ.
И҆ живѧ́ше і҆и҃ль въ сатті́мѣ, и҆ ѡ҆скверни́шасѧ лю́дїе блꙋже́нїемъ со дще́рьми мѡа̑вли:
And Israel consecrated themselves to Beel-phegor; and the Lord was very angry with Israel.
καὶ ἐτελέσθη ᾿Ισραὴλ τῷ Βεελφεγώρ· καὶ ὠργίσθη θυμῷ Κύριος τῷ ᾿Ισραήλ.
и҆ причасти́сѧ і҆и҃ль веельфегѡ́рꙋ, и҆ разгнѣ́васѧ ꙗ҆́ростїю гдⷭ҇ь на і҆и҃лѧ.
And the Lord said to Moses, Take all the princes of the people, and make them examples [of judgment] for the Lord in the face of the sun, and the anger of the Lord shall be turned away from Israel.
καὶ εἶπε Κύριος τῷ Μωυσῇ· λαβὲ πάντας τοὺς ἀρχηγοὺς τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ παραδειγμάτισον αὐτοὺς Κυρίῳ κατέναντι τοῦ ἡλίου, καὶ ἀποστραφήσεται ὀργὴ θυμοῦ Κυρίου ἀπὸ ᾿Ισραήλ.
И҆ речѐ гдⷭ҇ь къ мѡѷсе́ю: поимѝ всѧ̑ кнѧ̑зи людскі̑ѧ, и҆ ѡ҆бличѝ ѧ҆̀ гдⷭ҇ꙋ прѧ́мѡ со́лнцꙋ, и҆ ѿврати́тсѧ гнѣ́въ ꙗ҆́рости гдⷭ҇ни ѿ і҆и҃лѧ.
And Moses said to the tribes of Israel, Slay ye every one his friend that is consecrated to Beel-phegor.
καὶ εἶπε Μωυσῆς ταῖς φυλαῖς ᾿Ισραήλ· ἀποκτείνατε ἕκαστος τὸν οἰκεῖον αὐτοῦ τὸν τετελεσμένον τῷ Βεελφεγώρ.
И҆ речѐ мѡѷсе́й къ племенє́мъ і҆и҃льскимъ: и҆збі́йте кі́йждо ᲂу҆́жика своего̀ слꙋжи́вшаго веельфегѡ́рꙋ.
And, behold, a man of the children of Israel came and brought his brother to a Madianitish woman before Moses, and before all the congregation of the children of Israel; and they were weeping at the door of the tabernacle of witness.
Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄνθρωπος τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐλθὼν προσήγαγε τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὴν Μαδιανῖτιν ἐναντίον Μωυσῆ καὶ ἐναντίον πάσης συναγωγῆς υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ, αὐτοὶ δὲ ἔκλαιον παρὰ τὴν θύραν τῆς σκηνῆς τοῦ μαρτυρίου.
И҆ сѐ, человѣ́къ ѿ сынѡ́въ і҆и҃левыхъ прише́дъ приведѐ бра́та своего̀ къ мадїані́тынѣ пред̾ мѡѷсе́емъ и҆ пред̾ всѣ́мъ со́нмомъ і҆и҃левымъ: сі́и же пла́кахꙋсѧ пред̾ две́рьми ски́нїи свидѣ́нїѧ.
And Phinees the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, and rose out of the midst of the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand,
καὶ ἰδὼν Φινεὲς υἱὸς ᾿Ελεάζαρ υἱοῦ ᾿Ααρὼν τοῦ ἱερέως ἐξανέστη ἐκ μέσου τῆς συναγωγῆς καὶ λαβὼν σειρομάστην ἐν τῇ χειρὶ
И҆ ви́дѣвъ фїнее́съ, сы́нъ є҆леаза́ра сы́на а҆арѡ́на жерца̀, воста̀ и҆з̾ среды̀ со́нма, и҆ взе́мъ сꙋ́лицꙋ въ рꙋ́кꙋ,
and went in after the Israelitish man into the chamber, and pierced them both through, both the Israelitish man, and the woman through her womb; and the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.
εἰσῆλθεν ὀπίσω τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τοῦ ᾿Ισραηλίτου εἰς τὴν κάμινον καὶ ἀπεκέντησεν ἀμφοτέρους, τόν τε ἄνθρωπον τὸν ᾿Ισραηλίτην καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα διὰ τῆς μήτρας αὐτῆς· καὶ ἐπαύσατο ἡ πληγὴ ἀπὸ υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ.
вни́де в̾слѣ́дъ человѣ́ка і҆и҃льтѧнина въ блꙋди́лище, и҆ прободѐ ѻ҆бои́хъ, и҆ человѣ́ка і҆и҃льтѧнина, и҆ женꙋ̀ сквозѣ̀ ложесна̀ є҆ѧ̀: и҆ преста̀ вре́дъ ѿ сынѡ́въ і҆и҃левыхъ.
If Phinehas by his zeal in slaying the evildoer appeased the wrath of God, shall not Jesus, who slew no other but “gave himself a ransom for all,” take away God’s wrath against humanity?
Catechetical Lecture 13.2
Now if we have been conformed to his death, sin henceforth in us is surely a corpse, pierced through by the javelin of baptism, as that fornicator was thrust through by the zealous Phinehas.
On the Baptism of Christ
Slaughter has brought about righteousness, and mercy has been a cause of condemnation more than slaughter, because the latter has been according to the mind of God, but the former has been forbidden. It was reckoned to Phinehas for righteousness that he pierced to death the woman who committed fornication, together with the fornicator. But Samuel, that saint of God, although he wept and mourned and entreated for whole nights, could not rescue Saul from the condemnation which God issued against him, because he saved, contrary to the design of God, the king of the alien tribes whom he ought to have slain.
Letter to the Fallen Theodore 2.3
And those that died in the plague were four and twenty thousand.
καὶ ἐγένοντο οἱ τεθνηκότες ἐν τῇ πληγῇ τέσσαρες καὶ εἴκοσι χιλιάδες.
И҆ бы́ша ᲂу҆ме́ршїи ꙗ҆́звою два́десѧть четы́ри ты́сѧщы.
As far as that goes, we too have examples from this same past in favor of our own way of thinking, examples of a judgment on fornication which was not only not remiss but rather immediately executed. It is quite enough, I should think, that so great a number of the chosen people, twenty-four thousand, perished at one stroke after they had fornicated with the daughters of Midian. I prefer, however, for the glory of Christ, to derive ecclesiastical discipline from Christ.
On Purity 6.6.12-14
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
Καὶ ἐλάλησε Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων·
И҆ речѐ гдⷭ҇ь къ мѡѷсе́ю, гл҃ѧ:
And lest we appear to you to bring these things forth from our own understanding rather than from the authority of the divine Scriptures, go back to the book of Numbers and recall what Phinehas the priest did when he saw a harlot of the Midianite people with an Israelite man clinging in impure embraces in the eyes of all. Filled with the wrath of divine jealousy, he drove a sword, which he had seized, through the breast of both. This work was imputed to him by God for righteousness when the Lord says, “Phinehas appeased my rage, and it shall be imputed to him for righteousness.” That earthly food of anger therefore becomes our food when we use it rationally for righteousness.
Homilies on Genesis 1:17
Phinees the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest has caused my wrath to cease from the children of Israel, when I was exceedingly jealous among them, and I did not consume the children of Israel in my jealousy.
Φινεὲς υἱὸς ᾿Ελεάζαρ υἱοῦ ᾿Ααρὼν τοῦ ἱερέως κατέπαυσε τὸν θυμόν μου ἀπὸ υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν τῷ ζηλῶσαί μου τὸν ζῆλον ἐν αὐτοῖς, καὶ οὐκ ἐξανήλωσα τοὺς υἱοὺς ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν τῷ ζήλῳ μου.
фїнее́съ сы́нъ є҆леаза́ра сы́на а҆арѡ́на жерца̀ ᲂу҆толѝ гнѣ́въ мо́й ѿ сынѡ́въ і҆и҃левыхъ, є҆гда̀ возревнова̀ ре́вность моѧ̀ въ ни́хъ, и҆ не потреби́хъ сынѡ́въ і҆и҃левыхъ въ ре́вности мое́й:
Thus do thou say [to him], Behold, I give him a covenant of peace:
οὕτως εἶπον· ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ δίδωμι αὐτῷ διαθήκην εἰρήνης,
та́кѡ рцы̀: сѐ, а҆́зъ даю̀ є҆мꙋ̀ завѣ́тъ мо́й ми́рный,
and he and his seed after him shall have a perpetual covenant of priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.
καὶ ἔσται αὐτῷ καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ μετ’ αὐτὸν διαθήκη ἱερατείας αἰωνία, ἀνθ’ ὧν ἐζήλωσε τῷ Θεῷ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξιλάσατο περὶ τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ.
и҆ бꙋ́детъ є҆мꙋ̀ и҆ сѣ́мени є҆гѡ̀ по не́мъ завѣ́тъ жре́чества вѣ́чный, поне́же возревнова̀ по бз҃ѣ свое́мъ и҆ ᲂу҆ми́лостиви ѡ҆ сынѣ́хъ і҆и҃левыхъ.
Neither, then, was God unjust, nor His purpose mutable; for He detected Balaam's mind and the secrets of his heart, and He therefore tried him as a diviner, He did not choose him as a prophet. Surely he ought to have been converted if it were only by the grace of such great oracles and the sublimity of his revelations, but his mind, full of iniquity, brought forth words but did not yield belief, seeking to frustrate by its counsels that event which it had predicted. And since he could not defeat the prophecy, he suggested deceitful counsels whereby the fickle people of the Jews were tempted but not overcome; for by the righteousness of one priest all the counsel of this wicked man was overthrown, and that the host of our fathers could be delivered by one man was much more wonderful than that it could be deceived by one man.
Letters 41-50
Now the name of the smitten Israelitish man, who was smitten with the Madianitish woman, [was] Zambri son of Salmon, prince of a house of the tribe of Symeon.
τὸ δὲ ὄνομα τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τοῦ ᾿Ισραηλίτου τοῦ πεπληγότος, ὃς ἐπλήγη μετὰ τῆς Μαδιανίτιδος, Ζαμβρὶ υἱὸς Σαλώ, ἄρχων οἴκου πατριᾶς τῶν Συμεών·
И҆́мѧ же человѣ́кꙋ і҆и҃льтѧнинꙋ, є҆го́же ᲂу҆бѝ съ мадїані́тынею, замврі́й, сы́нъ салмѡ́нь, кнѧ́зь до́мꙋ ѻ҆те́чества сынѡ́въ сѷмеѡ́нихъ:
And the name of the Madianitish woman who was smitten, [was] Chasbi, daughter of Sur, a prince of the nation of Ommoth: it is a chief house among the people of Madiam.
καὶ ὄνομα τῇ γυναικὶ τῇ Μαδιανίτιδι τῇ πεπληγυίᾳ Χασβί, θυγάτηρ Σοὺρ ἄρχοντος ἔθνους ᾿Ομμώθ, οἴκου πατριᾶς ἐστι τῶν Μαδιάμ.
и҆ и҆́мѧ женѣ̀ мадїані́тынѣ прободе́ной хазві̀, дщѝ сꙋ́ра, кнѧ́зѧ ро́да соммѡ́ѳова, до́мꙋ ѻ҆те́чества є҆́сть мадїа́млѧ.
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, saying,
Καὶ ἐλάλησε Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων· λάλησον τοῖς υἱοῖς ᾿Ισραὴλ λέγων·
И҆ речѐ гдⷭ҇ь къ мѡѷсе́ю, гл҃ѧ: рцы̀ сынѡ́мъ і҆и҃лєвымъ, глаго́лѧ:
Plague the Madianites as enemies, and smite them,
ἐχθραίνετε τοῖς Μαδιηναίοις καὶ πατάξατε αὐτούς,
враждꙋ́йте мадїани́тѡмъ и҆ бі́йте ѧ҆̀:
for they are enemies to you by the treachery wherein they ensnare you through Phogor, and through Chasbi their sister, daughter of a prince of Madiam, who was smitten in the day of the plague because of Phogor.
ὅτι ἐχθραίνουσιν αὐτοὶ ὑμῖν ἐν δολιότητι, ὅσα δολιοῦσιν ὑμᾶς διὰ Φογὼρ καὶ διὰ Χασβὶ θυγατέρα ἄρχοντος Μαδιὰμ ἀδελφὴν αὐτῶν τὴν πεπληγυῖαν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς πληγῆς διὰ Φογώρ.
занѐ враждꙋ́ютъ ва́мъ сі́и ле́стїю, є҆ли́кѡ прельща́ютъ ва́съ фогѡ́ромъ и҆ хазві́ею дще́рїю кнѧ́зѧ мадїа́млѧ, сестро́ю свое́ю прободе́ною, въ де́нь ꙗ҆́звы фогѡ́ра ра́ди.
And they called them to the sacrifices of their idols; and the people ate of their sacrifices, and worshiped their idols.
καὶ ἐκάλεσαν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὰς θυσίας τῶν εἰδώλων αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔφαγεν ὁ λαὸς τῶν θυσιῶν αὐτῶν καὶ προσεκύνησαν τοῖς εἰδώλοις αὐτῶν.
и҆ призва́ша ѧ҆̀ въ трє́бы кꙋмі̑ръ свои́хъ, и҆ ꙗ҆до́ша лю́дїе трє́бы и҆́хъ и҆ поклони́шасѧ кꙋмі́рѡмъ и҆́хъ: