2 who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods.

Other Translations of Numbers 25:2

King James Version

2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.

English Standard Version

2 These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.

The Message

2 It started when the women invited the men to their sex-and-religion worship. They ate together and then worshiped their gods.

New King James Version

2 They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.

New Living Translation

2 These women invited them to attend sacrifices to their gods, so the Israelites feasted with them and worshiped the gods of Moab.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 25:2

Commentary on Numbers 25:1-5

(Read Numbers 25:1-5)

The friendship of the wicked is more dangerous than their enmity; for none can prevail against God's people if they are not overcome by their inbred lusts; nor can any enchantment hurt them, but the enticements of worldly interests and pleasures. Here is the sin of Israel, to which they are enticed by the daughters of Moab and Midian. Those are our worst enemies who draw us to sin, for that is the greatest mischief any man can do us. Israel's sin did that which all Balaam's enchantments could not do; it set God against them. Diseases are the fruits of God's anger, and the just punishments of prevailing sins; one infection follows the other. Ringleaders in sin ought to be made examples of justice.

16 "They were the ones who followed Balaam's advice and enticed the Israelites to be unfaithful to the Lord in the Peor incident, so that a plague struck the Lord's people.

Other Translations of Numbers 31:16

King James Version

16 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.

English Standard Version

16 Behold, these, on Balaam's advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the Lord.

The Message

16 They're the ones who, under Balaam's direction, seduced the People of Israel away from God in that mess at Peor, causing the plague that hit God's people.

New King James Version

16 Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord.

New Living Translation

16 "These are the very ones who followed Balaam's advice and caused the people of Israel to rebel against the Lord at Mount Peor. They are the ones who caused the plague to strike the Lord 's people.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 31:16

Commentary on Numbers 31:13-18

(Read Numbers 31:13-18)

The sword of war should spare women and children; but the sword of justice should know no distinction, but that of guilty or not guilty. This war was the execution of a righteous sentence upon a guilty nation, in which the women were the worst criminals. The female children were spared, who, being brought up among the Israelites, would not tempt them to idolatry. The whole history shows the hatefulness of sin, and the guilt of tempting others; it teaches us to avoid all occasions of evil, and to give no quarter to inward lusts. The women and children were not kept for sinful purposes, but for slaves, a custom every where practised in former times, as to captives. In the course of providence, when famine and plagues visit a nation for sin, children suffer in the common calamity. In this case parents are punished in their children; and for children dying before actual sin, full provision is made as to their eternal happiness, by the mercy of God in Christ.