1當以色列人住在史廷的時候，民眾開始與摩阿布女子行淫。 1And Israel at that time abode in Settim, and the people committed fornication with the daughters of Moab,
2這些女子請民眾參與她們神祇的祭祀；民眾吃了供物，且朝拜了她們的神祇。 2Who called them to their sacrifices. And they ate of them, and adored their gods.
3這樣以色列人就歸依了巴耳培敖爾，上主因此對以色列大發忿怒。 3And Israel was initiated to Beelphegor: upon which the Lord being angry,
4上主對梅瑟說：「你捉住民眾中所有的罪魁，在光天化日之下，為上主將他們懸掛起來，好挽回上主對以色列的怒火。」 4Said to Moses: Take all the princes of the people, and hang them up on gibbets against the sun: that my fury may be turned away from Israel.
5梅瑟就吩咐以色列的各首長說：「你們每人應將自己家中歸依巴耳培敖爾的人殺死。」 5And Moses said to the judges of Israel: Let every man kill his neighbours, that have been initiated to Beelphegor.
6看，當梅瑟和以色列子民全會眾都在會幕門口流淚痛哭時，以色列子民中正有一人，當著他們的面，帶了一個米德楊女人到他兄弟那裡去。 6And behold one of the children of Israel went in before his brethren to a harlot of Madian, in the sight of Moses, and of all the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle.
7大司祭亞郎的兒子厄肋阿匝爾的兒子丕乃哈斯一見，就由會眾中起來，順手拿了一把長槍， 7And when Phinees the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest saw it, he rose up from the midst; of the multitude, and taking a dagger,
8跟那以色列人進入臥室內，刺穿了他們兩人，即那以色列人和那女人的肚腹；以色列子民間的災禍遂止息了。 8Went in after the Israelite into the brothel house, and thrust both of them through together, to wit, the man and the woman in the genital parts. And the scourge ceased from the children of Israel:
9在這次災禍內，死去了二萬四千人。 9And there were slain four and twenty thousand men.
10上主於是訓示梅瑟說； 10And the Lord said to Moses:
11「大司祭亞郎的孫子，厄肋阿匝爾的兒子丕乃哈斯，由以色列子民身上挽回了我的忿怒，因為他在他們中，懷著與我同樣的嫉邪的心，因此我沒有因我嫉邪之心消滅了以色列子民。 11Phinees the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned away my wrath from the children of Israel: because he was moved with my zeal against them, that I myself might not destroy the children of Israel in my zeal.
12為此你應聲明：看，我與他結平安的盟約。 12Therefore say to him: Behold I give him the peace of my covenant,
13這為他和他的後裔，是永享司祭品位的盟約，因為他為了自己天主的原故，嫉惡如仇，賠補了以色列子民的罪。」 13And the covenant of the priesthood for ever shall be both to him and his seed, because he hath been zealous for his God, and hath made atonement for the wickedness of the children of Israel.
14那與米德楊女人一同被殺的以色列人，名叫齊默黎，是撒路的兒子，西默盎家族的族長。 14And the name of the Israelite, was slain with the woman of Madian, was Zambri the son of Salu, a prince the kindred and tribe of Simeon.
15那被殺的米德楊女人，名叫苛次彼，是族爾的女兒；族爾是米德楊族一部落的酋長。 15And the Madianite woman, that was slain with him, was called Cozbi the daughter of Sur, a most noble prince among the Madianites.
16事後，上主訓示梅瑟說： 16And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
17「你應圍攻米德楊人，打擊他們， 17Let the Madianites find you enemies, and slay you them:
18因為他們用詭計打擊了你們，就是在培敖爾的事上，並在他們的姊妹，米德楊酋長的女兒苛次彼的事上，欺騸了你們。──這女子已在培敖爾的事上，在災禍之日被殺。」 18Because they also have acted like enemies against you, and have guilefully deceived you by the idol Phogor, and Cozbi their sister, a daughter of a prince of Madian, who was slain in the day the plague for the sacrilege of Phogor.
19這次災禍以後， 19
25:1-5
按31:16 的记载，摩阿布女子使以民祭祀邪神，是出於巴郎的计谋。巴耳培敖尔也似乎是指在培敖尔高丘所恭敬的革摩士神，崇拜革摩士神的敬礼，非常放肆猥亵。见欧9:10。
25:6
米德杨人是游牧民族，有时混於厄东人中，有时混於阿剌伯，或厄法或摩阿布人中。
25:9
此数字或有夸大之处，按格前10:8为二万叁千人。此异文或出於希伯来文记数字母之误。
25:12
「结平安的盟约」一句，如创9:9是指天主单方的恩许，并不指双方订立的一项盟约。关於丕乃哈斯的为人和尊位，参阅户31:6-12；苏22；民20:27-28；加上2:26；咏106:30-31；德45:24-30。
25:19
19节属於下章。