Psalm 106:28-29

Psalm 106:28-29

Baal of Peor

The clock has been brought forward 40 years and the Israelites are once again camped close to the borders of Canaan. This time they are further north in an area called Shittim which was inhabited by the Moabites, today this is part of Jordan.  They camped on the east side of the River Jordan directly in line with the city of Jericho which was situated about 15 miles away inside the Promised Land. Peor is the name of a mountain peak(mentioned in Numbers 23:28) to which Balak, king of Moab, led Balaam, in his fourth and final attempt to induce Balaam to pronounce a curse upon the Israelites as they were passing through Balak's Land to the Promised Land. Whilst they were camped in this area, some of the Israelite men indulged themselves with Moabite women and were invited to attend the sacrificial rituals associated with the Moabite gods. “Worship” often involved sexual acts because the gods associated with Baal were fertility gods. The men shared in the sacrificial meals and engaged in the rituals dedicated to Baal who was worshipped on Mount Peor. 

The Lord was furious with these men and ordered Moses to kill them. A plague broke out in the camp and people started to die! Meanwhile, Moses wept with the judges and leaders of the Israelites at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. As they were grieving for the sins of the people, an Israelite man, in full sight, walked past them with a Moabite woman on his way to his tent for sex. The man’s name was Zimri who was leader of a Simeonite family. The Moabite woman was called Kozbi. Phinehas, one of Aaron’s grandsons, saw what was happening and followed the amorous couple into the tent where he drove a spear through the Zimri and into the woman’s stomach. The plague stopped but 24,000 people had already died as a consequence. (Read Numbers 25.)

“Oh, Lord, keep us from being drawn to that which is evil, keep us from wicked deeds. Do not let us be enticed by the temptations of sin. Keep us holy and pure before you. Amen.” 

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