1
καὶ κατέλυσεν Ισραηλ ἐν Σαττιν καὶ ἐβεβηλώθη ὁ λαὸς ἐκπορνεῦσαι εἰς τὰς θυγατέρας Μωαβ
And Israel lodged in Shittim, and the people were profaned by committing harlotry with the daughters of Moab.
The chapter opens with καί-parataxis typical of LXX narrative, setting the scene geographically (ἐν Σαττιν, Shittim, the last station before the Jordan, cf. Num 33:49; Josh 2:1) and then immediately introducing the crisis. The passive ἐβεβηλώθη ('was profaned') frames the people not merely as sinners but as a holy thing desecrated; the epexegetic infinitive ἐκπορνεῦσαι specifies the means of profanation.
Word-by-word analysis· 14 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (Hebraizing καί-parataxis)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
κατέλυσενlodged / encampedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · καταλύωmain verb (scene-setting)→ constative aorist (settled stay at a station)καταλύω: lit. 'unyoke / loose down', hence 'lodge / put up / take rest'; renders ישב ('dwell / settle'); the verb marks the encampment at Shittim as a halting-place, the setting for the apostasy that follows.
ΙσραηλIsraelsubject (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: transliteration of Hebrew יִשְׂרָאֵל; indeclinable in the LXX; here a collective singular subject taking a singular verb.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (place)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (place).
ΣαττινShittimobject of ἐν (indeclinable place name)→ participant identificationΣαττιν: transliteration of Hebrew שִׁטִּים ('the acacias'), the plain of Shittim on the steppes of Moab, Israel's final encampment before crossing the Jordan (cf. Num 33:49; Josh 2:1; 3:1; Mic 6:5); indeclinable.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐβεβηλώθηwas profaned / defiledAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · βεβηλόωmain verb (passive of profanation)→ constative aorist passive (the people rendered profane)βεβηλόω: 'profane / desecrate / make common'; renders חלל (Hiphil/Niphal); the passive presents the holy people as a sanctum violated; the same root underlies βέβηλος ('profane', opposite of ἅγιος); the choice of this verb (rather than a plain 'sinned') stresses the cultic gravity of joining a foreign cult.
ὁtheNominativearticle (with λαός)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαὸςpeopleNominativesubject of ἐβεβηλώθη→ participant prominenceλαός: 'people'; the covenant-community term (rendering עַם); its use here heightens the irony — the LORD's own people are the ones profaned through pagan harlotry.
ἐκπορνεῦσαιto commit harlotryAor Act Inf · ἐκπορνεύωepexegetic/result infinitive (specifying the profanation)→ ingressive aorist infinitive (the act of going whoring)ἐκπορνεύω: intensive compound of πορνεύω, 'commit fornication / play the whore utterly'; renders זנה; in the Prophets and LXX πορνεία regularly figures idolatrous infidelity (Hos 4:12; Ezek 16), so the literal harlotry with Moabite women is at once the gateway to and image of apostasy; cf. the 'teaching of Balaam' that taught Israel to commit πορνεῦσαι at Rev 2:14.
εἰςwith / towardpreposition + accusative (object of the harlotry)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς + acc.: here marks the persons with whom the harlotry is committed, a Hebraizing extension of ἐκπορνεύω (rendering אֶל / construct with בְּנוֹת).
τὰςtheAccusativearticle (with θυγατέρας)→ noun-phrase markingτὰς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θυγατέραςdaughtersAccusativeobject of εἰς→ object specificationθυγάτηρ (acc. pl. θυγατέρας): 'daughter'; renders בְּנוֹת; 'the daughters of Moab' are the agents of seduction; Num 31:16 and the Balaam cycle make this the deliberate strategy by which Israel was led into the Peor cult.
Μωαβof Moabgenitival modifier of θυγατέρας (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΜωαβ: transliteration of Hebrew מוֹאָב; indeclinable; functions as an adnominal genitive ('daughters of Moab'); the Moabite connection roots the apostasy in the Balaam-Balak narrative of chs. 22–24.
2
καὶ ἐκάλεσαν αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ ταῖς θυσίαις τῶν εἰδώλων αὐτῶν καὶ ἔφαγεν ὁ λαὸς τῶν θυσιῶν αὐτῶν καὶ προσεκύνησαν τοῖς εἰδώλοις αὐτῶν
And they invited them to the sacrifices of their idols, and the people ate of their sacrifices and bowed down to their idols.
A three-step descent rendered in serial καί-clauses: invitation (ἐκάλεσαν), eating of the sacrifices (ἔφαγεν … τῶν θυσιῶν), and prostration to the idols (προσεκύνησαν τοῖς εἰδώλοις). The progression from table-fellowship to worship dramatizes how physical intimacy becomes cultic apostasy — the very logic Paul invokes against idol-meat at 1 Cor 10:7–8, 18–22.
Word-by-word analysis· 21 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐκάλεσανthey invited / calledAor Act Indic 3 Pl · καλέωmain verb (subject: the Moabite women / Moabites)→ constative aorist (the act of summoning to the feast)καλέω: 'call / invite / summon'; renders קרא; the unexpressed subject is the daughters of Moab (and their people); the 'invitation' to the sacrificial feast is the hinge that turns sexual seduction into religious participation.
αὐτοὺςthemAccusativedirect object (the men of Israel)→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. pl. m.): resumptive pronoun referring to the Israelite men drawn into the harlotry of v. 1.
ἐπὶto / atpreposition + dative (occasion/goal: 'to the sacrifices')→ spatial or relational framingἐπί + dat.: here marks the occasion or object of the invitation, 'to/at the sacrifices'.
ταῖςtheDativearticle (with θυσίαις)→ noun-phrase markingταῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θυσίαιςsacrificesDativeobject of ἐπί→ sphere or referenceθυσία: 'sacrifice / offering'; renders זֶבַח; the sacrificial meals of the Moabite cult are the matrix of the apostasy; eating the θυσίαι constitutes communion with the foreign god (cf. 1 Cor 10:18–20).
τῶνof theGenitivearticle (with εἰδώλων)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
εἰδώλωνidolsGenitivegenitive of relationship ('sacrifices of their idols')→ relational specificationεἴδωλον: 'idol / image / phantom'; renders אֱלֹהִים (in the pejorative sense) and גִּלּוּלִים; the LXX's preferred polemical term for pagan gods, denying them substance (a mere 'appearance'); cf. 1 Cor 8:4, 'an idol is nothing in the world.'
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possession (the Moabites')→ relational specificationαὐτῶν: meaning 'their'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (the Moabites').
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔφαγενateAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐσθίωmain verb (subject ὁ λαός)→ constative aorist (act of eating the sacrificial meal)ἐσθίω (aor. ἔφαγον): 'eat'; renders אכל; the partitive genitive τῶν θυσιῶν ('ate of their sacrifices') marks participation in the idol-feast; to eat the sacrifice is to share the altar of the demon, the very point Paul presses at 1 Cor 10:18–21.
ὁtheNominativearticle (with λαός)→ noun-phrase markingὁ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαὸςpeopleNominativesubject of ἔφαγεν→ participant prominenceλαός: 'people'; the covenant people again the grammatical subject of the apostate act.
τῶνof theGenitivearticle (with θυσιῶν)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θυσιῶνsacrificesGenitivepartitive genitive (object of ἔφαγεν: 'ate of the sacrifices')→ relational specificationθυσία (gen. pl.): the partitive genitive after ἔφαγεν is a Hebraizing construction (eating 'of/from' the sacrifices).
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationαὐτῶν: meaning 'their'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession.
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
προσεκύνησανthey bowed down / worshipedAor Act Indic 3 Pl · προσκυνέωmain verb (climactic act of worship)→ constative aorist (act of prostration before the idols)προσκυνέω: 'do obeisance / prostrate oneself / worship'; renders השתחוה (Hishtaphel of חוה); the climax of the descent — the people now render to the idols the bodily homage owed to YHWH alone, a direct breach of the first two commandments (Exod 20:3–5).
τοῖςtheDativearticle (with εἰδώλοις)→ noun-phrase markingτοῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
εἰδώλοιςidolsDativedative complement of προσεκύνησαν (object of worship)→ sphere or referenceεἴδωλον (dat. pl.): the dative object of προσκυνέω marks the idols as recipients of the prohibited worship.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationαὐτῶν: meaning 'their'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession.
3
καὶ ἐτελέσθη Ισραηλ τῷ Βεελφεγωρ καὶ ὠργίσθη θυμῷ κύριος τῷ Ισραηλ
And Israel was consecrated to Baal-Peor, and the LORD was angered in wrath with Israel.
The verb ἐτελέσθη ('was initiated/consecrated/joined') is the LXX's pointed rendering of Hebrew צמד ('yoke/join oneself'), but with overtones of cultic initiation (τελέω of mystery-rites); Israel is now bound to Baal-Peor as to a god. The matching passive ὠργίσθη θυμῷ ('was angered with wrath') answers human apostasy with divine θυμός — the cognate dative intensifying the wrath that vv. 4–9 will execute and v. 11 will recall.
Word-by-word analysis· 11 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐτελέσθηwas consecrated / joined / initiatedAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · τελέωmain verb (passive: Israel bound to the cult)→ constative aorist passive (entry into devotion to Baal-Peor)τελέω: 'complete / consecrate / initiate (into rites)'; renders צמד (Niphal, 'yoke/join oneself') at v. 3 and again as the passive participle τετελεσμένον at v. 5; the verb's cultic sense ('be initiated into the mysteries') colors the joining as a formal devotion to Baal-Peor, the deepest stage of apostasy; cf. Ps 105[106]:28 LXX, ἐτελέσθησαν τῷ Βεελφεγωρ.
ΙσραηλIsraelsubject (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable; collective singular subject.
τῷtoDativearticle (with Βεελφεγωρ, marking dative)→ noun-phrase markingThe article τῷ supplies the dative case for the indeclinable name that follows, marking Baal-Peor as the object of consecration.
ΒεελφεγωρBaal-Peordative complement of ἐτελέσθη (indeclinable divine name)→ participant identificationΒεελφεγωρ: transliteration of Hebrew בַּעַל פְּעוֹר ('Baal of Peor'), the Moabite deity worshiped at Mount Peor; indeclinable, case supplied by the article τῷ; the cult of Peor becomes the byword for Israel's apostasy (Deut 4:3; Ps 105[106]:28; Hos 9:10).
καὶandnarrative conjunction (introducing divine reaction)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ὠργίσθηwas angeredAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · ὀργίζωmain verb (divine reaction)→ ingressive aorist passive (kindling of divine anger)ὀργίζω (aor. pass. ὠργίσθη, deponent in sense, 'become angry'): 'be provoked to anger'; renders חרה אַף ('the nose/anger burned'); the LORD's ὀργή here is judicial, the covenantal response to violated exclusivity (cf. Exod 32:10–11; Num 11:1).
θυμῷwith wrathDativedative of manner / cognate dative (intensifying ὠργίσθη)→ sphere or referenceθυμός: 'wrath / hot anger / passion'; here a dative of manner intensifying the verb ('was angered with wrath'), a Hebraizing pleonasm rendering the emphatic Hebrew idiom; θυμός is the term Phinehas will be said to have 'turned away' (κατέπαυσεν τὸν θυμόν μου) at v. 11.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject of ὠργίσθη→ participant prominenceκύριος: the standard LXX rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the offended covenant God whose exclusive devotion has been breached.
τῷwithDativearticle (with Ισραηλ, marking dative)→ noun-phrase markingThe article τῷ supplies dative case for the following indeclinable name; with ὀργίζω the dative names the object of the anger ('angry with/at Israel').
ΙσραηλIsraeldative object of ὠργίσθη (indeclinable; object of the anger)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable; the dative (supplied by τῷ) names the people against whom the divine wrath is directed.
4
καὶ εἶπεν κύριος τῷ Μωυσῇ λαβὲ πάντας τοὺς ἀρχηγοὺς τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ παραδειγμάτισον αὐτοὺς κυρίῳ ἀπέναντι τοῦ ἡλίου καὶ ἀποστραφήσεται ὀργὴ θυμοῦ κυρίου ἀπὸ Ισραηλ
And the LORD said to Moses, 'Take all the chiefs of the people and make an example of them to the LORD over against the sun, and the wrath of the LORD's anger shall be turned away from Israel.'
The standard speech-formula introduces YHWH's remedy: a double imperative (λαβέ … παραδειγμάτισον) followed by a result clause (καὶ ἀποστραφήσεται). The verb παραδειγματίζω ('hold up as a public example', often by exposure or impalement) demands a visible, exemplary punishment of the leaders 'over against the sun' (ἀπέναντι τοῦ ἡλίου, in full public daylight), the precondition for averting the ὀργὴ θυμοῦ — a piled-up genitive ('the wrath of the anger') of maximal Hebraic intensity.
Word-by-word analysis· 25 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introducing formula)→ constative aorist (single completed speech-act)λέγω (aor. εἶπεν): introduces direct YHWH-speech; the formula εἶπεν κύριος τῷ Μωυσῇ recurs throughout Numbers at each new divine command.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject→ participant prominenceκύριος: rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the nominative subject of unmediated divine speech.
τῷtoDativearticle (with Μωυσῇ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΜωυσῇMosesDativeindirect object (addressee of the speech)→ sphere or referenceΜωυσῆς (dat. Μωυσῇ): transliteration of Hebrew מֹשֶׁה; declined as a first/third-declension hybrid in Rahlfs' LXX (gen./dat. Μωυσῇ, acc. Μωυσῆν); dative as recipient of the command.
λαβὲtakeAor Act Impv 2 Sg · λαμβάνωmain verb (divine imperative to Moses)→ aorist imperative (single decisive command)λαμβάνω (aor. impv. λαβέ): 'take / seize'; renders לקח; the first of a paired command — Moses is to apprehend the leaders for public judgment.
πάνταςallAccusativeadjective (modifying ἀρχηγούς)→ object specificationπᾶς (acc. pl. m.): 'all / every'; underscores that the whole leadership-class bears responsibility, whether as offenders or as those answerable for the people.
τοὺςtheAccusativearticle (with ἀρχηγούς)→ noun-phrase markingτοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀρχηγοὺςchiefs / leadersAccusativedirect object of λαβέ→ object specificationἀρχηγός: 'leader / chief / founder / originator'; renders רֹאשׁ ('head'); the leaders are singled out as those responsible for the people's apostasy; the same word later denotes Christ as the 'pioneer/founder' (ἀρχηγός) of salvation (Heb 2:10; 12:2).
τοῦof theGenitivearticle (with λαοῦ)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
λαοῦpeopleGenitivegenitive of relationship ('chiefs of the people')→ relational specificationλαός (gen.): the leaders belong to and represent the covenant people.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (linking the two imperatives)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
παραδειγμάτισονmake an example of / expose publiclyAor Act Impv 2 Sg · παραδειγματίζωmain verb (second divine imperative)→ aorist imperative (decisive act of exemplary punishment)παραδειγματίζω: 'make a public example of / expose to public shame (often by impalement or display)'; renders יקע (Hiphil, 'hang up / impale / expose'); the demand is for a visible, exemplary execution of the guilty leaders as a public deterrent and an act of judicial purgation; the same verb describes the public disgrace of the crucified at Heb 6:6 and Matt 1:19 (δειγματίσαι).
αὐτοὺςthemAccusativedirect object (the chiefs)→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. pl. m.): refers to the ἀρχηγούς who are to be publicly punished.
κυρίῳto the LORDDativedative of advantage/reference ('before/to the LORD')→ sphere or referenceκύριος (dat. κυρίῳ): rendering of the Tetragrammaton; the exemplary punishment is rendered 'to/before the LORD' — a sacral act of judicial expiation done in YHWH's presence and for his honor.
ἀπέναντιover against / beforeimproper preposition + genitive (position: 'in front of')→ spatial or relational framingἀπέναντι: 'opposite / over against / in full view of'; renders נֶגֶד; with τοῦ ἡλίου it denotes open, public daylight exposure — the punishment is to be unconcealed, before the sun itself.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with ἡλίου)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἡλίουsunGenitiveobject of ἀπέναντι→ relational specificationἥλιος: 'sun'; renders שֶׁמֶשׁ; 'over against the sun' = in broad, public daylight (cf. 2 Sam 12:11–12); the open exposure makes the judgment exemplary and total.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing result clause)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀποστραφήσεταιshall be turned awayFut Pass Indic 3 Sg · ἀποστρέφωverb of result clause (consequence of obedience)→ predictive future passive (promised aversion of wrath)ἀποστρέφω (fut. pass. ἀποστραφήσεται): 'turn away / turn back'; renders שוב (Hophal/Qal); the future indicative after καί expresses promised result — the exemplary judgment will cause the divine anger to be deflected from the nation; the same theology of averted wrath governs Phinehas's act (v. 11).
ὀργὴwrathNominativesubject of ἀποστραφήσεται→ participant prominenceὀργή: 'wrath / anger'; renders אַף / חֲרוֹן; here the head-noun of the piled genitive ὀργὴ θυμοῦ κυρίου ('the wrath of the anger of the LORD'), a Hebraic intensification heaping ὀργή and θυμός together.
θυμοῦof angerGenitivegenitive in apposition/intensification (with ὀργή)→ relational specificationθυμός (gen.): 'hot anger'; the genitive ὀργὴ θυμοῦ renders the Hebrew construct חֲרוֹן אַף ('burning of anger'), an emphatic doubling for the white-heat of divine wrath.
κυρίουof the LORDGenitivegenitive of possession (whose wrath)→ relational specificationκύριος (gen.): rendering of the Tetragrammaton; the wrath belongs to YHWH, the offended covenant Lord.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (separation)→ spatial or relational framingἀπό: 'from / away from'; marks the people from whom the wrath is to be deflected.
ΙσραηλIsraelobject of ἀπό (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable; the nation delivered from wrath if the command is obeyed.
5
καὶ εἶπεν Μωυσῆς ταῖς φυλαῖς Ισραηλ ἀποκτείνατε ἕκαστος τὸν οἰκεῖον αὐτοῦ τὸν τετελεσμένον τῷ Βεελφεγωρ
And Moses said to the tribes of Israel, 'Each of you, kill his own kinsman who has been consecrated to Baal-Peor.'
Moses relays YHWH's command, but distributes the act to the tribal authorities: a distributive plural imperative (ἀποκτείνατε) governed by the singular ἕκαστος ('each one'), so that judgment falls intramurally — every household-head executes his own kinsman. The perfect participle τετελεσμένον (cognate with ἐτελέσθη, v. 3) marks the guilty precisely as those settled in devotion to Baal-Peor.
Word-by-word analysis· 15 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἶπενsaidAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λέγωmain verb (speech-introduction)→ constative aorist (single speech-act)λέγω (aor. εἶπεν): Moses now mediates the divine command to the tribal leadership.
ΜωυσῆςMosesNominativesubject→ participant prominenceΜωυσῆς: nominative subject; Moses acts as covenant mediator transmitting YHWH's word of v. 4.
ταῖςtheDativearticle (with φυλαῖς)→ noun-phrase markingταῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
φυλαῖςtribesDativeindirect object (addressees / the tribal judges)→ sphere or referenceφυλή: 'tribe / clan'; renders שֵׁבֶט / מַטֶּה; here the tribal authorities (cf. 'judges of Israel', Hebrew of v. 5) are addressed as the agents of the intramural execution.
Ισραηλof Israeladnominal genitive (with φυλαῖς; indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable; 'the tribes of Israel.'
ἀποκτείνατεkillAor Act Impv 2 Pl · ἀποκτείνωmain verb (distributive plural imperative)→ aorist imperative (decisive command of execution)ἀποκτείνω: 'kill / put to death'; renders הרג; the plural imperative is distributed through the singular ἕκαστος, so each leader executes his own; this judicial purge is the human counterpart to the plague YHWH is sending.
ἕκαστοςeach oneNominativedistributive subject (in apposition to the plural imperative)→ participant prominenceἕκαστος: 'each / every one'; distributive pronoun; the singular individualizes the plural command — responsibility is borne by every household-head over his own.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with οἰκεῖον)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
οἰκεῖονkinsman / household memberAccusativedirect object of ἀποκτείνατε→ object specificationοἰκεῖος: 'belonging to the household / kinsman / relative'; renders אֲנָשָׁיו ('his men'); the execution is intra-familial — the bond of kinship is overridden by covenant fidelity, foreshadowing the Levite zeal of Exod 32:27–29 and Deut 33:9.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (attributive, with participle τετελεσμένον)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τετελεσμένονhaving been consecratedPerf Pass Ptcp Acc Sg Masc · τελέωattributive participle (qualifying οἰκεῖον)→ perfect participle (settled, abiding state of devotion)τελέω (perf. pass. ptcp.): 'consecrate / initiate'; the perfect marks an abiding condition — the kinsman now stands in a settled state of devotion to Baal-Peor; cognate with ἐτελέσθη (v. 3), it pins the death-sentence precisely to participation in the cult, not to the sexual offense alone.
τῷtoDativearticle (with Βεελφεγωρ, marking dative)→ noun-phrase markingThe article τῷ supplies dative case for the indeclinable name.
ΒεελφεγωρBaal-Peordative complement of τετελεσμένον (indeclinable divine name)→ participant identificationΒεελφεγωρ: indeclinable; the deity to whom the guilty were consecrated (see v. 3).
6
καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄνθρωπος τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ ἐλθὼν προσήγαγεν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὴν Μαδιανῖτιν ἐναντίον Μωυσῆ καὶ ἔναντι πάσης συναγωγῆς υἱῶν Ισραηλ αὐτοὶ δὲ ἔκλαιον παρὰ τὴν θύραν τῆς σκηνῆς τοῦ μαρτυρίου
And behold, a man of the sons of Israel came and brought his brother to the Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and in front of the whole congregation of the sons of Israel; but they were weeping by the door of the tent of witness.
The presentative ἰδού halts the narrative flow and thrusts a single shocking image into view: an Israelite man openly bringing a Midianite woman near 'in the sight of Moses and the whole congregation.' The δέ-clause (αὐτοὶ δὲ ἔκλαιον) sets the man's brazenness against the people's lament 'at the door of the tent of witness' — public mourning over the plague juxtaposed with public defiance. The verse sets the stage for the zeal of vv. 7–8.
Word-by-word analysis· 32 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἰδοὺbeholdpresentative interjection (foregrounding marker)→ clausal contributionἰδού: 'look! / behold!'; frozen aor. mid. impv. of ὁράω used as an interjection; renders הִנֵּה; arrests attention and dramatizes the sudden, brazen intrusion of the offender.
ἄνθρωποςa manNominativesubject→ participant prominenceἄνθρωπος: 'man / person'; renders אִישׁ; here anonymous until named Ζαμβρι at v. 14; the indefinite framing heightens the scandal of his act before being individualized.
τῶνof theGenitivearticle (with υἱῶν)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱῶνsonsGenitivepartitive genitive ('a man of the sons of Israel')→ relational specificationυἱός (gen. pl. υἱῶν): 'son'; οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ ('the sons of Israel') renders בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, the standard designation of the people; the partitive marks the offender as a member in good standing, deepening the offense.
Ισραηλof Israeladnominal genitive (with υἱῶν; indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable.
ἐλθὼνhaving comeAor Act Ptcp Nom Sg Masc · ἔρχομαιcircumstantial participle (attendant circumstance, with προσήγαγεν)→ aorist participle (antecedent/coincident action)ἔρχομαι (aor. ptcp. ἐλθών): 'come / go'; the participle is a Hebraizing pleonasm ('having come, he brought near'), rendering the Hebrew narrative idiom; it adds vividness to the man's deliberate approach.
προσήγαγενbrought nearAor Act Indic 3 Sg · προσάγωmain verb→ constative aorist (the act of bringing the woman near)προσάγω: 'bring to / present / lead near'; renders קרב (Hiphil); the verb often has cultic overtones ('present an offering'), giving the act an ironic, blasphemous cast — he 'presents' a Midianite woman where offerings should be brought.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with ἀδελφόν)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀδελφὸνbrotherAccusativedirect object of προσήγαγεν→ object specificationἀδελφός: 'brother / kinsman'; the LXX reads τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ('his brother') where the Hebrew has אֶל־אֶחָיו ('to his brethren'); the Greek presents the man as bringing a fellow-Israelite ('his brother') to the Midianite woman, dramatizing how apostasy propagates through the community.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction).
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with Μαδιανῖτιν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΜαδιανῖτινMidianite womanAccusativeobject of πρός→ object specificationΜαδιανῖτις (acc. Μαδιανῖτιν): 'Midianite woman'; feminine gentilic of Μαδιαν (Hebrew מִדְיָן); the shift from Moabite (v. 1) to Midianite women reflects the wider coalition of Num 22–24, 31; she is named Χασβι (Cozbi) at v. 15.
ἐναντίονin the sight ofimproper preposition + genitive (perspective)→ spatial or relational framingἐναντίον: 'before / in the presence of'; renders לְעֵינֵי; the offense is committed openly, before Israel's leader himself.
ΜωυσῆMosesGenitiveobject of ἐναντίον→ relational specificationΜωυσῆς (gen. Μωυσῆ): the brazen act is done in full view of the mediator, compounding its insolence.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔναντιbefore / in front ofimproper preposition + genitive (perspective)→ spatial or relational framingἔναντι: 'before / in front of'; near-synonym of ἐναντίον; renders נֶגֶד / לִפְנֵי; the pairing ἐναντίον … ἔναντι widens the audience from Moses to the whole assembly.
πάσηςall / wholeGenitiveadjective (modifying συναγωγῆς)→ relational specificationπᾶς (gen. sg. f.): 'all / whole'; underscores that the entire congregation witnesses the defiance.
συναγωγῆςcongregationGenitiveobject of ἔναντι→ relational specificationσυναγωγή: 'assembly / congregation / gathering'; renders עֵדָה / קָהָל; the cultic-civic assembly of Israel, here gathered in mourning, becomes the scandalized audience of the act.
υἱῶνof sonsGenitiveadnominal genitive (with συναγωγῆς)→ relational specificationυἱός (gen. pl.): 'the congregation of the sons of Israel.'
Ισραηλof Israeladnominal genitive (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable.
αὐτοὶtheyNominativesubject of ἔκλαιον (resumptive, emphatic)→ participant prominenceαὐτός (nom. pl. m.): the emphatic pronoun marks the contrast — 'they (the congregation), for their part, were weeping' — over against the brazen offender.
δὲbutadversative particle (post-positive)→ discourse linkage or contrastδέ: post-positive; here adversative, setting the people's lament against the man's defiance.
ἔκλαιονwere weepingImpf Act Indic 3 Pl · κλαίωmain verb (background circumstance)→ imperfect (ongoing, durative weeping)κλαίω: 'weep / lament'; renders בכה; the imperfect paints the congregation's continuous mourning (over the plague and apostasy) as the backdrop against which the offense is flaunted.
παρὰby / besidepreposition + accusative (location)→ spatial or relational framingπαρά + acc.: 'beside / at'; locates the mourning at the sanctuary entrance.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with θύραν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θύρανdoorAccusativeobject of παρά→ object specificationθύρα: 'door / entrance'; renders פֶּתַח; 'the door of the tent of witness' is the place of legitimate approach to YHWH — making the offender's 'bringing near' (προσήγαγεν) a grotesque parody of right worship.
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (with σκηνῆς)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
σκηνῆςtentGenitiveadnominal genitive (with θύραν)→ relational specificationσκηνή: 'tent / tabernacle'; renders אֹהֶל / מִשְׁכָּן; the dwelling of YHWH among Israel.
τοῦof theGenitivearticle (with μαρτυρίου)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μαρτυρίουwitness / testimonyGenitiveadnominal genitive (with σκηνῆς: 'tent of witness')→ relational specificationμαρτύριον: 'testimony / witness'; ἡ σκηνὴ τοῦ μαρτυρίου renders אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד ('tent of meeting'), the LXX reading מוֹעֵד as if from עֵד ('witness'); the standard LXX designation of the Tabernacle as the place of YHWH's self-attesting presence.
7
καὶ ἰδὼν Φινεες υἱὸς Ελεαζαρ υἱοῦ Ααρων τοῦ ἱερέως ἐξανέστη ἐκ μέσου τῆς συναγωγῆς καὶ λαβὼν σειρομάστην ἐν τῇ χειρὶ
And when Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from the midst of the congregation and, taking a spear in his hand,
The genealogy (Φινεες υἱὸς Ελεαζαρ υἱοῦ Ααρων τοῦ ἱερέως) is not incidental: it establishes Phinehas as third-generation Aaronic priesthood, grounding the priestly covenant granted in vv. 12–13. The aorist participles ἰδών … λαβών frame the main verb ἐξανέστη, building a swift, decisive sequence — perception, rising, arming — that flows without pause into the action of v. 8.
Word-by-word analysis· 20 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἰδὼνhaving seenAor Act Ptcp Nom Sg Masc · ὁράωtemporal/circumstantial participle (with ἐξανέστη)→ aorist participle (antecedent action: 'when he saw')ὁράω (aor. ptcp. ἰδών): 'see / perceive'; the seeing is the trigger of zeal — Phinehas perceives the brazen offense of v. 6 and acts; cf. the same construction of perception-leading-to-action in the Levite zeal of Exod 32.
ΦινεεςPhinehassubject (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΦινεες: transliteration of Hebrew פִּינְחָס (of Egyptian origin, 'the Nubian'); indeclinable; grandson of Aaron, whose atoning zeal is celebrated at Ps 105[106]:30–31 and Sir 45:23–24; his name becomes proverbial for jealous fidelity to the covenant.
υἱὸςsonNominativeappositive to Φινεες→ participant prominenceυἱός: 'son'; introduces the priestly genealogy that grounds the covenant of vv. 12–13.
Ελεαζαρof Eleazaradnominal genitive (with υἱός; indeclinable)→ participant identificationΕλεαζαρ: transliteration of Hebrew אֶלְעָזָר ('God has helped'); indeclinable; the third son of Aaron and his successor as high priest (Num 20:25–28).
υἱοῦsonGenitiveappositive genitive (with Ελεαζαρ: 'Eleazar son of Aaron')→ relational specificationυἱός (gen. υἱοῦ): continues the genealogy a further generation back to Aaron.
Ααρωνof Aaronadnominal genitive (with υἱοῦ; indeclinable)→ participant identificationΑαρων: transliteration of Hebrew אַהֲרֹן; indeclinable; the first high priest; Phinehas's descent from Aaron is the ground of the perpetual-priesthood grant (v. 13).
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with ἱερέως)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἱερέωςpriestGenitiveappositive (with Ααρων: 'Aaron the priest')→ relational specificationἱερεύς: 'priest'; renders כֹּהֵן; the title seals the priestly pedigree and anticipates the διαθήκη ἱερατείας ('covenant of priesthood') of v. 13.
ἐξανέστηrose upAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἐξανίστημιmain verb→ ingressive aorist (decisive act of rising)ἐξανίστημι (aor. act. intr. ἐξανέστη): 'stand up / rise out of'; the compound ἐξ- ('up out of') stresses his rising up out of the midst of the seated, weeping assembly — a singular man stepping out from the passive crowd to act.
ἐκfrompreposition + genitive (separation/source)→ spatial or relational framingἐκ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (separation/source).
μέσουmidstGenitivesubstantive object of ἐκ ('from the midst')→ relational specificationμέσος (neut. subst. μέσον): 'middle / midst'; ἐκ μέσου renders מִתּוֹךְ; Phinehas emerges from within the assembly, distinguishing his initiative from the inaction of the whole.
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (with συναγωγῆς)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
συναγωγῆςcongregationGenitiveadnominal genitive (with μέσου)→ relational specificationσυναγωγή: 'assembly / congregation'; the same weeping assembly of v. 6, now the foil to Phinehas's lone zeal.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
λαβὼνtakingAor Act Ptcp Nom Sg Masc · λαμβάνωcircumstantial participle (means/attendant circumstance, leading into v. 8)→ aorist participle (coincident action: 'having taken')λαμβάνω (aor. ptcp. λαβών): 'take / seize'; the participle carries the action forward to the main verb εἰσῆλθεν of v. 8; the verse is grammatically incomplete, deliberately spilling into the next.
σειρομάστηνspear / lanceAccusativedirect object of λαβών→ object specificationσειρομάστης: 'spear / lance / pike' (a rare word, perhaps 'cord-and-pike' or javelin); renders רֹמַח; the weapon of Phinehas's zeal, the instrument by which the plague is stayed; its very rarity gives the scene a stark, concrete vividness.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (location)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (location).
τῇtheDativearticle (with χειρί)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
χειρὶhandDativeobject of ἐν (locative: 'in his hand')→ sphere or referenceχείρ: 'hand'; renders יָד; 'spear in hand' conveys the immediacy and personal agency of the deed.
8
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 Ισραηλ
he went in after the Israelite man into the chamber and ran both of them through — the man, the Israelite, and the woman through her womb; and the plague was stayed from the sons of Israel.
The main verbs εἰσῆλθεν … ἀπεκέντησεν narrate the act with brutal economy; the double object ἀμφοτέρους … τόν τε ἄνθρωπον … καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα and the graphic διὰ τῆς μήτρας αὐτῆς ('through her womb') leave nothing to imagination. The result clause καὶ ἐπαύσατο ἡ πληγή ('and the plague was stayed') makes Phinehas's zeal the immediate, decisive instrument of atonement — the very point developed in vv. 11–13.
Word-by-word analysis· 31 words
εἰσῆλθενwent inAor Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰσέρχομαιmain verb (completing the sequence of v. 7)→ constative aorist (the act of entering)εἰσέρχομαι (aor. εἰσῆλθεν): 'enter / go in'; renders בוא; Phinehas pursues the offender into the private chamber, into the very scene of the offense.
ὀπίσωafterimproper preposition + genitive (following behind)→ spatial or relational framingὀπίσω: 'behind / after'; renders אַחַר; marks the pursuit — Phinehas follows the man in.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with ἀνθρώπου)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀνθρώπουmanGenitiveobject of ὀπίσω→ relational specificationἄνθρωπος (gen.): the offender of v. 6, here identified by his ethnicity in the following article-phrase.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (attributive, with Ισραηλίτου)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΙσραηλίτουIsraeliteGenitiveattributive (with ἀνθρώπου: 'the Israelite man')→ relational specificationΙσραηλίτης (gen. Ισραηλίτου): 'Israelite'; the gentilic noun specifies the man's covenant membership, sharpening the scandal that one of YHWH's own led the apostasy; balanced against Μαδιανῖτιν ('Midianite woman').
εἰςintopreposition + accusative (direction of entry)→ spatial or relational framingεἰς: meaning 'into'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of entry).
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with κάμινον)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
κάμινονchamber / tent-recessAccusativeobject of εἰς→ object specificationκάμινος: normally 'furnace / oven', here the LXX's rendering of Hebrew קֻבָּה ('the alcove / inner chamber / tent-recess'), evidently understanding the rare Hebrew word as a vaulted/domed inner space; the offense and its punishment occur in this private interior — 'into the chamber.'
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἀπεκέντησενran through / stabbedAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ἀποκεντέωmain verb (the decisive deed)→ constative aorist (single completed act of slaying)ἀποκεντέω: 'pierce through / stab to death / run through'; renders דקר; the verb denotes a lethal thrust with the σειρομάστης; the same root underlies the 'piercing' of Zech 12:10 (ἐξεκέντησαν), echoed at John 19:37.
ἀμφοτέρουςbothAccusativedirect object of ἀπεκέντησεν (resumed by the τε … καί pair)→ object specificationἀμφότεροι: 'both'; renders שְׁנֵיהֶם; the single thrust dispatches both at once, underscoring the totality and decisiveness of the act.
τόνtheAccusativearticle (with ἄνθρωπον)→ noun-phrase markingτόν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τεboth / andcoordinating particle (τε … καί: 'both … and')→ discourse linkage or contrastτε: enclitic coordinating particle; with the following καί forms the correlative 'both the man … and the woman,' specifying the ἀμφοτέρους.
ἄνθρωπονmanAccusativeapposition to ἀμφοτέρους (first member)→ object specificationἄνθρωπος (acc.): the first of the two slain, again qualified as 'the Israelite.'
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (attributive, with Ισραηλίτην)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΙσραηλίτηνIsraeliteAccusativeattributive (with ἄνθρωπον)→ object specificationΙσραηλίτης (acc. Ισραηλίτην): the repeated ethnonym (cf. gen. above) keeps the covenant-membership of the slain man in full view — judgment falls within Israel.
καὶandcoordinating particle (second member of τε … καί)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (with γυναῖκα)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
γυναῖκαwomanAccusativeapposition to ἀμφοτέρους (second member)→ object specificationγυνή (acc. γυναῖκα): 'woman'; the Midianite woman of v. 6 (named Χασβι, v. 15); the second of the two slain.
διὰthroughpreposition + genitive (instrument/path of the thrust)→ spatial or relational framingδιά + gen.: 'through'; locates the path of the lethal blow.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with μήτρας)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
μήτραςwombGenitiveobject of διά→ relational specificationμήτρα: 'womb / belly'; renders קֵבָה (the Hebrew puns on קֻבָּה, 'the chamber,' v. 8); the graphic detail διὰ τῆς μήτρας αὐτῆς ('through her womb') marks the woman as the instrument of seduction now struck at the very seat of the harlotry; cf. the wordplay 'chamber/belly' in the Hebrew.
αὐτῆςherGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationαὐτῆς: meaning 'her'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (introducing the result)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐπαύσατοwas stayed / ceasedAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · παύωmain verb (result: the plague stops)→ ingressive/constative aorist middle (the cessation of the plague)παύω (aor. mid. ἐπαύσατο, 'cease / stop'): renders עצר ('be restrained'); the middle marks the plague's own ceasing; the immediacy of ἐπαύσατο after ἀπεκέντησεν establishes the causal nexus — Phinehas's zealous act is what arrests the divine judgment, the theological hinge picked up at vv. 11–13 and Ps 105[106]:30.
ἡtheNominativearticle (with πληγή)→ noun-phrase markingἡ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πληγὴplagueNominativesubject of ἐπαύσατο→ participant prominenceπληγή: 'blow / plague / stroke'; renders מַגֵּפָה; the divine judgment-plague (its toll given in v. 9), here arrested by the atoning zeal of Phinehas.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (separation)→ spatial or relational framingἀπὸ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (separation).
υἱῶνsonsGenitiveobject of ἀπό ('from the sons of Israel')→ relational specificationυἱός (gen. pl.): the people delivered from the plague.
Ισραηλof Israeladnominal genitive (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable.
9
καὶ ἐγένοντο οἱ τεθνηκότες ἐν τῇ πληγῇ τέσσαρες καὶ εἴκοσι χιλιάδες
And those who died in the plague were twenty-four thousand.
A narratorial body-count closes the scene of judgment: τέσσαρες καὶ εἴκοσι χιλιάδες, 'twenty-four thousand.' The figure is famously recalled by Paul as 'twenty-three thousand' at 1 Cor 10:8 — a discrepancy variously explained as a different counting tradition, a round number, or a conflation; the LXX here agrees with the MT's 24,000.
Word-by-word analysis· 11 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐγένοντοwere / came to beAor Mid Indic 3 Pl · γίνομαιmain verb (copular: 'those who died were …')→ constative aorist (the resulting total)γίνομαι (aor. mid. ἐγένοντο): 'become / come to be / amount to'; here copular with the numeral predicate; renders the Hebrew narrative tally (ויהיו).
οἱtheNominativearticle (substantivizing the participle)→ noun-phrase markingοἱ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
τεθνηκότεςthose who had died / the deadPerf Act Ptcp Nom Pl Masc · θνῄσκωsubstantival participle (subject of ἐγένοντο)→ perfect participle (resultant, abiding state of being dead)θνῄσκω (perf. ptcp. τεθνηκότες): 'be dead / have died'; the perfect stresses the settled state — those now lying dead; substantivized by οἱ, 'the dead ones,' the casualty list of the plague.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (circumstance/means)→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'in'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (circumstance/means).
τῇtheDativearticle (with πληγῇ)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πληγῇplagueDativeobject of ἐν (the plague in which they died)→ sphere or referenceπληγή: 'plague / blow'; the same judgment-plague stayed in v. 8, here measured by its toll.
τέσσαρεςfourNominativenumeral (predicate with χιλιάδες)→ measure or countτέσσαρες: 'four'; the cardinal agrees with χιλιάδες; with εἴκοσι yields 'twenty-four (thousand).'
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining the numerals)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
εἴκοσιtwentynumeral (indeclinable; with τέσσαρες = twenty-four)→ measure or countεἴκοσι: 'twenty'; indeclinable cardinal; τέσσαρες καὶ εἴκοσι χιλιάδες = 24,000 (MT שְׁנַיִם וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף, '24,000'); cf. 1 Cor 10:8, εἴκοσι τρεῖς χιλιάδες ('23,000').
χιλιάδεςthousand(s)Nominativenumeral noun (predicate nominative with ἐγένοντο)→ participant prominenceχιλιάς (nom. pl. χιλιάδες): 'a thousand / unit of a thousand'; renders אֶלֶף; the head-noun of the compound number, governing the cardinals τέσσαρες … εἴκοσι.
10
καὶ ἐλάλησεν κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
The full LXX speech-formula καὶ ἐλάλησεν κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων (rendering וַיְדַבֵּר יהוה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר) marks a new revelatory unit — the divine commendation of Phinehas and the grant of the priestly covenant. The redundant participle λέγων is the standard Hebraizing introduction to direct speech (= לֵאמֹר).
Word-by-word analysis· 6 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐλάλησενspokeAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λαλέωmain verb (speech-introducing formula)→ constative aorist (single speech-act)λαλέω (aor. ἐλάλησεν): 'speak'; renders דבר (Piel); the formula ἐλάλησεν κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων is the most frequent revelation-marker in the Pentateuch.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject→ participant prominenceκύριος: rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה; the divine speaker who now commends Phinehas.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
ΜωυσῆνMosesAccusativeobject of πρός (addressee)→ object specificationΜωυσῆς (acc. Μωυσῆν): the recipient of the covenant oracle.
λέγωνsayingPres Act Ptcp Nom Sg Masc · λέγωredundant participle of speaking (Hebraism = לֵאמֹר)→ present participle (introducing direct discourse)λέγω (pres. ptcp. λέγων): the pleonastic 'saying' renders the Hebrew infinitive לֵאמֹר marking the onset of direct speech; idiomatic LXX usage, not adding semantic content.
11
Φινεες υἱὸς Ελεαζαρ υἱοῦ Ααρων τοῦ ἱερέως κατέπαυσεν τὸν θυμόν μου ἀπὸ υἱῶν Ισραηλ ἐν τῷ ζηλῶσαί μου τὸν ζῆλον ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ οὐκ ἐξανήλωσα τοὺς υἱοὺς Ισραηλ ἐν τῷ ζήλῳ μου
Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned away my wrath from the sons of Israel by his being zealous with my zeal among them, so that I did not utterly consume the sons of Israel in my zeal.
The oracle's first sentence states the theological rationale: by 'being zealous with my zeal' (ἐν τῷ ζηλῶσαί μου τὸν ζῆλον) Phinehas κατέπαυσεν ('caused to cease') the divine θυμός, so sparing Israel from total destruction. The cognate construction ζηλῶσαι … τὸν ζῆλον (a figura etymologica) is pivotal: Phinehas's zeal is YHWH's own zeal enacted ('my zeal'), making his deed not private vengeance but the embodiment of God's jealous holiness; cf. the ζηλωτής language of Sir 45:23 and the 'reckoned for righteousness' of Ps 105[106]:31.
Word-by-word analysis· 32 words
ΦινεεςPhinehassubject (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΦινεες: indeclinable; the priestly genealogy is repeated verbatim from v. 7 to ground the covenant about to be granted.
υἱὸςsonNominativeappositive to Φινεες→ participant prominenceυἱός: introduces the genealogy.
Ελεαζαρof Eleazaradnominal genitive (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΕλεαζαρ: indeclinable; Phinehas's father (see v. 7).
υἱοῦsonGenitiveappositive genitive (with Ελεαζαρ)→ relational specificationυἱός (gen.): continues the genealogy to Aaron.
Ααρωνof Aaronadnominal genitive (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΑαρων: indeclinable; the first high priest.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (with ἱερέως)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἱερέωςpriestGenitiveappositive (with Ααρων)→ relational specificationἱερεύς: 'priest'; the title anticipates the priestly covenant of v. 13.
κατέπαυσενturned away / caused to ceaseAor Act Indic 3 Sg · καταπαύωmain verb (transitive: 'made my wrath cease')→ constative aorist (the accomplished averting of wrath)καταπαύω: 'cause to cease / bring to rest / put a stop to'; transitive here, renders שוב (Hiphil, 'turn back') / שבת; Phinehas's act 'made my θυμός cease' — the human deed objectively halts the divine judgment, the heart of the atonement theology (cf. ἐξιλάσατο, v. 13).
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with θυμόν)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θυμόνwrathAccusativedirect object of κατέπαυσεν→ object specificationθυμός: 'hot anger / wrath'; the same divine wrath kindled at v. 3 (ὠργίσθη θυμῷ), now 'caused to cease'; the possessive μου ('my wrath') keeps it the LORD's own.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession (with θυμόν)→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. μου): 'my'; the wrath belongs to YHWH, the speaker.
ἀπὸfrompreposition + genitive (separation)→ spatial or relational framingἀπὸ: meaning 'from'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + genitive (separation).
υἱῶνsonsGenitiveobject of ἀπό ('from the sons of Israel')→ relational specificationυἱός (gen. pl.): the people spared from wrath.
Ισραηλof Israeladnominal genitive (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable.
ἐνin / bypreposition + articular infinitive (instrumental/temporal)→ spatial or relational framingἐν + articular infinitive: a Hebraizing construction (= בְּ + inf. construct) expressing the means or occasion, 'in/by his being zealous.'
τῷtheDativearticle (governing the infinitive ζηλῶσαι)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ζηλῶσαίto be zealousAor Act Inf · ζηλόωarticular infinitive (object of ἐν; means of κατέπαυσεν)→ aorist infinitive (the decisive act of zeal)ζηλόω: 'be zealous / jealous / strive after'; renders קנא; the verb of jealous fidelity, used of God's own jealousy (Exod 20:5) and of human zeal for God; the cognate object τὸν ζῆλον makes a figura etymologica ('zealing my zeal'), identifying Phinehas's zeal with God's own; root of ζηλωτής, 'Zealot.'
μουmyGenitivegenitive (with τὸν ζῆλον: 'my zeal')→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. μου): the zeal is YHWH's — Phinehas enacts the divine jealousy, not a private passion.
τὸνtheAccusativearticle (with ζῆλον)→ noun-phrase markingτὸν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ζῆλονzeal / jealousyAccusativecognate accusative (object of ζηλῶσαι)→ object specificationζῆλος: 'zeal / jealousy / ardor'; renders קִנְאָה; the cognate accusative with ζηλῶσαι intensifies ('to be zealous with the zeal'); ζῆλος here is the holy jealousy of God for his exclusive covenant — Phinehas's deed is its instrument; cf. Sir 45:23, ἐζήλωσεν ('he was zealous').
ἐνamongpreposition + dative (location: 'among them')→ spatial or relational framingἐν + dat.: 'among / in the midst of'; locates the zeal within the community.
αὐτοῖςthemDativeobject of ἐν (the sons of Israel)→ participant reference or interestαὐτός (dat. pl.): refers to the sons of Israel, in whose midst the zeal was shown.
καὶand soconsecutive conjunction (result)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαί: here consecutive, 'and so' — introducing the saving result of the zeal.
οὐκnotnegative particle (with ἐξανήλωσα)→ discourse linkage or contrastοὐ (οὐκ before vowel): objective negation; YHWH did not carry out the threatened total destruction.
ἐξανήλωσαI consumed / destroyed utterlyAor Act Indic 1 Sg · ἐξαναλίσκωmain verb (negated: the averted destruction)→ constative aorist (the destruction that would have occurred but did not)ἐξαναλίσκω: 'consume utterly / use up / destroy completely'; the double-compound ἐξ-ανα- intensifies; renders כלה (Piel); the negated first-person verb reveals what Phinehas's zeal averted — the total consumption of Israel in the divine jealousy (cf. Exod 32:10).
τοὺςtheAccusativearticle (with υἱούς)→ noun-phrase markingτοὺς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱοὺςsonsAccusativedirect object of ἐξανήλωσα→ object specificationυἱός (acc. pl. υἱούς): the people who would have been consumed.
Ισραηλof Israeladnominal genitive (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable.
ἐνinpreposition + dative (instrument/sphere)→ spatial or relational framingἐν + dat.: 'in / by means of'; here the sphere of the would-be destruction, 'in my zeal.'
τῷtheDativearticle (with ζήλῳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ζήλῳzeal / jealousyDativeobject of ἐν ('in my zeal')→ sphere or referenceζῆλος (dat. ζήλῳ): the same divine jealousy; the verse turns on the double-edge of ζῆλος — God's jealousy would have destroyed Israel, but Phinehas's enacting of that very jealousy turned it aside.
μουmyGenitivegenitive of possession (with ζήλῳ)→ relational specificationἐγώ (gen. μου): the jealousy is YHWH's own.
12
οὕτως εἰπόν ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ δίδωμι αὐτῷ διαθήκην εἰρήνης
Therefore say: Behold, I give to him a covenant of peace.
οὕτως εἰπόν ('thus/so say') commissions Moses to announce the reward. The performative present δίδωμι ('I [hereby] give') with the presentative ἰδού enacts the grant in the speaking — διαθήκην εἰρήνης, 'a covenant of peace,' the term unfolded in v. 13 as a covenant of perpetual priesthood. This is the chapter's theological summit (flag 25:12–13).
Word-by-word analysis· 8 words
οὕτωςthus / thereforeadverb (manner, introducing the commissioned declaration)→ adverbial qualificationοὕτως: 'thus / so / in this way'; renders לָכֵן ('therefore') here; commissions the precise form of the announcement Moses is to make.
εἰπόνsayAor Act Impv 2 Sg · λέγωmain verb (imperative to Moses)→ aorist imperative (decisive commissioned speech-act)λέγω (aor. impv. εἰπόν, by-form of εἰπέ): 'say / tell'; Moses is to proclaim the covenant grant to Phinehas and Israel; the imperative makes the divine word public and binding.
ἰδοὺbeholdpresentative interjection→ clausal contributionἰδού: 'behold!'; renders הִנֵּה; here it solemnizes the performative grant — the covenant is bestowed in the very act of declaration.
ἐγὼINominativesubject (emphatic pronoun: YHWH himself)→ participant referenceἐγώ: the emphatic 'I' stresses that the covenant proceeds from YHWH's own initiative and authority.
δίδωμιI givePres Act Indic 1 Sg · δίδωμιmain verb (performative present)→ performative present (the grant enacted in the speaking)δίδωμι: 'give / grant / bestow'; renders נתן; the performative present ('I hereby give') effects the covenant in the utterance; the same verb formalizes covenant-grants throughout the Pentateuch (cf. Gen 17:2).
αὐτῷto himDativeindirect object (Phinehas, recipient of the covenant)→ participant reference or interestαὐτός (dat. αὐτῷ): refers to Phinehas, the sole human recipient of this covenant grant.
διαθήκηνcovenantAccusativedirect object of δίδωμι→ object specificationδιαθήκη: 'covenant / testament / disposition'; renders בְּרִית; the LXX's standard covenant-word (choosing διαθήκη, a unilateral 'disposition,' over συνθήκη, a 'pact between equals'), fitting a sovereign grant; here qualified by εἰρήνης ('of peace').
εἰρήνηςof peaceGenitiveadnominal genitive (qualifying διαθήκην)→ relational specificationεἰρήνη: 'peace / well-being / wholeness'; renders שָׁלוֹם; 'covenant of peace' (בְּרִית שָׁלוֹם) denotes a bond of secure, lasting favor and reconciliation; the same phrase recurs for the everlasting covenant at Isa 54:10 and Ezek 34:25; 37:26 — here it is concretized as perpetual priesthood (v. 13).
13
καὶ ἔσται αὐτῷ καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ μετ᾿ αὐτὸν διαθήκη ἱερατείας αἰωνία ἀνθ᾿ ὧν ἐζήλωσεν τῷ θεῷ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξιλάσατο περὶ τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ
And it shall be for him and for his seed after him a covenant of perpetual priesthood, because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for the sons of Israel.
The covenant of peace is now specified as διαθήκη ἱερατείας αἰωνία ('a covenant of perpetual priesthood'), extended to Phinehas's σπέρμα ('seed') after him — the Zadokite/Aaronic high-priestly line is here secured. The double ground (ἀνθ᾿ ὧν … 'in return for which') names both his zeal (ἐζήλωσεν τῷ θεῷ αὐτοῦ) and his atonement (ἐξιλάσατο περὶ τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ). The atoning ζῆλος is the crux: zeal that effects expiation is 'reckoned for righteousness' (Ps 105[106]:30–31; Sir 45:23–24) — a priestly, not merely punitive, act (flag 25:12–13).
Word-by-word analysis· 24 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction (continuing the grant)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἔσταιshall beFut Mid Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίmain verb (copular: 'it shall be … a covenant')→ predictive future (the enduring validity of the grant)εἰμί (fut. ἔσται): 'be / exist'; the future copula projects the covenant's permanence into all succeeding generations of Phinehas's line.
αὐτῷfor himDativedative of advantage (Phinehas)→ participant reference or interestαὐτός (dat. αὐτῷ): Phinehas, the immediate beneficiary.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
τῷtheDativearticle (with σπέρματι)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
σπέρματιseed / offspringDativedative of advantage (his descendants)→ sphere or referenceσπέρμα: 'seed / offspring / descendants'; renders זֶרַע; the covenant is dynastic, securing the priesthood for Phinehas's line in perpetuity (cf. 1 Chr 6:4–15; the post-exilic high priests trace to him).
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession.
μετ᾿afterpreposition + accusative (temporal/successive)→ spatial or relational framingμετά + acc. (elided μετ᾿): 'after'; μετ᾿ αὐτόν ('after him') marks the dynastic succession of the priesthood through his descendants.
αὐτὸνhimAccusativeobject of μετά→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc.): Phinehas, after whom the covenant runs.
διαθήκηcovenantNominativepredicate nominative (with ἔσται)→ participant prominenceδιαθήκη: 'covenant'; the same covenant of v. 12, now defined by its content (ἱερατείας) and duration (αἰωνία).
ἱερατείαςof priesthoodGenitiveadnominal genitive (defining the covenant)→ relational specificationἱερατεία: 'priesthood / priestly office'; renders כְּהֻנָּה; the covenant of peace is concretely a 'covenant of priesthood' — perpetual priestly tenure for Phinehas's line, the institutional reward of his atoning zeal.
αἰωνίαeverlasting / perpetualNominativeattributive adjective (with διαθήκη)→ participant prominenceαἰώνιος (fem. αἰωνία): 'eternal / perpetual / age-long'; renders עוֹלָם; marks the covenant as unending — a διαθήκη αἰωνία like the Abrahamic (Gen 17:7) and Davidic grants; the priesthood is irrevocable.
ἀνθ᾿because of / in return forpreposition + genitive (in the phrase ἀνθ᾿ ὧν: 'because')→ spatial or relational framingἀντί (elided ἀνθ᾿): 'instead of / in return for'; the relative phrase ἀνθ᾿ ὧν ('in return for which / because') is a fixed LXX causal idiom introducing the ground of the reward.
ὧνwhichGenitiverelative pronoun (object of ἀντί; causal connector)→ relational specificationὅς (gen. pl. ὧν): relative pronoun attracted into the genitive after ἀντί; ἀνθ᾿ ὧν = 'because / in return for the fact that.'
ἐζήλωσενhe was zealousAor Act Indic 3 Sg · ζηλόωverb of causal clause (first ground)→ constative aorist (the completed act of zeal)ζηλόω (aor. ἐζήλωσεν): 'be zealous / jealous (for)'; renders קנא; the first ground of the reward — Phinehas's zeal for his God; the verb is taken up verbatim at Sir 45:23 (ἐν τῷ ζηλῶσαι αὐτὸν … ἐζήλωσεν) and underlies the 'reckoned for righteousness' of Ps 105[106]:31.
τῷtheDativearticle (with θεῷ)→ noun-phrase markingτῷ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
θεῷfor GodDativedative complement of ἐζήλωσεν ('was zealous for his God')→ sphere or referenceθεός (dat. θεῷ): 'God'; the dative names the object of the zeal (a dativus commodi / ethical dative); Phinehas's jealousy was for the honor of his God.
αὐτοῦhisGenitivegenitive of possession (with θεῷ)→ relational specificationαὐτοῦ: meaning 'his'; pronoun marking person, possession, or reference within the clause; here it functions as genitive of possession (with θεῷ).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining the second ground)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐξιλάσατοmade atonementAor Mid Indic 3 Sg · ἐξιλάσκομαιverb of causal clause (second ground)→ constative aorist (the accomplished act of atonement)ἐξιλάσκομαι: 'make atonement / expiate / propitiate'; renders כפר (Piel); the central LXX cultic-atonement verb (Lev 1–16), here applied to Phinehas's deadly zeal — his slaying of the offenders functions as an atoning, expiatory act that 'covers' Israel's guilt and turns back the wrath; the crux of the chapter (cf. Ps 105[106]:30, ἐξιλάσατο, MT 'made atonement').
περὶfor / concerningpreposition + genitive (object of atonement)→ spatial or relational framingπερί + gen.: 'for / on behalf of / concerning'; the regular LXX construction with ἐξιλάσκομαι (ἐξιλάσασθαι περί τινος, 'make atonement for someone'), as throughout Leviticus.
τῶνtheGenitivearticle (with υἱῶν)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱῶνsonsGenitiveobject of περί ('for the sons of Israel')→ relational specificationυἱός (gen. pl.): the people on whose behalf the atonement was made.
Ισραηλof Israeladnominal genitive (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable.
14
τὸ δὲ ὄνομα τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τοῦ Ισραηλίτου τοῦ πεπληγότος ὃς ἐπλήγη μετὰ τῆς Μαδιανίτιδος Ζαμβρι υἱὸς Σαλω ἄρχων οἴκου πατριᾶς τῶν Συμεων
Now the name of the Israelite man who was struck down, who was struck together with the Midianite woman, was Zambri (Zimri) son of Salu, a chief of an ancestral house of the Simeonites.
After the covenant oracle, the narrator returns (δέ) to name the principals of v. 8. The slain Israelite is Ζαμβρι (Zimri) son of Salu, ἄρχων ('chief') of an ancestral house of Simeon — his rank deepens the scandal: the apostasy was led not by a marginal figure but by a tribal prince, implicating Simeon (whose census drops sharply by Num 26:14).
Word-by-word analysis· 22 words
τὸtheNominativearticle (with ὄνομα)→ noun-phrase markingτὸ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
δὲnownarrative continuative (post-positive, resuming narration)→ discourse linkage or contrastδέ: post-positive; marks the return from divine speech to narratorial identification.
ὄνομαnameNominativesubject (nominative of naming)→ participant prominenceὄνομα: 'name'; renders שֵׁם; introduces the naming formula 'the name of … was X.'
τοῦof theGenitivearticle (with ἀνθρώπου)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἀνθρώπουmanGenitiveadnominal genitive (whose name)→ relational specificationἄνθρωπος (gen.): the offender of vv. 6, 8, now to be named.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (attributive, with Ισραηλίτου)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΙσραηλίτουIsraeliteGenitiveattributive (with ἀνθρώπου)→ relational specificationΙσραηλίτης (gen.): the ethnonym again underscores the covenant standing of the offender.
τοῦtheGenitivearticle (attributive, with participle πεπληγότος)→ noun-phrase markingτοῦ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πεπληγότοςwho was struck / smittenPerf Act Ptcp Gen Sg Masc · πλήσσωattributive participle (qualifying ἀνθρώπου)→ perfect participle (the abiding state of one struck dead)πλήσσω (perf. act. ptcp. πεπληγώς, gen. πεπληγότος): 'strike / smite'; the (intransitive-stative) perfect describes the man's settled condition as 'the one struck down'; cognate with πληγή ('plague/blow').
ὃςwhoNominativerelative pronoun (subject of ἐπλήγη)→ participant referenceὅς: relative pronoun introducing the explanatory clause 'who was struck with the Midianite woman.'
ἐπλήγηwas struckAor Pass Indic 3 Sg · πλήσσωverb of relative clause→ constative aorist passive (the act of being struck down)πλήσσω (aor. pass. ἐπλήγη): 'be struck / smitten'; the passive points back to Phinehas's lethal thrust at v. 8; pairs the man's death with the woman's (μετὰ τῆς Μαδιανίτιδος).
μετὰwithpreposition + genitive (accompaniment)→ spatial or relational framingμετά + gen.: 'with / together with'; marks the woman as struck down along with him.
τῆςtheGenitivearticle (with Μαδιανίτιδος)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΜαδιανίτιδοςMidianite womanGenitiveobject of μετά→ relational specificationΜαδιανῖτις (gen. Μαδιανίτιδος): 'Midianite woman'; the woman of vv. 6, 8, named Χασβι in v. 15.
ΖαμβριZambri (Zimri)predicate of naming (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΖαμβρι: transliteration of Hebrew זִמְרִי (Zimri); indeclinable; the named offender, a Simeonite prince; his name becomes a byword (cf. 2 Kgs 9:31, Jehu's taunt 'Is it peace, Zimri?').
υἱὸςsonNominativeappositive to Ζαμβρι→ participant prominenceυἱός: introduces his patronymic.
Σαλωof Saluadnominal genitive (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣαλω: transliteration of Hebrew סָלוּא (Salu); indeclinable; the father of Zimri.
ἄρχωνchief / rulerNominativeappositive to Ζαμβρι (his rank)→ participant prominenceἄρχων: 'ruler / chief / prince'; renders נָשִׂיא / רֹאשׁ; Zimri's high rank (a head of an ancestral house) makes the apostasy a leadership failure, recalling the ἀρχηγούς singled out at v. 4.
οἴκουof a houseGenitiveadnominal genitive (with ἄρχων)→ relational specificationοἶκος: 'house / household'; οἶκος πατριᾶς ('house of fathers / ancestral house') renders בֵּית אָב, the basic clan unit of Israelite social structure.
πατριᾶςof a paternal line / ancestryGenitiveadnominal genitive (with οἴκου)→ relational specificationπατριά: 'lineage / clan / paternal family'; renders אָב / מִשְׁפָּחָה; the phrase οἴκου πατριᾶς denotes a recognized ancestral clan within the tribe.
τῶνof theGenitivearticle (with Συμεων)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
Συμεωνof Simeon / the Simeonitesadnominal genitive (with τῶν; indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣυμεων: transliteration of Hebrew שִׁמְעוֹן; indeclinable; the tribe of Simeon, implicated through Zimri; Simeon's numbers fall drastically in the next census (Num 26:14), often linked to this apostasy.
15
καὶ ὄνομα τῇ γυναικὶ τῇ Μαδιανίτιδι τῇ πεπληγυίᾳ Χασβι θυγάτηρ Σουρ ἄρχοντος ἔθνους Ομμωθ οἴκου πατριᾶς ἐστιν τῶν Μαδιαν
And the name of the Midianite woman who was struck down was Cozbi, daughter of Sur, a chief of the nation of Ommoth, of an ancestral house among Midian.
The matching naming-formula identifies the woman: Χασβι (Cozbi), daughter of Sur, herself of high Midianite rank (her father a tribal head). The symmetry with v. 14 (each principal named with genealogy and rank) frames the offense as a collision of two noble houses — Israelite and Midianite — and prepares the war-command of vv. 16–18, since Midian, not merely Moab, is now the target.
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ὄνομαnameNominativesubject (naming formula)→ participant prominenceὄνομα: 'name'; parallel to v. 14, introducing the woman's name.
τῇof theDativearticle (with γυναικί; dative of possession)→ noun-phrase markingThe dative τῇ γυναικί ('to/for the woman') is a dative of possession with ὄνομα: 'the name belonging to the woman.'
γυναικὶwomanDativedative of possession (whose name)→ sphere or referenceγυνή (dat. γυναικί): the Midianite woman of vv. 6, 8, 14.
τῇtheDativearticle (attributive, with Μαδιανίτιδι)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΜαδιανίτιδιMidianiteDativeattributive (with γυναικί)→ sphere or referenceΜαδιανῖτις (dat. Μαδιανίτιδι): 'Midianite woman'; her ethnicity is stressed, setting up the war against Midian.
τῇtheDativearticle (attributive, with participle πεπληγυίᾳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πεπληγυίᾳwho was struck / smittenPerf Act Ptcp Dat Sg Fem · πλήσσωattributive participle (qualifying γυναικί)→ perfect participle (abiding state of one struck dead)πλήσσω (perf. act. ptcp. fem. πεπληγυῖα, dat. πεπληγυίᾳ): 'strike / smite'; the feminine perfect parallels the masculine πεπληγότος of v. 14 — 'the woman who has been struck down' by Phinehas (v. 8).
ΧασβιCozbipredicate of naming (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΧασβι: transliteration of Hebrew כָּזְבִּי (Cozbi, perhaps 'deception / falsehood,' from כזב, ironically echoed by the δολιότης / 'treachery' theme of v. 18); indeclinable; the named Midianite woman.
θυγάτηρdaughterNominativeappositive to Χασβι→ participant prominenceθυγάτηρ: 'daughter'; introduces her patronymic, paralleling υἱός of v. 14.
Σουρof Suradnominal genitive (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΣουρ: transliteration of Hebrew צוּר (Zur); indeclinable; one of the five chiefs of Midian (cf. Num 31:8; Josh 13:21).
ἄρχοντοςa chief / rulerGenitiveappositive genitive (with Σουρ: 'Sur, a chief')→ relational specificationἄρχων (gen. ἄρχοντος): 'ruler / chief'; Cozbi's father, like Zimri, is a man of rank — matching nobility on both sides of the offense.
ἔθνουςof a nation / peopleGenitiveadnominal genitive (with ἄρχοντος)→ relational specificationἔθνος: 'nation / people / tribe'; renders אֻמָּה / גּוֹי; here a Midianite tribal grouping.
Ομμωθof Ommothadnominal genitive (indeclinable; tribal/clan name)→ participant identificationΟμμωθ: a transliteration in the LXX (apparently reading Hebrew אֻמּוֹת, 'tribes/clans,' as a proper name); indeclinable; taken here as the name of the Midianite clan-group Sur headed.
οἴκουof a houseGenitiveadnominal genitive (ancestral house)→ relational specificationοἶκος: 'house'; οἴκου πατριᾶς ('ancestral house'), the same clan-unit term as v. 14, applied now to Midian.
πατριᾶςof a paternal lineGenitiveadnominal genitive (with οἴκου)→ relational specificationπατριά: 'lineage / clan'; see v. 14.
ἐστινisPres Act Indic 3 Sg · εἰμίcopula (parenthetical: 'an ancestral house … is among Midian')→ stative present (the standing fact of her lineage)εἰμί (pres. ἐστίν): 'is'; the present copula gives the naming-note a timeless, registry-like quality — her clan 'is' among Midian.
τῶνof theGenitivearticle (with Μαδιαν)→ noun-phrase markingτῶν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
Μαδιανof Midianadnominal genitive (with τῶν; indeclinable)→ participant identificationΜαδιαν: transliteration of Hebrew מִדְיָן; indeclinable; the people of Midian, named as the object of the coming war (vv. 16–18; ch. 31).
16
καὶ ἐλάλησεν κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων λάλησον τοῖς υἱοῖς Ισραηλ λέγων
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the sons of Israel, saying,
A second full speech-formula (cf. v. 10) opens the final unit. The nested commission — λάλησον … λέγων ('speak … saying') — relays the command through Moses to Israel, the double λέγων (= Hebrew לֵאמֹר) framing the embedded oracle of vv. 17–18.
Word-by-word analysis· 11 words
καὶandnarrative conjunction→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
ἐλάλησενspokeAor Act Indic 3 Sg · λαλέωmain verb (speech-formula)→ constative aorist (single speech-act)λαλέω (aor. ἐλάλησεν): opens the war-oracle against Midian.
κύριοςLORDNominativesubject→ participant prominenceκύριος: rendering of the Tetragrammaton יהוה.
πρὸςtopreposition + accusative (direction of speech)→ spatial or relational framingπρὸς: meaning 'to'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + accusative (direction of speech).
ΜωυσῆνMosesAccusativeobject of πρός (addressee)→ object specificationΜωυσῆς (acc. Μωυσῆν): the recipient of the command.
λέγωνsayingPres Act Ptcp Nom Sg Masc · λέγωredundant participle of speaking (Hebraism = לֵאמֹר)→ present participle (introducing direct discourse)λέγω (pres. ptcp. λέγων): pleonastic 'saying' marking the onset of direct speech.
λάλησονspeakAor Act Impv 2 Sg · λαλέωmain verb (imperative within the divine speech)→ aorist imperative (commissioned proclamation)λαλέω (aor. impv. λάλησον): 'speak'; Moses is to relay the command to Israel; the nested speech-act (YHWH → Moses → Israel) is typical of Pentateuchal legislation.
τοῖςtheDativearticle (with υἱοῖς)→ noun-phrase markingτοῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
υἱοῖςsonsDativeindirect object of λάλησον ('to the sons of Israel')→ sphere or referenceυἱός (dat. pl. υἱοῖς): the addressees of the war-command.
Ισραηλof Israeladnominal genitive (indeclinable)→ participant identificationΙσραηλ: indeclinable.
λέγωνsayingPres Act Ptcp Nom Sg Masc · λέγωredundant participle of speaking (introducing the embedded oracle of vv. 17–18)→ present participle (introducing direct discourse)λέγω (pres. ptcp. λέγων): the second pleonastic 'saying' (= לֵאמֹר) opens the actual content of the command in v. 17.
17
ἐχθραίνετε τοῖς Μαδιηναίοις καὶ πατάξατε αὐτούς
Be hostile to the Midianites and strike them,
Two coordinated plural imperatives (ἐχθραίνετε … πατάξατε) constitute the command: maintain settled hostility toward Midian and strike them. This is the germ of the Midianite war of Numbers 31, the divine response to the Peor seduction; the present ἐχθραίνετε commands an abiding posture, the aorist πατάξατε a decisive blow.
Word-by-word analysis· 6 words
ἐχθραίνετεbe hostile / treat as enemiesPres Act Impv 2 Pl · ἐχθραίνωmain verb (imperative)→ present imperative (sustained, ongoing hostility)ἐχθραίνω: 'be at enmity / show hostility / treat as an enemy'; cognate with ἐχθρός ('enemy'); the present imperative commands a settled, durative enmity toward Midian, answering Midian's settled enmity stated in v. 18.
τοῖςtheDativearticle (with Μαδιηναίοις)→ noun-phrase markingτοῖς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ΜαδιηναίοιςMidianitesDativedative complement of ἐχθραίνετε (object of the hostility)→ sphere or referenceΜαδιηναῖος: 'Midianite' (the gentilic noun, here masc. pl.); the dative is the object of ἐχθραίνω ('be hostile to'); the target of the war is the whole people of Midian (cf. Num 31:1–7).
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining the imperatives)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
πατάξατεstrike / smiteAor Act Impv 2 Pl · πατάσσωmain verb (second imperative)→ aorist imperative (decisive act of striking)πατάσσω: 'strike / smite / strike down'; renders נכה (Hiphil); the standard LXX verb for inflicting a military or judicial blow; the aorist commands a definitive assault, fulfilled in the Midianite campaign of ch. 31.
αὐτούςthemAccusativedirect object of πατάξατε (the Midianites)→ participant referenceαὐτός (acc. pl. m.): refers to the Midianites who are to be struck.
18
ὅτι ἐχθραίνουσιν αὐτοὶ ὑμῖν ἐν δολιότητι ὅσα δολιοῦσιν ὑμᾶς διὰ Φογωρ καὶ διὰ Χασβι θυγατέρα ἄρχοντος Μαδιαν ἀδελφὴν αὐτῶν τὴν πεπληγυῖαν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς πληγῆς διὰ Φογωρ
for they are hostile to you with treachery, with which they deceive you through the affair of Peor and through Cozbi, the daughter of a chief of Midian, their sister, who was struck down on the day of the plague over the affair of Peor.
ὅτι ('for / because') grounds the command of v. 17: Midian is the aggressor, harassing Israel ἐν δολιότητι ('with treachery / deceit'). The cognate figure ἐν δολιότητι … δολιοῦσιν underscores deliberate, deceitful malice. Two causes are named (διά … διά): the affair of Peor (Φογωρ) and Cozbi 'their sister' — the chapter closes by binding the war to the apostasy, with πληγῆς ('plague') and πεπληγυῖαν ('struck down') ringing back to vv. 8–9. The inclusio διὰ Φογωρ … διὰ Φογωρ seals the unit.
Word-by-word analysis· 28 words
ὅτιfor / becausecausal conjunction (grounding v. 17)→ discourse linkage or contrastὅτι: 'because / for'; introduces the reason for the command — Midian's prior and continuing hostility.
ἐχθραίνουσινthey are hostilePres Act Indic 3 Pl · ἐχθραίνωmain verb of causal clause→ present (ongoing, characteristic hostility)ἐχθραίνω (pres. indic.): the same verb as the command (v. 17), now describing Midian's settled enmity toward Israel — the warrant for reciprocal hostility.
αὐτοὶtheyNominativesubject (emphatic: 'they, for their part')→ participant prominenceαὐτός (nom. pl. m.): emphatic — it is the Midianites who initiated the enmity.
ὑμῖνto youDativedative complement of ἐχθραίνουσιν (object of hostility)→ participant reference or interestσύ (dat. pl. ὑμῖν): the Israelites, the object of Midian's enmity.
ἐνwithpreposition + dative (manner/means: 'with treachery')→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'with'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (manner/means: 'with treachery').
δολιότητιtreachery / deceitDativedative of manner (with ἐχθραίνουσιν)→ sphere or referenceδολιότης: 'deceitfulness / treachery / guile'; renders נֵכֶל / רְמִיָּה; the abstract noun characterizes Midian's hostility as cunning rather than open — the seduction at Peor was a planned stratagem (cf. Num 31:16, the counsel of Balaam).
ὅσαin which things / as much asAccusativecorrelative relative pronoun (cognate/internal accusative with δολιοῦσιν)→ participant referenceὅσος (acc. pl. n. ὅσα): 'as much/many as / in whatever ways'; here an internal accusative with δολιοῦσιν ('with whatever deceits they deceive you'), reinforcing the cognate figure ἐν δολιότητι … δολιοῦσιν.
δολιοῦσινthey deceive / act treacherouslyPres Act Indic 3 Pl · δολιόωverb of relative clause (cognate with δολιότητι)→ present (habitual deceitful action)δολιόω: 'deceive / act with guile / beguile'; cognate with δόλος ('deceit') and δολιότης; the figura etymologica (δολιότητι … δολιοῦσιν) hammers the theme of Midianite treachery; cf. Rom 3:13, ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν (quoting Ps 5:10).
ὑμᾶςyouAccusativedirect object of δολιοῦσιν→ participant referenceσύ (acc. pl. ὑμᾶς): Israel, deceived by Midian's stratagem.
διὰthrough / because ofpreposition + accusative (cause/means: first ground)→ spatial or relational framingδιά + acc.: 'on account of / through'; introduces the first instrument of the deceit, the Peor affair.
ΦογωρPeorobject of διά (indeclinable place/cult name)→ participant identificationΦογωρ: transliteration of Hebrew פְּעוֹר (Peor); indeclinable; the mountain and cult-site of Baal-Peor (cf. Βεελφεγωρ, vv. 3, 5); here metonymy for the whole apostasy-affair; forms an inclusio with the closing διὰ Φογωρ.
καὶandcoordinate conjunction (joining the second ground)→ discourse linkage or contrastκαὶ: meaning 'and'; conjunction or particle linking this unit with the surrounding discourse.
διὰthrough / because ofpreposition + accusative (second ground)→ spatial or relational framingδιά + acc.: introduces the second instrument, Cozbi.
ΧασβιCozbiobject of διά (indeclinable proper noun)→ participant identificationΧασβι: Cozbi (see v. 15); indeclinable; named as the personal instrument of the seduction.
θυγατέραdaughterAccusativeappositive to Χασβι (accusative)→ object specificationθυγάτηρ (acc. θυγατέρα): 'daughter'; in apposition to Cozbi, recalling her rank (v. 15).
ἄρχοντοςof a chiefGenitiveadnominal genitive (with θυγατέρα)→ relational specificationἄρχων (gen. ἄρχοντος): 'ruler / chief'; her father's rank (cf. v. 15, ἄρχοντος ἔθνους).
Μαδιανof Midianadnominal genitive (with ἄρχοντος; indeclinable)→ participant identificationΜαδιαν: indeclinable; 'a chief of Midian.'
ἀδελφὴνsisterAccusativeappositive to Χασβι (accusative)→ object specificationἀδελφή: 'sister / kinswoman'; ἀδελφὴν αὐτῶν ('their sister') marks Cozbi as a Midianite kinswoman — her death is thus a blow against Midian itself, motivating the war.
αὐτῶνtheirGenitivegenitive of relationship (the Midianites')→ relational specificationαὐτός (gen. pl.): 'their' — the Midianites, whose kinswoman Cozbi was.
τὴνtheAccusativearticle (attributive, with participle πεπληγυῖαν)→ noun-phrase markingτὴν: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πεπληγυῖανwho was struck downPerf Act Ptcp Acc Sg Fem · πλήσσωattributive participle (qualifying Χασβι/ἀδελφήν)→ perfect participle (abiding state of one struck dead)πλήσσω (perf. act. ptcp. fem. acc. πεπληγυῖαν): 'strike / smite'; recalls πεπληγυίᾳ (v. 15) and the deed of v. 8; the participle keeps Cozbi's slaying in view as the flashpoint of the Israel-Midian enmity.
ἐνon / inpreposition + dative (temporal: 'on the day')→ spatial or relational framingἐν: meaning 'on'; here it marks the relation signaled by preposition + dative (temporal: 'on the day').
τῇtheDativearticle (with ἡμέρᾳ)→ noun-phrase markingτῇ: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
ἡμέρᾳdayDativeobject of ἐν (temporal: 'on the day of the plague')→ sphere or referenceἡμέρα: 'day'; renders יוֹם; 'the day of the plague' fixes Cozbi's death to the climactic moment of judgment (vv. 8–9).
τῆςof theGenitivearticle (with πληγῆς)→ noun-phrase markingτῆς: Greek article marking definiteness and the role of the accompanying noun phrase.
πληγῆςplagueGenitiveadnominal genitive (with ἡμέρᾳ)→ relational specificationπληγή (gen.): 'plague / blow'; the judgment-plague of vv. 8–9, here recalled to bind the whole chapter together.
διὰthrough / overpreposition + accusative (cause: closing the inclusio)→ spatial or relational framingδιά + acc.: repeated from earlier in the verse to form an inclusio (διὰ Φογωρ … διὰ Φογωρ), framing the entire war-rationale by the affair of Peor.
ΦογωρPeorobject of διά (indeclinable; closing the chapter's inclusio)→ participant identificationΦογωρ: Peor (see above); the closing διὰ Φογωρ seals the chapter — the war against Midian springs entirely from the apostasy at Baal-Peor; cf. the 'teaching of Balaam' that taught Israel to eat idol-food and commit πορνεία at Rev 2:14, where Peor becomes the type of seductive compromise.