Numbers 25:4

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

The LORD said to Moses, 'Take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the LORD, so that the LORD's fierce anger may turn away from Israel.'

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה קַ֚ח אֶת־כָּל־רָאשֵׁ֣י הָעָ֔ם וְהוֹקַ֥ע אוֹתָ֛ם לַיהוָ֖ה נֶ֣גֶד הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ וְיָשֹׁ֛ב חֲר֥וֹן אַף־יְהוָ֖ה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Transliteration

wə-yōʾmer YHWH to-mōšeh qaḥ ʾeṯ-all-rāʾšê the-ʿām wə-hôqaʿ ʾôṯām to-YHWH negeḏ the-šāmeš wə-yāšōḇ ḥărôn ʾap̄-YHWH from-yiśrāʾēl

Grammar Details

• *wə-yōʾmer*: conjunction + Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular - and said
• *YHWH*: proper noun - the LORD
• *mōšeh*: proper noun with preposition - to Moses
• *qaḥ*: Qal imperative masculine singular - take
• *ʾeṯ*: direct object marker
• *rāʾšê*: common noun, masculine plural construct - heads/leaders of
• *ʿām*: common noun, masculine singular with definite article - the people
• *wə-hôqaʿ*: conjunction + Hiphil imperative masculine singular - and hang/impale
• *ʾôṯām*: direct object marker with 3rd masculine plural suffix - them
• *negeḏ*: preposition - before/in front of
• *šāmeš*: common noun, feminine singular with definite article - the sun
• *wə-yāšōḇ*: conjunction + Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular - and will turn away
• *ḥărôn*: common noun, masculine singular - fierce/burning
• *ʾap̄*: common noun, masculine singular construct - anger of
• *yiśrāʾēl*: proper noun with preposition - from Israel

Word Meanings

• *rāʾšê*: heads/chiefs/leaders
• *hôqaʿ*: hang/impale/execute publicly
• *negeḏ ha-šāmeš*: before the sun/in broad daylight/publicly
• *ḥărôn ʾap̄*: fierce anger/burning wrath/intense fury

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And the LORD said to Moses, Take all the leaders of the people and hang them up before the LORD in the sunlight, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And Jehovah{H3068} said{H559} unto Moses,{H4872} Take{H3947} all the chiefs{H7218} of the people,{H5971} and hang them up{H3363} unto Jehovah{H3068} before{H5048} the sun,{H8121} that the fierce{H2740} anger{H639} of Jehovah{H3068} may turn away{H7725} from Israel.{H3478}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And the LORD{H3068} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto Moses{H4872}, Take{H3947}{(H8798)} all the heads{H7218} of the people{H5971}, and hang them up{H3363}{(H8685)} before{H5048} the LORD{H3068} against the sun{H8121}, that the fierce{H2740} anger{H639} of the LORD{H3068} may be turned away{H7725}{(H8799)} from Israel{H3478}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  and sayed vnto Moses: take all ye heedes of the people and hange them vp vnto ye Lorde agenst the sonne that the wrath of the Lorde maye turne awaye from Israel.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  and he sayde vnto Moses: Take all the rulers of the people, and hange them vp vnto the LORDE agaynst ye Sonne, that the terryble wrath of the LORDE maye be turned awaye from Israel.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And the Lord sayde vnto Moses, Take all the heades of the people, and hang them vp before the Lord against ye sunne, that the indignation of the Lords wrath may be turned fro Israel.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And the Lorde sayde vnto Moyses: Take all the heades of the people, and hang them vp before the Lorde against the sunne, that the wrath of the Lordes countenaunce may be turned away from Israel.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Yahweh said to Moses, Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up to Yahweh before the sun, that the fierce anger of Yahweh may turn away from Israel.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them before Jehovah -- over-against the sun; and the fierceness of the anger of Jehovah doth turn back from Israel.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And Jehovah said unto Moses, Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up unto Jehovah before the sun, that the fierce anger of Jehovah may turn away from Israel.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And Jehovah said unto Moses, Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up unto Jehovah before the sun, that the fierce anger of Jehovah may turn away from Israel.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Then the Lord said to Moses, Take all the chiefs of the people, hanging them up in the sun before the Lord, so that the wrath of the Lord may be turned from Israel.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Yahweh said to Moses, "Take all the chiefs of the people, and hang them up to Yahweh before the sun, that the fierce anger of Yahweh may turn away from Israel."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  God’s Punishment The LORD said to Moses,“Arrest all the leaders of the people, and hang them up before the LORD in broad daylight, so that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.”

Referenced Verses

• Deut 13:17 : 17 Gather all the spoil of that city into its public square and burn the city and all its plunder as a complete offering to the LORD your God. It must remain a ruin forever, never to be rebuilt.
• Deut 4:3 : 3 Your eyes have seen what the LORD did at Baal Peor; for every man who followed Baal Peor, the LORD your God destroyed him from among you.
• Deut 21:23 : 23 you must not leave his body on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse. You must not defile the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.
• 2 Sam 21:6 : 6 let seven of his male descendants be handed over to us to be executed before the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, the Lord’s chosen one." The king said, "I will give them to you."
• Num 25:11 : 11 'Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the Israelites by being as zealous as I am for my honor among them, so that I did not consume the Israelites in my zeal.'
• Num 25:14-15 : 14 The name of the Israelite man who was killed with the Midianite woman was Zimri son of Salu, a leader of a Simeonite family. 15 And the name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi daughter of Zur, a tribal chief of a family in Midian.
• Num 25:18 : 18 For they treated you as enemies with their deceit, which they used to lure you away to worship Baal of Peor, and because of Cozbi, the daughter of a Midianite leader, their kinswoman, who was killed on the day of the plague that struck because of Peor.’
• Exod 18:25 : 25 He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.
• 2 Sam 21:9 : 9 He handed them over to the Gibeonites, who executed them on the hill before the Lord. All seven of them fell together; they were put to death during the first days of the harvest, at the beginning of the barley harvest.
• Esth 7:9-9 : 9 Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, "Look! The gallows that Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke up for the king’s benefit, is standing at Haman’s house, fifty cubits tall." The king said, "Hang him on it!" 10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s wrath subsided.
• Ps 85:3-4 : 3 You have forgiven the iniquity of your people and covered all their sins. Selah. 4 You have withdrawn all your wrath and turned from your fierce anger.
• Jonah 3:9 : 9 Who knows? God may turn and relent and withdraw His fierce anger, so that we will not perish.”
• Josh 7:25-26 : 25 Joshua said, "Why have you brought this trouble on us? The Lord will trouble you today." Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them with fire. 26 They raised over him a great heap of stones, which remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from His fierce anger. Therefore, that place has been called the Valley of Achor to this day.
• Josh 22:17 : 17 Was the sin of Peor not enough for us, even though we have not yet cleansed ourselves of that sin to this very day, and a plague fell upon the congregation of the LORD?
• Josh 23:2 : 2 Joshua called all Israel together—its elders, leaders, judges, and officials—and said to them, 'I have grown old and am well along in years.'
• Deut 13:6-9 : 6 But that prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he encouraged rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to lead you away from the path the LORD your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from among you. 7 If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or daughter, or the wife of your embrace, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, 'Let us go and worship other gods'—gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known, 8 whether those gods are nearby or far away, from one end of the earth to the other— 9 do not yield to him or listen to him. Show no pity or compassion, and do not shield him.
• Deut 13:13 : 13 If you hear about one of the cities the LORD your God is giving you to live in,
• Deut 13:15 : 15 then you must inquire, investigate, and interrogate thoroughly. If the report is true and confirmed that such a detestable act has been done among you,