Passage

Numbers 25.1-3

Book: Numbers · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"1. And Israel abode in Shittim; and the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab: 2. for they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods; and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. 3. And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor: and the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel."

"4. 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. 5. And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that have joined themselves unto Baal-peor." (Numbers 25:1-5, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"1. Israel stayed in Shittim; and the people began to play the prostitute with the daughters of Moab; 2. for they called the people to the sacrifices of their gods. The people ate and bowed down to their gods. 3. Israel joined himself to Baal Peor. Yahweh’s anger burned against Israel."

"4. 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.” 5. Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Everyone kill his men who have joined themselves to Baal Peor.”" (Numbers 25:1-5, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"1. And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. 2. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. 3. And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel."

"4. 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. 5. And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baalpeor." (Numbers 25:1-5, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"1. And Israel dwelleth in Shittim, and the people begin to go a-whoring unto daughters of Moab, 2. and they call for the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people eat, and bow themselves to their gods, 3. and Israel is joined to Baal-Peor, and the anger of Jehovah burneth against Israel."

"4. 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.' 5. And Moses saith unto the judges of Israel, 'Slay ye each his men who are joined to Baal-Peor.'" (Numbers 25:1-5, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: Moses (traditional)
Audience: Israelite congregation post-Sinai
Location: Sinai → wilderness wanderings → plains of Moab
Time period: events c. 1445-1406 BC; composed c. 1446-1406 BC

Theological reading

Key words

H0430 - elohim, elohim (Strong's H430). Also appears in: Genesis 1.1, Genesis 1.2, Genesis 1.14-19.
H3068 - YHWH, YHWH (Strong's H3068). Also appears in: Genesis 2.4, Genesis 2.7, Genesis 2.16-17.

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.