While Israelremainedat Shittim,the peoplebeganto playthe harlotwith the daughtersof Moab.
He also brokedownthe housesof the [male] cultprostituteswhich[were] in the houseof the LORD,wherethe womenwere weavinghangingsfor the Asherah.
They joinedthemselves also to Baal-peor,And atesacrificesoffered to the dead.
"Whoeverlieswith an animalshall surelybe putto death.
otherwiseyou mightmakea covenantwith the inhabitantsof the landand they would playthe harlotwith their godsand sacrificeto their gods,and someone might inviteyou to eatof his sacrifice,
And I discoveredmorebitterthandeaththe womanwhoseheartis snaresand nets,whose handsare chains.Onewhois pleasingto Godwill escapefrom her, but the sinnerwill be capturedby her.
Likewise, alsoallthe Jewswhowere in Moaband among the sonsof Ammonand in Edomand whowere in allthe [other] countries,heardthat the kingof Babylonhad lefta remnantfor Judah,and that he had appointedoverthem Gedaliahthe sonof Ahikam,the sonof Shaphan.
"But the childrenrebelledagainst Me; they did not walkin My statutes,norwere they carefulto observeMy ordinances,by which,[if] a manobservesthem, he will live;they profanedMy sabbaths.So I resolvedto pourout My wrathon them, to accomplishMy angeragainst them in the wilderness.
I foundIsraellike grapesin the wilderness;I sawyour forefathersas the earliestfruiton the figtreein its first[season]. [But] they cameto Baal-peorand devotedthemselves to shame,And they becameas detestableas that whichthey loved.
"My people,remembernowWhatBalakkingof MoabcounseledAnd whatBalaamsonof Beoransweredhim, [And] from Shittimto Gilgal,Sothat you might knowthe righteousactsof the LORD."
"Be hostileto the Midianitesand strikethem;
"Takefullvengeancefor the sonsof Israelon the Midianites;afterwardyou will be gatheredto your people."
They campedby the Jordan,from Beth-jeshimothas faras Abel-shittimin the plainsof Moab.
onebull,oneram,onemalelambone yearold,for a burntoffering;
Norlet us actimmorally,as someof them did,and twenty-threethousandfellin oneday.
"So we remainedin the valleyoppositeBeth-peor.
Whoatethe fatof their sacrifices,[And] drankthe wineof their drinkoffering?Let them riseup and helpyou, Let them be your hidingplace!
"Your eyeshave seenwhatthe LORDhas donein the case of Baal-peor,for allthe menwhofollowedBaal-peor,the LORDyour Godhas destroyedthem from amongyou.
Then Joshuathe sonof Nunsenttwomenas spiessecretlyfrom Shittim,saying,"Go,viewthe land,especiallyJericho."So they wentand cameinto the houseof a harlotwhose namewas Rahab,and lodgedthere.
Is not the iniquityof Peorenoughfor us, from whichwe have not cleansedourselves to thisday,although a plaguecameon the congregationof the LORD,
Then Joshuaroseearlyin the morning;and he and allthe sonsof Israelsetout from Shittimand cameto the Jordan,and they lodgedtherebeforethey crossed.
But I havea few thingsagainstyou, becauseyou havetheresome who holdthe teachingof Balaam,whokept teachingBalakto puta stumbling blockbeforethe sonsof Israel,to eatthings sacrificed to idolsand to commit [acts of] immorality.
