Numb. xxv. 10 — 13. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath aivay from the children of Israel, (while he zvas zealous for my sake among them,) that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy. Wherefore say, Be- hold, I give unto him my covenant of peace : and he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting
priesthood ; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.
SATAN is incessant in his endeavours to destroy the people of God: and, if one device fail, he has recourse to another: nor is he ever at a loss for a succession of expedients, whereby to accomplish his malignant ends. He had laboured hard, in concert with Balaam his willing agent, to bring a curse upon Israel : but he had been foiled in every attempt. What, however, he could not effect by the sword of Moab, he more successfully essayed to do through the in- fluence of their own corruptions, and the fascinations of abandoned women : and, if the zeal of Phinehas had not intervened to arrest the arm of divine vengeance, we know not to what an extent the calamities of Israel might have reached.
In considering what is here recorded concerning Phinehas, we shall notice,
I. The act for which he was rewarded —
A most grievous iniquity was committed in the camp —
[Balaam had advised Balak to ensnare the Israelites by- means of the Midianitish women3. An intercourse between them had been opened : the Israelites fell into the snare ; and were drawn into unlawful connexions with them, and then into idolatry itself. Thus God was incensed against his people ; and after having protected them from the imprecations of Balaam, became himself the executioner of heavy judgments upon them. In addition to the plague which he himself in- flicted upon the people, he ordered Moses to send forth and slay the chief offenders, and to hang them up in the sight of all the congregation.
Whilst these judgments were executing, and the unoffending part of the congregation were " weeping before the door of the tabernacle," behold, a man of distinction in one of the tribes brought a Midianitish woman to his tent, in the very sight of Moses and of all the congregation. The guilt of such an illicit commerce would under any circumstances have been exceeding great ; but at such a time, and in such a manner, was criminal in the highest degree : it was shameless in the extreme : it was an open defiance both of God and man.]
a Numb. xxxi. 16. Rev. ii. 14. VOL. II. M