8. and followed the man into his tent, where he ran the spear through the man and into the woman's stomach. The Lord immediately stopped punishing Israel with a deadly disease,
9. but twenty-four thousand Israelites had already died.
10. The Lord said to Moses,
11. “In my anger, I would have wiped out the Israelites if Phinehas had not been faithful to me.
12-13. But instead of punishing them, I forgave them. So because of the loyalty that Phinehas showed, I solemnly promise that he and his descendants will always be my priests.”
14. The Israelite man that was killed was Zimri son of Salu, who was one of the leaders of the Simeon tribe.
15. And the Midianite woman killed with him was Cozbi, the daughter of a Midianite clan leader named Zur.
16. The Lord told Moses,
17-18. “The Midianites are now enemies of Israel, so attack and defeat them! They tricked the people of Israel into worshipping their god at Peor, and they are responsible for the death of Cozbi, the daughter of one of their own leaders.”