30. Then Phinehas rose to intervene,and the plague was brought to a halt.
31. This was counted for him as a righteous deedfor all generations to come.
32. At the waters of Meribah they angered God,and Moses suffered because of them.
33. They so embittered his spiritthat rash words crossed his lips.
34. They did not destroy the peoplesas the Lord had commanded them,
35. But mingled with the nationsand imitated their ways.
36. They served their idolsand were ensnared by them.
37. They sacrificed to demonstheir own sons and daughters,
38. Shedding innocent blood,the blood of their own sons and daughters,Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan,desecrating the land with bloodshed.
39. They defiled themselves by their actions,became adulterers by their conduct.
40. So the Lord grew angry with his people,abhorred his own heritage.
41. He handed them over to the nations,and their adversaries ruled over them.
42. Their enemies oppressed them,kept them under subjection.