Numbers 25 – Was Phinehas showing justice when he took the lives of those two without a trial? 2023

Num 25:6
Then behold, one of the sons of Israel came and brought to his relatives a Midianite woman, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, while they were weeping at the doorway of the tent of meeting.

A man brought one of the prostitutes right into the middle of the congregation. She was brought right into the sight of all the congregation who were weeping at the door of the Tabernacle of meeting. We see in verse 8 that he took her into his tent right in front of everyone. This probably took place the next day. The men were probably hanged the previous day and this man makes this foolish and audacious display the following day when the people are mourning the deaths and mourning their sin in front of the Tabernacle.

Num 25:7
When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he arose from the midst of the congregation, and took a spear in his hand;

Num 25:8
and he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and pierced both of them through, the man of Israel and the woman, through the body. So the plague on the sons of Israel was checked.

Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, took a spear and thrust both of them through. It is not difficult to imagine how he could have thrust a spear through both of them at once considering what they were doing. We are told that Elohim sent a plague at the people because of this grave sin.

Num 25:9
And those who died by the plague were 24,000.

The plague only killed 23,000 on that day (1 Cor. 10:8). There were 1000 men killed and hanged against the sun. This probably took place the previous day, but it would be safe to assume that the plague started with these men and they were diseased when they were hanged. Thus this verse is telling us how many people died during "the time" of the plague.

Num 25:10
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Num 25:11
"Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned away My wrath from the sons of Israel, in that he was jealous with My jealousy among them, so that I did not destroy the sons of Israel in My jealousy.

Was Phinehas just, in taking the lives of those two without a trial? It only takes two or three witnesses to establish a matter. This man committed this act in front of the whole congregation, including the judges. It was actually just a carryover of the original order to kill (hang) those involved in the pagan immoral worship of the sun god.