The Meaning of Numbers 25:7 Explained

Numbers 25:7

KJV: And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand;

YLT: and Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, the priest, seeth, and riseth from the midst of the company, and taketh a javelin in his hand,

Darby: And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, and rose up from among the assembly, and took a javelin in his hand,

ASV: And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from the midst of the congregation, and took a spear in his hand;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And when Phinehas,  the son  of Eleazar,  the son  of Aaron  the priest,  saw  [it], he rose up  from among  the congregation,  and took  a javelin  in his hand; 

What does Numbers 25:7 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 25:1-18 - The Zeal Of Phinehas Against Impurity
Unable to curse Israel directly, Balaam suggested to Balak the device of destroying the union between Israel and their divine Protector by enticing them into sin. Once bring license and passion into play, and let the seductions of evil prevail, and surely the holiness of God would compel Him to withdraw His protection! This was a diabolical suggestion to gain his wage. See Revelation 2:14.
The women of the land, notorious for their wantonness, seduced the men of Israel to join in the sensual rites of their worship. All did not fall into this sin. See Deuteronomy 4:3-4. But it brought terrible chastisement on the offenders, 1 Corinthians 10:8. You must amputate a gangrened limb.
For Phinehas, see Malachi 2:4, etc. Let us come out of the world, cleansing ourselves from its filthiness! 2 Corinthians 6:14, etc. There are crises when love for God's honor demands strenuous action, which never fails, as in the case of Phinehas, of an abounding recognition, Numbers 25:12. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 25

1  Israel at Shittim commit unfaithfulness and idolatry
6  Phinehas kills Zimri and Cozbi
10  God therefore gives him an everlasting priesthood
16  The Midianites are to be troubled

What do the individual words in Numbers 25:7 mean?

And when saw [it] Phinehas son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest and he rose from among the congregation and took a javelin in his hand
וַיַּ֗רְא פִּֽינְחָס֙ בֶּן־ אֶלְעָזָ֔ר בֶּֽן־ אַהֲרֹ֖ן הַכֹּהֵ֑ן וַיָּ֙קָם֙ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הָֽעֵדָ֔ה וַיִּקַּ֥ח רֹ֖מַח בְּיָדֽוֹ

וַיַּ֗רְא  And  when  saw  [it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
פִּֽינְחָס֙  Phinehas 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פִּינְחָס  
Sense: son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron; his zealousness for the Lord averted a plague on Israel and gained him the promise of the Lord of an everlasting priesthood in his family.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אֶלְעָזָ֔ר  of  Eleazar 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶלְעָזָר  
Sense: Additional Information: Eleazar = “God has helped”.
בֶּֽן־  the  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אַהֲרֹ֖ן  of  Aaron 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַהֲרֹון  
Sense: brother of Moses, a Levite and the first high priest.
הַכֹּהֵ֑ן  the  priest 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
וַיָּ֙קָם֙  and  he  rose 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
מִתּ֣וֹךְ  from  among 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
הָֽעֵדָ֔ה  the  congregation 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֵדָה  
Sense: congregation, gathering.
וַיִּקַּ֥ח  and  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
רֹ֖מַח  a  javelin 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֹמַח  
Sense: spear, lance.
בְּיָדֽוֹ  in  his  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.