The Meaning of Numbers 25:8 Explained

Numbers 25:8

KJV: And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.

YLT: and goeth in after the man of Israel unto the hollow place, and pierceth them both, the man of Israel and the woman -- unto her belly, and the plague is restrained from the sons of Israel;

Darby: and he went after the man of Israel into the tent-chamber, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel and the woman through her belly. And the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.

ASV: and he went after the man of Israel into the pavilion, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he went  after  the man  of Israel  into the tent,  and thrust  both  of them through, the man  of Israel,  and the woman  through  her belly.  So the plague  was stayed  from the children  of Israel. 

What does Numbers 25:8 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 25:8 mean?

and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and thrust through - the two of them - the man of Israel and the woman through her body So was stopped the plague among the sons of Israel
וַ֠יָּבֹא אַחַ֨ר אִֽישׁ־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶל־ הַקֻּבָּ֗ה וַיִּדְקֹר֙ אֶת־ שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם אֵ֚ת אִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאֶת־ הָאִשָּׁ֖ה אֶל־ קֳבָתָ֑הּ וַתֵּֽעָצַר֙ הַמַּגֵּפָ֔ה מֵעַ֖ל בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

וַ֠יָּבֹא  and  he  went 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אַחַ֨ר  after 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
אִֽישׁ־  the  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
אֶל־  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַקֻּבָּ֗ה  the  tent 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: קֻבָּה  
Sense: large vaulted tent, tent.
וַיִּדְקֹר֙  and  thrust  through 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּקַר  
Sense: to pierce, thrust through, pierce through.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם  the  two  of  them 
Parse: Number, mdc, third person masculine plural
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
אֵ֚ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אִ֣ישׁ  the  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
הָאִשָּׁ֖ה  the  woman 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
אֶל־  through 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
קֳבָתָ֑הּ  her  body 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: קֵבָה  
Sense: stomach, belly, maw.
וַתֵּֽעָצַר֙  So  was  stopped 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: עָצַר  
Sense: to restrain, retain, close up, shut, withhold, refrain, stay, detain.
הַמַּגֵּפָ֔ה  the  plague 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מַגֵּפָה  
Sense: blow, slaughter, plague, pestilence, strike, smite.
בְּנֵ֥י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.