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,