Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.

NUMBERS 31:16KJV
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Numbers 31:16 (KJV)

What does Numbers 31:16 mean?

Numbers 31:16 presents the surviving Midianite women as having led the Israelites into unfaithfulness to the LORD, acting on Balaam’s advice. Moses connects their actions with the events at Peor and the plague that followed among the Israelites.

Moses is speaking to the Israelite commanders after a battle against Midian. His words explain why he is angry that the women have been kept alive. The reference to Peor recalls the Israelites’ involvement with the worship of another god in Numbers 25.

The Hebrew behind Numbers 31:16

  • “counsel” — דָּבָר (davar): The word often means a word, message, or matter. Here the KJV renders it “counsel,” presenting Balaam’s involvement as advice behind the events.
  • “trespass” — מַעַל (maʿal): The word carries the sense of an unfaithful act or breach of trust. In this verse, the act is described as directed against the LORD, not merely as a mistake in judgment.

Why Numbers 31:16 matters

  • Balaam’s role becomes clearer here. Numbers 25 describes what happened at Peor, while Numbers 31:16 attributes a part in bringing about those events to his counsel.
  • The verse connects two parts of the Peor account: the women’s influence and the resulting plague. Numbers 25:1–9 describes the Israelites joining in the worship of Baal of Peor and the plague that struck them.
  • The verse helps explain Moses’ response to the captives. His question in Numbers 31:15, “Have ye saved all the women alive?”, leads directly into his accusation in verse 16.

Where else these words appear

“commit” Hebrew H4560 · used in 2 verses

  • Numbers 31:5 So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.

“Peor” Hebrew H6465 · used in 4 verses

  • Numbers 23:28 And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon.
  • Numbers 25:18 For they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, which was slain in the day of the plague for Peor's sake.
  • Joshua 22:17 Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the LORD,

“these” Hebrew H2007 · used in 24 verses

  • Genesis 6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
  • Deuteronomy 20:15 Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.
  • Jeremiah 5:6 Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.

“plague” Hebrew H4046 · used in 25 verses

  • Exodus 9:14 For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.
  • Numbers 26:1 And it came to pass after the plague, that the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying,
  • 1 Chronicles 21:22 Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshingfloor, that I may build an altar therein unto the LORD: thou shalt grant it me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed from the people.