17. Therefore the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan and closed over the company of Abiram. [Num. 16:31, 32.]
18. And a fire broke out in their company; the flame burned up the wicked. [Num. 16:35, 46.]
19. They made a calf in Horeb and worshiped a molten image. [Exod. 32:4.]
20. Thus they exchanged Him Who was their Glory for the image of an ox that eats grass [they traded their Honor for the image of a calf]!
21. They forgot God their Savior, Who had done such great things in Egypt,
22. Wonders and miracles in the land of Ham, dreadful and awesome things at the Red Sea.
23. Therefore He said He would destroy them. [And He would have done so] had not Moses, His chosen one, stepped into the breach before Him to turn away His threatening wrath. [Exod. 32:10, 11, 32.]
24. Then they spurned and despised the pleasant and desirable land [Canaan]; they believed not His word [neither trusting in, relying on, nor holding to it];
25. But they murmured in their tents and hearkened not to the voice of the Lord.
26. Therefore He lifted up His hand [as if taking an oath] against them, that He would cause them to fall in the wilderness,
27. Cast out their descendants among the nations, and scatter them in the lands [of the earth].
28. They joined themselves also to the [idol] Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices [offered] to the lifeless [gods].
29. Thus they provoked the Lord to anger with their practices, and a plague broke out among them.
30. Then stood up Phinehas [the priest] and executed judgment, and so the plague was stayed. [Num. 25:7, 8.]
31. And that was credited to him for righteousness (right doing and right standing with God) to all generations forever.
32. They angered the Lord also at the waters of Meribah, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes; [Num. 20:3-13.]
33. For they provoked [Moses'] spirit, so that he spoke unadvisedly with his lips.
34. They did not destroy the [heathen] nations as the Lord commanded them,
35. But mingled themselves with the [idolatrous] nations and learned their ways and works
36. And served their idols, which were a snare to them.