23. Therefore He said that He would destroy them, had not Moshe His bechir (chosen one) stood before Him in the peretz (breach), to turn away His wrath, lest He should destroy them.
24. Then they despised the eretz chemdah (desirable land); they believed not His Devar;
25. But murmured in their ohalim, and paid heed not unto the kol (voice) of Hashem.
26. Therefore [in oath] He lifted up His yad against them, that He would overthrow them in the midbar;
27. To make their zera fall also among the Goyim, and to scatter them among the aratzot (lands).
28. They joined themselves also unto Ba'al-Pe'or, and ate the zivkhei mesim (sacrifices offered to the dead).
29. Thus they provoked Him to anger with their inventions; and the magefah (plague) broke out among them.
30. Then stood up Pinchas, and interposed; and so the magefah (plague) was halted.
31. And that was counted unto him for tzedakah l'dor vador ad olam.
32. They angered Him also at the waters of Merivah, so that it went ill with Moshe on their account;
33. Because they provoked His Ruach [Hakodesh] and he [Moshe] spoke unadvisedly with his sfatayim (lips).
34. They did not destroy the amim (peoples), as Hashem commanded them;
35. But they mingled with the Goyim, and learned their ma'asim (works, customs).