And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying,“ Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” And they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there.
therefore I will lay open the flank of Moab from the cities, from its cities on its frontier, the glory of the country, Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim.
While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab.These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.So Israel yoked himself to Baal of Peor. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.And the Lord said to Moses,“ Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them in the sun before the Lord, that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.”And Moses said to the judges of Israel,“ Each of you kill those of his men who have yoked themselves to Baal of Peor.”And behold, one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the people of Israel, while they were weeping in the entrance of the tent of meeting.When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his handand went after the man of Israel into the chamber and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman through her belly. Thus the plague on the people of Israel was stopped.Nevertheless, those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.