The place was called Shittim, and the Targum explains the name: it derives from shetutha, meaning foolishness and depravity. The Targum's version of (Numbers 25) describes Moabite women who "brought out the image of Peor, concealed under their bundles"—the idol was literally smuggled in beneath their clothing. Israel's attachment to the idol is compared to "the nail in the wood, which is not separated but by breaking up the wood." You could not pull them free without destroying them.
When Zimri brought the Midianite woman Kosbi before the congregation, the Targum gives him a speaking role the Torah omits. He confronted Moses directly: "What is it that is wrong to have company with her? If you say it is forbidden, did you not yourself take a Midianite, the daughter of Jethro?" When Moses heard this, "he trembled and swooned." The leader of Israel fainted. The people wept and cried "Listen!" but no one acted.
Then Phinehas rose and shouted: "He who ought to kill, let him kill! Where are the lions of the tribe of Judah?" Silence. "When they saw, they were quiet." So Phinehas took the lance himself.
What follows is the Targum's most extraordinary list: twelve miracles that sustained Phinehas during the killing. He tried to separate them but could not. Their mouths were sealed so they could not scream for rescue. The lance pierced both bodies. It stayed fixed in the wound. The lintel lifted itself so he could carry them out. He bore them through the entire camp—six miles—without fatigue. He held them aloft with his right arm while their kinsmen watched, powerless. The lance did not break under the weight. The iron pierced but did not withdraw. An angel came and stripped the corpses bare for all to see. They stayed alive throughout the entire procession so the priest would not be defiled by the dead. Only after Phinehas had carried them through every corner of the camp did their blood flow and they died.
The Targum also reveals that Kosbi was actually Balak's daughter—"daughter of Zur, who was called Shelonae, a daughter of Balak." And God's reward for Phinehas was staggering: "I decree to him My covenant of peace, and will make him an angel of the covenant, that he may ever live, to announce the Redemption at the end of the days." Phinehas did not just receive priesthood. He became immortal.
And Israel dwelt in the place which is called Shittim, on account of the (Shetutha) foolishness and depravity which were among them. And the people began to profane their holiness, and to strip their bodies to the image of Peor, and commit fornication with the daughters of the Moabites, who brought out the image of Peor, concealed under their bundles.
And they invited the people to the sacrifices of their idols; and the people ate in their feasts, and bowed themselves to their idols.
And the people of the house of Israel joined themselves to Baala-Peor, like the nail in the wood, which is not separated but by breaking up the wood (or, with the splinters). And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.
And the Lord said to Mosheh, Take all the chiefs of the people, and appoint them for judges, and let them give judgment to put to death the people who have gone astray after Peor, and hang them before the Word of the Lord upon the wood over against the morning sun, and at the departure of the sun take them down and bury them and turn away the strong anger of the Lord from Israel.
And Mosheh said to the judges of Israel, Slay every one a man of his tribe of those who have joined themselves to the idol of Peor.
And behold, a man of the sons of Israel came, holding a Midianitess, and brought her to his brethren, in the sight of Mosheh and all the congregation of the children of Israel. He answered and said to Mosheh, What is it (that is wrong) to have company with her? If thou sayest, It is forbidden, didst thou not thyseIf take a Midianitess, the daughter of Jethro? When Mosheh heard, he trembled and swooned. But they wept, and cried, Listen! And they stood at the door of the tabernacle of ordinance.
And Phinehas bar Elazar-bar Aharon, the priest, saw, and, remembering the ordination, answered, and said: He who ought to kill, let him kill! Where are the lions of the tribe of Jehudah? When they saw, they were quiet. And he arose from among his Sanhedrin, and took a lance in his hand.
Twelve miracles were wrought for Phinehas at the time that he went in after the man of Israel with the Midianitha. The first sign was, He would have parted them but could not. 2. Their mouth was closed, that they could not cry out; for had they cried out, they would have been rescued. 3. He drave the lance through both of them. 4. The lance remained fixed in the wound. 5. When he bare them aloft, the lintel was uplifted for him until he had gone forth. 6. He carried them through the whole camp, six miles, without fatigue. 7. He held them up by his right arm, in sight of their kindred, who had no power to hurt him. 8. The lance was made strong so as not to be broken with the load. 9. The iron transpierced them, but was not withdrawn. 10. An angel came and made bare their corpses in sight of the people. 11. They lingered alive till they had been carried through the entire camp, lest the priest in the tabernacle should be defiled by the dead. 12. Their blood thickened so as not to flow upon him; but when he had borne them through the camp, it brake forth, and they died. Answering, he said before the Lord of the world, Can it be that, on account of these, twenty and four thousands of Israel shall die? Immediately the compassions of Heaven were moved, and the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.
And the number who died by the pestilence was twenty and four thousand.
AND the Lord spake with Mosheh, saying:
Phinehas the zealous, the son of Elazar bar Aharon, the priest, hath turned away mine anger from the children of Israel, in that, when zealous with My zeal, he hath slain the sinners who were among them; and for his sake I have not destroyed the children of Israel in My indignation.
Swearing by My Name, I say to him, Behold, I decree to him My covenant of peace, and will make him an angel of the covenant, that he may ever live, to announce the Redemption at the end of the days.
And because they defamed him, saying, Is he not the son of Phuti, the Midianite? behold, I will make him to possess the high priesthood; and because he took the lance with his arm, and struck the Midianitess in her body, and prayed with his mouth for the people of the house of Israel, the priests shall be held worthy of the three gifts of the shoulder, the cheek-bone, and the inwards; and it shall be to him, and to his sons after him, an everlasting covenant of consecration, because he was zealous for the Lord, and propitiated for the children of Israel.
Now the name of the man of Israel who was slain with the Midianitha was Zimri bar Salu, a chief of the house of his fathers of the tribe of Shemeon.
And the name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Kosbi, daughter of Zur, who was called Shelonae, a daughter of Balak, the prince of the people of Moab, whose dwelling-place was in Midian.
And the Lord spake with Mosheh, saying:
Trouble the Midianites and slay them,
because they troubled you by their deceitful counsels when they beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and of Kosbi their sister, daughter of the prince of Midian, who was slain in the day of the plague for the matter of Peor.
