And he replied: it cannot be otherwise, for the angel of the Lord so bade me. Therefore, do in this way[3]. You have beautiful women: they have a lack of them. Take a number of them and dress them richly and set on their breasts a buckle[4] of gold or silver for an ornament, on which let there be carved the idol which you adore (for he adored the statue of Mars) and you will speak to them as follows: that they do not yield unless the men promise to adore that image and figure of Mars. And then when they have sinned, I shall be free to curse them.
And so the king did.
He took some fair women in that manner, and sent them into the camp.
The men were desirous of them, and they [[105]]consented and adored the idols and then sinned with them.
Then the prophet went and cursed God’s people, and God did not succour them.
And that king gave battle, and defeated them all.
Wherefore the just suffered the penalty of those who sinned. They repented and atoned and drove away the women, and became reconciled to God and returned to their former freedom.
[1] Balak, son of Zippor, king of the Moabites; see Numbers, chaps. 22 and 23. [↑]