Translations
F.O.G.MPrimary
F.O.G MessageYahweh said to Moses, 'Take all the leaders of the people and execute them publicly before Yahweh in full sunlight, so that the burning fury of Yahweh may turn away from Israel.'
F.O.GSecondary
The F.O.GYHWH said to Moshe, 'Take all the heads of the people and impale them before YHWH in the full light of the sun, so that YHWH's blazing wrath may turn away from Yisra'el.'
KJV
King James VersionAnd the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.
BSB
Berean Standard BibleThen the LORD said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the LORD, so that His fierce anger may turn away from Israel.”
Footnotes
*Hoqa'* (הוֹקַע) — a rare verb meaning to impale, hang, or expose publicly; the emphasis falls on visibility — *neged hashemesh*, 'before/facing the sun.' There is also exegetical tension between verses 4 and 5: YHWH commands Moses to deal with 'the heads of the people,' but Moses then instructs the judges to execute those 'yoked to Baal-Pe'or.' Whether YHWH meant the leaders themselves to be executed (as punishment) or to carry out the execution is debated. The LXX and some rabbinic readings take verse 4 as the command to expose the executed guilty, not the leaders. FOG uses 'impale' to reflect the most physically specific reading; FOG Message uses 'execute publicly' to capture the juridical display without over-specifying the method.
