Actually, they got off easy. See how Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, handled the Israelite man who brought a Midianite woman into his tent: Numbers 25.6-8. An involuntary crewcut hurts less than a javelin-thrust to a sensitive area of the body.
“See how Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, handled the Israelite man who brought a Midianite woman into his tent: Numbers 25.6-8. “
God has His standards. Anyway, there was more going on there than premarital sex. There was intercourse with unbelievers/non covenant people (strictly forbidden) The offense is called whoredom, so I assume it was not two young people ever so in love with each other; rather, the use of prostitutes. Also, there was idolatry involved - worship of Baal.
“1And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.
2And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.
3And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.
4And 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.
5And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baalpeor.
6And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
7And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand;
8And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.
9And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.