Bible Encyclopedias
Midianitish Woman

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

mid´i - an - ı̄t - ish , ( המּדינית , ha - midhyānı̄th , "the Midianitess"): The designation given to the daughter of Zur, Cozbi, whom Zimri the son of Salu brought into the camp of Israel ( Numbers 25:6-18 ). Both were of noble parentage (Numbers 25:14 , Numbers 25:15 ). The majority of the people strongly resented this act of profanation (Numbers 25:6 ). A pestilence was raging in the camp, and Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, in an outburst of zeal pursued the two delinquents and slew them by a spear-thrust through their bodies (Numbers 25:8 ). He obtained as a reward the immediate staying of the plague and the promise of perpetual priesthood to his family (Numbers 25:8 , Numbers 25:13 ).