Zimri

Zimri is a name that appears in the Hebrew Bible for more than one figure, two of whom are most often identified in biblical scholarship. The name occurs in different genealogical and narrative contexts, and the two most notable individuals are distinct persons.

In Numbers 25:14, Zimri is described as the son of Salu, a prince of the tribe of Simeon. During the congregation at Shittim, he publicly brought a Midianite woman into his household, an act that prompted Phinehas to intervene. Phinehas killed Zimri and the Midianite woman, and the plagues that had struck Israel ceased afterward. This Zimri is primarily remembered as a participant in the episode that led to divine anger and plague among the Israelites, rather than for ruling or leading.

In 1 Kings 16, Zimri is portrayed as a military figure who briefly supplanted the royal line. He assassinated Elah, king of Israel, at Tirzah and proclaimed himself king. His reign lasted only seven days before Omri, with his forces, besieged Tirzah and killed Zimri, ending the short-lived usurpation and establishing Omri’s foothold, which would lead to the subsequent Omride dynasty.

Etymology and cultural context are not consistently detailed in the biblical text, and the two Zimris are generally treated as separate individuals rather than a single archetype. The name Zimri thus refers to at least two distinct figures in the Hebrew Bible, one associated with a punitive plague episode and the other with a brief royal coup.