Numbers 25:15

15 The name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi daughter of Zur, who was the head of a clan, an ancestral house in Midian.

Numbers 25:15 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 25:15

And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was
Cozbi, the daughter of Zur
One of the five kings of Midian, ( Numbers 31:8 ) and so the Samaritan Chronicle says F11, it was the daughter of a king that came to a prince of the tribe of Simeon, and enticed him to eat of her food, and worship her idols. The Targum of Jonathan says she was called Selonae, the daughter of Balak, chief of the nation of Moab, whose habitation was in Midian:

he was head over a people, and of a chief house in Midian;
that is, Zur, the father of Cozbi, was; there were five sons of Midian, whose names are given, ( Genesis 25:4 ) from whence Jarchi concludes, that there were five principal families in Midian, and that this man was the head or chief of one of them, which is not improbable; and that also makes for the honour of Phinehas, that he spared not any for their rank and quality, of whatsoever nation they were.


FOOTNOTES:

F11 Apud Hottinger, ut supra. (Smergma Oriental, l. 1. c. 8. p. 448.)

Numbers 25:15 In-Context

13 It shall be for him and for his descendants after him a covenant of perpetual priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the Israelites.' "
14 The name of the slain Israelite man, who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri son of Salu, head of an ancestral house belonging to the Simeonites.
15 The name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi daughter of Zur, who was the head of a clan, an ancestral house in Midian.
16 The Lord said to Moses,
17 "Harass the Midianites, and defeat them;
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.