Zalmunna צַלְמֻנָּע
Midianite king defeated by Gideon
Who is Zalmunna in the Bible?
Zalmunna was a Midianite king who oppressed Israel during the period of the judges, along with his fellow king Zebah. These Midianite rulers led raids against the Israelites alongside the Amalekites and other eastern peoples, destroying crops and bringing hardship to the land (Judges 8:5-7). God raised up Gideon to deliver Israel from this oppression, and after a decisive battle, Gideon pursued and captured both Zalmunna and Zebah. When Gideon learned that these kings had killed his brothers at Tabor, he executed them, bringing an end to the Midianite threat and establishing peace in Israel (Judges 8:18-21). The psalmist later references Zalmunna and Zebah as examples of God's enemies who were defeated and destroyed (Psalm 83:11), making them significant figures in Israel's narrative of deliverance and God's judgment against those who oppressed His people.
Biography
Zalmunna was one of the two Midianite kings, along with Zebah, who oppressed Israel during the time of the judges. The Midianites, in alliance with the Amalekites and other eastern peoples, regularly raided Israel and destroyed their crops. God raised up Gideon to deliver Israel from the Midianites. After a decisive battle, Gideon pursued the fleeing Midianite army and captured Zalmunna and Zebah. Gideon questioned them about the men they had killed at Tabor, and upon learning that they were his brothers, he executed Zalmunna and Zebah. The defeat of these Midianite kings brought about a period of peace for Israel. The psalmist later refers to Zalmunna and Zebah as examples of God's enemies who were defeated and destroyed.
In Scripture
2 biblical books ; 1 with study contentJudges 5 verses
- Judges 8:5
"So Gideon said to the men of Succoth, “Please give my troops some bread, for they are exhausted, and I am still pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”"
- Judges 8:6
"But the leaders of Succoth asked, “Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your possession, that we should give bread to your army?”"
- Judges 8:7
"“Very well,” Gideon replied, “when the LORD has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will tear your flesh with the thorns and briers of the wilderness!”"
- Judges 8:10
"Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their army of about fifteen thousand men—all that were left of the armies of the people of the east. A hundred and twenty thousand swordsmen had already fallen."
- Judges 8:12
"When Zebah and Zalmunna fled, Gideon pursued and captured these two kings of Midian, routing their entire army."
Psalms 1 verse
- Psalms 83:11
"Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, and all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,"
Study Psalms →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | צַלְמֻנָּע | Tsalmunna , a Midianite |