Zimri זִמְרִי

Zimri was a prince of the tribe of Simeon who was involved in the idolatrous worship of Baal-Peor during the Israelites' journey through the wilderness. In Numbers 25, the Israelites began to engage in sexual immorality with the Moabite women and participated in their sacrifices to the Moabite gods. This angered the Lord, and He sent a plague among the Israelites. In the midst of this crisis, Zimri brazenly brought a Midianite woman named Cozbi into his tent in full view of Moses and the congregation. Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, took a spear and pierced both Zimri and Cozbi through their bodies, thus halting the plague. The Lord commended Phinehas for his zeal and granted him a covenant of perpetual priesthood. The incident with Zimri and Cozbi highlights the dangers of idolatry and the importance of maintaining purity and faithfulness to God. It also demonstrates the role of the priesthood in upholding the holiness of the Israelite community.