Midianitish, Woman

mid'-i-an-it-ish, (ha-midhyanith, "the Midianitess"): The designation given to the daughter of Zur, Cozbi, whom Zimri the son of Salu brought into the camp of Israel (Num 25:6-18). Both were of noble parentage (Num 25:14; Num 25:15). The majority of the people strongly resented this act of profanation (Num 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 (Num 25:8). He obtained as a reward the immediate staying of the plague and the promise of perpetual priesthood to his family (Num 25:8; Num 25:13).

John A. Lees