Zimri (prince)

Zimri son of Salu was the prince or leader of a family within the Tribe of Simeon during the time of the Israelites' Exodus in the wilderness at the time when they were approaching the Promised Land. The Book of Numbers describes how, at Abila or Shittim, he took part in the Heresy of Peor, taking as a paramour a Midianite woman, Cozbi. Zimri openly defied Moses before the people who were standing at the entrance of the Tabernacle by going in to the Midianite. Phinehas, grandson of Aaron, killed them both by impaling them on a spear (Numbers 25:6-15).

The Israelites subsequently launched an attack on the Midianites (Numbers 25:16-18).

Interpretations

Judaism

According to a midrash, Zimri was the same person as Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.[1]

Christianity

According to the Revelations of Saint Bridget, after his death, Zimri's soul was condemned to hell (Book 7, Chapter 19).[2]

Islam

Some Islamic scholars link Zimri to the figure of Samiri, the builder of the original golden calf, though this is only one of several theories for the man's identity.

Racist ideology

The modern American domestic terrorists known as Phineas Priests believe the story of Phinehas and Zimri provides a divine mandate for committing atrocities against race traitors;[3] although the previous divine rebuke of Miriam, also from the Book of Numbers, for criticising Moses for marrying a Cushite woman confounds this reading (Numbers 12).[4]

References

  1. ↑ Masada: Hebrew fragments from Masada. Israel Exploration Society, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. 1999. p. 35. ISBN 978-965-221-034-0.
  2. ↑ Saint Bridget of Sweden (2012). The Prophecies and Revelations of Saint Bridget of Sweden. Jazzybee Verlag. p. 829. ISBN 978-3-8496-2254-1.
  3. ↑ Anthony Rees, (Re)Reading Again: A Mosaic Reading of Numbers 25, A thesis submitted to Charles Sturt University for the Doctor of Philosophy degree, 2013. pp. 126
  4. ↑ Anthony Rees, (Re)Reading Again: A Mosaic Reading of Numbers 25, A thesis submitted to Charles Sturt University for the Doctor of Philosophy degree, 2013. pp. 178.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.