Numbers 25:14
“Now the name of the man of Israel that was slain, who was slain with the Midianite woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a fathers’ house among the Simeonites.”
What does Numbers 25:14 mean?
This verse identifies Zimri, an Israelite leader from the tribe of Simeon, as the man who broke covenant with God by publicly taking a Midianite woman as a partner. His action was shocking not just because it violated God's command to stay separate from other nations, but because he was a prince, a man of authority who should have known better and set an example for his people. The fact that his name is preserved here, along with his father's name and tribal affiliation, shows how his choice mattered and had consequences that echoed through his family's legacy. Sometimes the Bible names people in moments of shame to remind us that our choices, especially when we're in positions of influence, carry real weight in our own lives and communities.