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 (Numbers 25:6-18). Both were of noble parentage (Numbers 25:14-15). The majority of the people strongly resented this act of profanation (Numbers 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 (Numbers 25:8). He obtained as a reward the immediate staying of the plague and the promise of perpetual priesthood to his family (Numbers 25:8,13).

John A. Lees

From the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Edited by James Orr, published in 1939 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.