Recorded Names

Recorded names.  In our reading today, I found it noteworthy that two specific names are recorded.  The background to the account is that the Israelites, while staying at the Acacia Grove, began prostituting themselves with the women of Moab (Numbers 25:1).  These women lured these men into Baal worship, which angered the Lord.  Moses instructs the judges to hang all of the leaders of the people in broad daylight (v.4).  It would seem that the offenses that occurred were done so by leaders of the people.  While the people were still weeping, one of the Israelite leaders brought a Midianite woman, who was the daughter of one of the men of Midian, into his tent.  An Israelite man by the name of Phinehas obeyed Moses’ command of killing the leaders who had committed this offense, and put a spear into both the Israelite man and the Midianite woman.  In this particular case, the names of both are recorded.  The Israelite leader who committed this blatant sin was Zimri, son of Salu, the leader of a Simeonite family.  The Midianite woman was Cozbi, whose name meant “my lie” or “deceiver”, was the daughter of Zur, a tribal head of a family in Midian.  Leaders must be careful about falling into deception as it can lead and entire people in the wrong direction.  God will judge.