(14) A prince of a chief house among the Simeonites.--Better, of a father's house, &c. It is probable that the tribe of Simeon was deeply implicated in the transgression, and that those who belonged to that tribe were the chief sufferers in the plague. (See Numbers 26:14, and Note.)

Verse 14. - Now the name of the Israelite. These details as to names seem to have been added as an after-thought, for they would naturally have been given in verse 11, where the man and the woman are first mentioned. The woman's name is given again in verse 18, as if for the first time. We may probably conclude that verses 14, 15 were inserted into the narrative either by the hand of Moses himself at a later date, or possibly by some subsequent hand. Zimri. This was not an uncommon name, but the individual who bears it here is not elsewhere mentioned.

25:6-15 Phinehas, in the courage of zeal and faith, executed vengeance on Zimri and Cozbi. This act can never be an example for private revenge, or religious persecution, or for irregular public vengeance.Now the name of the Israelite that was slain,.... By Phinehas, as before related:

even that was slain with the Midianitish woman; who was slain also, both together with one thrust:

was Zimri, the son of Sela, a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites; or a prince of his father's house, or family; there were five families of the Simeonites, and this man was a prince of one of them, see Numbers 26:12 though Josephus (h), and so the Samaritan Chronicle (i), make him to be a prince of the tribe of Simeon. His name is mentioned partly to the reproach of him, and partly for the honour of Phinehas, whose zeal and courage were such, that he feared not to take away the life of a person of such figure, authority, and interest among the people.

(h) Antiqu. l. 4. c. 6. sect. 10. (i) Apud Hottinger, Smegma Oriental, l. 1. c. 8. p. 448.