Zimri (2)
PeopleWhat is the meaning of Zimri (2) in the Bible?
Zimri served as a captain of half the chariots under King Elah and assassinated him at the palace of Tirzah in 885 BCE. Upon seizing power, he eliminated the entire house of Baasha to secure his rule, but the army was encamped at Gibbethon, where they proclaimed Omri as king. Omri besieged Tirzah, and Zimri set the palace on fire and died in the flames after reigning for only seven days.
SIGNIFICANCE
Zimri's rapid rise and fall illustrate the intense political instability and military factionalism that plagued the Northern Kingdom during the 9th century BCE, providing context for the subsequent consolidation of power under the Omride dynasty.
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Source Attribution
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.