כָּזְבִי (ko.ze.vi)
ko.ze.vi
Cozbi
N:N-F-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-F-P
Word Overview
Cozbi is a proper name appearing only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both times within the narrative of Numbers chapter 25. The sources identify her as the daughter of Zur, a leader of the Midianites, and note that her name translates to "my lie." This etymological detail aligns with the context of her story, which involves deception and covenant unfaithfulness.
Her brief mention serves as a specific marker in the account of the Baal-peor incident. She is named alongside Zimri, another Midianite prince, to highlight the severity of the sexual immorality and idolatry that provoked divine judgment. The text records her death at the hands of Phinehas, an event that underscores the seriousness with which Israel’s leaders treated breaches of their exclusive covenant with God.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Cozbi means "my lie," a label that sticks to her story in Numbers 25. She was the daughter of Zur, a Midianite leader, and her presence marks a moment when Israel’s people were led astray by deception and idolatry. This incident shows how quickly trust can be broken when we allow foreign influences to shape our loyalty away from God.
For your faith, this word serves as a sobering reminder that spiritual compromise often begins with subtle deceptions. The text does not shy away from the consequences; Phinehas acted to stop the plague, highlighting how seriously God takes covenant faithfulness. It invites us to examine our own hearts for hidden compromises.
While the narrative is dark, it underscores the value of truth and integrity in our walk with God. We are called to remain faithful, recognizing that deception erodes the foundation of our relationship with Him. Let this story encourage you to pursue honesty and steadfastness in your daily life.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [was] Cozbi1×
- Cozbi1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- כָּזְבִּ֨י1×
- כָּזְבִּ֣י1×
Key Verses
-
Numbers 25:15
The name of the Midianite woman who was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur. He was head of the people of a fathers’ house in Midian.
This verse identifies Cozbi by name and lineage, anchoring the abstract concept of 'deception' to a specific historical figure involved in the Baal-peor incident.
-
Numbers 25:18
for they harassed you with their wiles, wherein they have deceived you in the matter of Peor, and in the incident regarding Cozbi, the daughter of the prince of Midian, their sister, who was slain on the day of the plague in the matter of Peor.”
Here the word appears in a warning context, linking Cozbi’s story directly to the wiles and deception used against Israel, reinforcing the theme of spiritual danger.