Following a dramatic act of zealotry, the identities of those involved are finally brought to light. This revelation is not a mere historical detail but a crucial element that deepens the understanding of the sin's severity and the immense self-sacrifice required to stop it. The primary approach among commentators is that while the righteous Phinehas is identified to his credit, the wicked perpetrator is named to his detriment, demonstrating that the greater a person's stature, the more disgraceful their transgression. Yet, God delays this public shaming. During the sin itself, the perpetrator is kept anonymous to avoid immediate humiliation. Only after establishing the merit of Phinehas is the sinner's identity fully exposed [אור החיים].
The revelation that the transgressor was Zimri son of Salu, a high-ranking leader, serves primarily to amplify the bravery of the zealot. Confronting a powerful figure meant risking brutal vengeance from an entire tribe. Phinehas acted out of pure devotion to God, placing his own life in grave danger [רש״י, ספורנו, רלב״ג, מלבי ם ואחרים]. Because of this immense risk, he required a divine covenant of peace to shield him from those who would pursue him [תולדות יצחק, הדר זקנים].
Zimri is identified as the head of a patriarchal house within the tribe of Simeon [רש״י, אבן עזרא, רבינו בחיי]. Tradition identifies him as the prince of the entire tribe, but his title is minimized in the narrative to spare the broader family from overwhelming shame [משכיל לדוד]. Mentioning his lineage highlights a tragic irony. Simeon, the patriarch of the tribe, once acted with fierce zealotry against sexual immorality to defend his sister Dinah. In stark contrast, his descendant shattered those moral boundaries to engage in immorality himself [רבינו בחיי, שפתי כהן, צאינה וראינה]. Furthermore, Zimri was an elder over a hundred years old from the generation of the Exodus, making his inability to control the fire of his lust all the more disgraceful [חתם סופר].
The names themselves carry a deep stigma. They hint that he became as despicable as a rotten egg and caused his family's past transgressions to be unearthed [תורה תמימה, כלי יקר]. Another perspective views him as a hypocrite. Because the roots of his names relate to song and praise, it suggests he attempted to justify his immoral actions, presenting them as permissible and even virtuous [כלי יקר].
Despite his failure, he is still referred to as a man of Israel. This title underscores the tragedy of a holy, circumcised individual failing to conquer his urges [שפתי כהן, אלשיך]. At the same time, retaining this dignified title indicates that the root of his soul was not entirely destroyed, and his dramatic death ultimately served as atonement for his actions [אור החיים].
The description of his death contains a dual emphasis, carrying multiple layers of meaning. One interpretation suggests a dual death: his soul died spiritually the moment he sinned, followed by his physical execution [אור החיים]. Alternatively, the first blow destroyed his reputation and legacy, while the second ended his physical life [כלי יקר]. This emphasis also indicates that his death occurred through miraculous means rather than a standard execution [שפתי כהן].
Finally, the precise timing of his death alongside the Midianite woman is crucial. From a legal standpoint, he was struck exactly while engaged in the act. Had the leader separated from the woman, the strict law permitting a zealot to take a life would no longer apply, as this rule is only valid during the transgression itself [העמק דבר, חזקוני, מלבי״ם, נחל קדומים, רש ר הירש, צפנת פענח]. Spiritually, dying together with her signifies an eternal bond of impurity, as his soul remained tied to hers in the next world just as they were joined in this one [אור החיים, כלי יקר, שפתי כהן, אלשיך]. This tragic end also serves as a warning about the progression of sin, hinting that the downfall began simply by eating and drinking with the Midianites, which inevitably paved the way to gross immorality and idolatry [קיצור בעל הטורים].