Who was Zurishaddai in the bible?
Zurishaddai is an Israelite named in Numbers as the father of Shelumiel, the prince of the children of Simeon (Numbers 1:6; 2:12; 7:36; 10:19).
Where Mentioned
Zurishaddai is named in lists and commands concerning Simeon: “The prince of the children of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai” (Numbers 2:12).
Learn More →Name Meaning
Strong’s derives Zurishaddai from terms meaning “rock” and “the Almighty,” often summarized as “rock of (the) Almighty.” The name appears in connection with Simeon’s leadership and offerings (Numbers 7:36; 7:41).
Learn More →Zurishaddai (Tsurishaddai) is identified as an Israelite and appears in Numbers as the father of Shelumiel, who is connected with the tribe of Simeon. The name is explained (in a lexicon gloss) as meaning “rock of (the) Almighty.”
Zurishaddai in Scripture
Zurishaddai is mentioned in Scripture only in connection with his son Shelumiel, and each occurrence ties Shelumiel to Simeon’s leadership and organization in the wilderness setting described in Numbers.
The first reference comes in a list organized by tribes:
“Of Simeon: Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.” (Numbers 1:6)
Zurishaddai is next mentioned in instructions about where the tribes camp and who leads them. In that context, Shelumiel is explicitly called the prince of Simeon, again with Zurishaddai named as his father:
“Those who encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon. The prince of the children of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.” (Numbers 2:12)
Numbers 7 then places Shelumiel within a larger national scene involving offerings made by the tribal princes at the tabernacle. The chapter opens with the setting: “On the day that Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle” and had “anointed it and sanctified it,” the “princes of Israel, the heads of their fathers’ houses, offered,” and these leaders are described as “the princes of the tribes” who “were over those who were counted” (Numbers 7:1–2). They bring substantial gifts—“six covered wagons and twelve oxen”—and “presented them before the tabernacle” (Numbers 7:3). Yahweh then directs Moses, “Accept these from them,” and Moses distributes them to the Levites according to their service, while noting that the Kohathites receive none because “they carried it on their shoulders” (Numbers 7:4–9).
Within that same dedication context, the chapter explains that “The princes gave offerings for the dedication of the altar” and that each prince would present his offering on an appointed day: “They shall offer their offering, each prince on his day, for the dedication of the altar” (Numbers 7:10–11). The narrative proceeds day by day through the tribes and their leaders, and on the fifth day Shelumiel appears, with Zurishaddai named in the formal identification:
“On the fifth day Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, prince of the children of Simeon,” (Numbers 7:36)
The narrative then records the substance of Shelumiel’s offering (Numbers 7:37–40) and concludes the section with a summary line identifying the offering as his:
“and for the sacrifice of peace offerings, two head of cattle, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old: this was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.” (Numbers 7:41)
In the chapter as a whole, Shelumiel’s offering is presented as one part of the coordinated dedication gifts brought by the princes of Israel. After detailing the successive daily offerings through the twelfth day (Numbers 7:12–83), the chapter totals the dedication gifts and closes with Moses entering the Tent of Meeting to speak with Yahweh, where Moses “heard his voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat” (Numbers 7:84–89). Within this structure, Zurishaddai’s significance remains indirect but clear: his name appears because Shelumiel is publicly functioning as “prince of the children of Simeon” during this dedication sequence.
The final occurrence names Shelumiel (and therefore Zurishaddai) in a military-organizational note about leadership “over the army” for Simeon:
“Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai was over the army of the tribe of the children of Simeon.” (Numbers 10:19)
Taken together, these references show Zurishaddai as the father of a prominent Simeonite leader, with Shelumiel named in lists of tribal representation, camping organization, altar-dedication offerings, and oversight of Simeon’s tribal army.
Name and Meaning
The Hebrew form is צוּרִישַׁדַּי (transliterated Tsuwriyshadday; pronounced tsoo-ree-shad-dah’-ee). A lexicon explanation derives it from words associated with “rock” (tsuwr, understood as a cliff or sharp rock) and “the Almighty” (Shadday), yielding the sense “rock of (the) Almighty.”
Observation
In every appearance, Zurishaddai is named only through the repeated designation “Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai” (Numbers 1:6; 2:12; 7:36; 7:41; 10:19), linking him to Simeon’s recognized leadership in Israel’s tribal order.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the name Zurishaddai mean?
Zurishaddai means “rock of (the) Almighty.”
How many times does Zurishaddai appear in the Bible?
Zurishaddai appears 5 times.
Who was Zurishaddai?
Zurishaddai is identified as an Israelite. He is named as the father of Shelumiel, associated with the tribe of Simeon (Numbers 1:6; Numbers 2:12).
How is Zurishaddai connected to the leadership of Simeon in Numbers?
Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai is called “prince of the children of Simeon” (Numbers 2:12), and he is also mentioned in connection with Simeon’s army leadership (Numbers 10:19).
Explore Further
If you found this page about Zurishaddai interesting and would like to discover more about other biblical characters, explore our comprehensive Encyclopedia of Biblical Characters. For those looking to delve deeper into the Greek origins of these names and terms, our Greek Lexicon is an invaluable resource.
Sources: Name and occurrence data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and STEPBible reference data (CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).
