Zabibe (also transliterated Zabibi, Zabiba, Zabibah) was a queen of Qedar who reigned for five years between 738 and 733 BC. She was a vassal of Tiglath-Pileser III, king of Assyria. She was succeeded by another queen, Samsi, who also reigned for five years. According to the Assyrian records, Samsi took part in a rebellion, however "Tiglath-Pileser defeated Samsi in the neighbourhood of Mount Sa-qu-ur-ri, killed many of her men, and took a great deal of booty."[1] Israel Eph'al notes the Assyrian records claim she "fled for her life 'like a wild she-ass' to the desert. At this point she apparently decided to surrender to Tiglath-Pileser, and paid tribute."[1] "Samsi remained queen after surrendering to Tiglath Pileser, but a qēpu was appointed over her by the king of Assyria."[2]
Zabibe is mentioned in the Annals of Tiglath-Pileser III among a list of monarchs who paid tribute to the Assyrian king in 738 BC.[3] The title accorded her is queen of the Aribi (Arabs).[4] Israel Eph'al argues that, until the time of Assurbanipal, the title "queen of the Arabs" in Assyrian manuscripts was a general one accorded to leaders of the nomadic tribes of the Syrian desert.[4] So, he infers that Zabibe would have been properly titled "queen of the Qidri" (Qedarites). Zabībah is an ancient Arabic name, likely derived from zabīb, meaning "raisin".[5]