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Smith's Bible Dictionary
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Zaanaim
(removings), The plain of, or more accurately, "the oak by
Zaanaim," a tree-probably a sacred tree--mentioned as marking
the spot near which Heber the Kenite was encamped when Sisera
took refuge in his tent. (Judges 4:11) Its situation is defined
as "near Kedesh," i.e. Kedesh-naphtali, the name of which still
lingers on the high ground north of Safed and two or three
miles west of the lake of el-Huleh (waters of Merom). This
whole region abounds in oaks.
Zaanan
[[1309]Zenan]
Zaavan, Or Zavan
(migratory), a Horite chief, son of Ezer the son of Seir.
(Genesis 36:27; 1 Chronicles 1:42)
Zabad
(gift).
+ Son of Nathan son of Attai, son of Ahlai Sheshan's daughter,
(1 Chronicles 2:31-37) and hence called son of Ahlai. (1
Chronicles 11:41) (B.C. 1046.) He was one of David's mighty
men but none of his deeds have been recorded. The chief
interest connected with him is in his genealogy, which is of
considerable importance in a chronological point of view.
+ An Ephraimite, if the text of (1 Chronicles 7:21) Isa
correct.
+ Son of Shimeath, an Ammonitess; an assassin who, with
Jehozabad, slew King Joash, according to (2 Chronicles 24:26)
(B.C. 840); but in (2 Kings 12:21) his name is written,
probably more correctly, [1310]Jozachar.
+ A layman of Israel, of the sons of Zattu, who put away his
foreign wife at Ezra's command. (Ezra 10:27) (B.C. 458.)
+ One of the descendants of Hashum who had married a foreign
wife after the captivity. (Ezra 10:33) (B.C. 458.)
+ One of the sons of Nebo whose name is mentioned under the
same circumstances as the two preceding. (Ezra 10:43)
Zabadeans
an Arab tribe who were attacked and spoiled by Jonathan, on his
way back to Damascus from his fruitless pursuit of the army of
Demetrius. 1 Macc. 12:31. Their name probably survives in the
village of Zebdany, about 26 miles from Damascus.
Zabbai
(pure).
+ One of the descendants of Bebai who had married a foreign
wife in the days of Ezra. (Ezra 10:28) (B.C. 458.)
+ Father of Baruch who assisted Nehemiah in rebuilding the city
wall. (Nehemiah 3:20) (B.C. before 446.)
Zabbud
(given) one of the sons of Bigvai, who returned in the second
caravan with Ezra. (Ezra 8:14) (B.C. 459.)
Zabdi
(my gift).
+ Son of Zerah the son of Judah, and ancestor of Achan. (Joshua
7:1,17,18) (B.C. before 1480.)
+ A Benjamite, of the sons of Shimhi. (1 Chronicles 8:19) (B.C.
about 1442.)
+ David's officer over the produce of the vineyards for the
wine-cellars. (1 Chronicles 21:27) (B.C. 1043.)
+ Son of Asaph the minstrel, (Nehemiah 11:17) called
[1311]Zaccur in (Nehemiah 12:35) and [1312]Zichri in (1
Chronicles 9:15) (B.C. before 446.)
Zabdiel
(gift of God).
+ Father of Jashobeam, a chief of David's guard. (1 Chronicles
27:2) (B.C. before 1046.)
+ A priest, son of the great men or as the margin gives it,
"Haggedolim." (Nehemiah 11:14) (B.C. 459.)
Zabud
(given), son of Nathan, (1 Kings 4:5) is described as a priest
(Authorized Version "principal officer"), and as holding at the
court of Solomon the confidential post of "king's friend,"
which had been occupied by Hushai the Archite during the reign
of David. (2 Samuel 15:37; 16:16; 1 Chronicles 27:33) (B.C.
1012.)
Zabulon
the Greek form of the name Zebulun. (Matthew 4:13; 15;
Revelation 7:8)
Zaccai
(pure). The sons of Zaccai to the number of 760, returned with
Zerrubbabel. (Ezra 2:9; Nehemiah 7:14) (B.C. before 536.)
Zacchaeus
(pure), a tax-collector near Jericho, who, being short in
stature climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to obtain a
sight of Jesus as he passed through that place. (Luke 19:1-10)
Zacchaeus was a Jew, as may be inferred from his name and from
the fact that the Saviour speaks of him expressly as "a son of
Abraham." The term which designates his office -"the chief
among the publicans" -is unusual, but describes him, no doubt,
as the superintendent of customs or tribute in the district of
Jericho, where he lived. The office must have been a lucrative
one in such a region, and it is not strange that Zacchaeus is
mentioned by the evangelists as a rich man. The Saviour spent
the night probably in the house of Zacchaeus, and the next day
pursued his journey. He was in the caravan from Galilee which
was going to Jerusalem to keep the Passover.
Zacchur
a Simeonite, of the family of Mishma. (1 Chronicles 4:26)
Zaccur
(mindful).
+ Father of Shammua, the Reubenite spy. (Numbers 13:4) (B.C.
1451.)
+ A Merarite Levite, son of Jaaziah. (1 Chronicles 24:27)
+ Son of Asaph the singer. (1 Chronicles 25:2,10; Nehemiah
12:35)
+ The son of Imri who assisted Nehemiah in rebuilding the city
wall. (Nehemiah 3:2) (B.C. 446.)
+ A Levite, or family of Levites, who signed the covenant with
Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 10:18) (B.C. 410.)
+ A Levite whose son or descendant Hanan was one of the
treasurers over the treasuries appointed by Nehemiah.
(Nehemiah 13:13)
Zachariah
(remembered by Jehovah), or properly Zechariah.
+ Son of Jeroboam II., fourteenth king of Israel, and the last
of the house of Jehu. There is a difficulty about the date of
his reign. Most chronologers assume an interregnum of eleven
years between Jeroboam's death and Zachariah's accession. The
latter event took place B.C. 772-1. His reign lasted only six
months. He was killed in a conspiracy of which Shallum was
the head, and by which the prophecy in (2 Kings 10:30) was
accomplished,
+ The father of Abi or Abijah, Hezekiah's mother. (2 Kings
18:2)
Zacharias
(Greek form of Zechariah).
+ Father of John the Baptist. (Luke 1:5) etc. He was a priest
of the course of Abia. the eighth of the twenty-four courses
who ministered at the temple in turn. He probably lived at
Hebron. His wife's name was Elisabeth. John was born to them
in their old age, and the promise of this son was
communicated to Zacharias by an angel while he was offering
incense and praying in the temple.
+ Son of Barachias, who, our Lord says, was slain by the Jews
between the altar and the temple. (Matthew 23:35; Luke 11:61)
There has been much dispute who this Zacharias was. Many of
the Greek fathers have maintained that the father of John the
Baptist is the person to whom our Lord alludes but there can
be little or no doubt that the allusion is to Zechariah, the
son of Jehoiada, (2 Chronicles 24:20,21) and he may have been
called "the son" of Barachias from his grandfather. (B.C.
838.) He is mentioned as being the martyr last recorded in
the Hebrew Scriptures (as Abel was the first) -d Chronicles
being the last book in their canon.
Zacher
(memorial), one of the sons of Jehiel, the father or founder of
Gibeon, by his wife Maachah. (1 Chronicles 8:31) (B.C. about
1450.)
Zadok
(just).
+ Son of Ahitub and one of the two chief priests in the time of
David, Abiathar being the other. Zadok was of the house of
Eleazar the son of Aaron, (1 Chronicles 24:3) and eleventh in
descent from Aaron. (1 Chronicles 12:28) He joined David at
Hebron after Saul's death, (1 Chronicles 12:28) and
thenceforth his fidelity to David was inviolable. When
Absalom revolted and David fled from Jerusalem, Zadok and all
the Levites bearing the ark accompanied him. When Absalom was
dead, Zadok and Abiathar were the persons who persuaded the
elders of Judah to invite David to return. (2 Samuel 19:11)
When Adonijah, in David's old age, set up for king, and had
persuaded Joab, and Abiathar the priest, to join his party,
Zadok was unmoved, and was employed by David to anoint
Solomon to be king in his room. (1 Kings 1:34) For this
fidelity he was rewarded by Solomon who "thrust out Abiathar
from being priest unto the Lord," and "put in Zadok the
priest" in his room. (1 Kings 2:27,35) From this time,
however, we hear little of him. Zadok and Abiathar were of
nearly equal dignity. (2 Samuel 15:35,36; 19:11) The duties
of the office were divided, Zadok ministered before the
tabernacle at Gibeon, (1 Chronicles 16:39) Abiathar had the
care of the ark at Jerusalem.
+ According to the genealogy of the high priests in (1
Chronicles 6:12) there was a second Zadok, son of a second
Ahitub son of Amariah, about the time of King Ahaziah. It is
probable that no such person as this second Zadok ever
existed, but that the insertion of the two names is a
copyist's error.
+ Father of Jerushah, the wife of King Uzziah and mother of
King Jotham. (2 Kings 15:33; 2 Chronicles 27:1)
+ Son of Baana, and 5. Son of Immer, persons who repaired a
portion of the wall in Nehemiah's time. (Nehemiah 3:4,29)
+ In (1 Chronicles 9:11) and Nehe 11:11 Mention is made, in a
genealogy, of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub;
but it can hardly be doubtful that Meraioth is inserted by
the error of a copyist, and that Zadok the son of Ahitub is
meant.
Zaham
(fatness), son of Rehoboam by Abihail the daughter of Eliab. (2
Chronicles 11:19)
Zair
(small), a place named in (2 Kings 8:21) only, in the account
of Joram's expedition against the Edomites. It has been
conjectured that Zair is identical with Zoar.
Zalaph
(wound) father of Hanun, who assisted in rebuilding the city
wall. (Nehemiah 3:30)
Zalmon
(shady), an Ahohite one of David's guard. (2 Samuel 23:28)
Zalmon, Mount
a wooded eminence in the immediate neighborhood of Shechem.
(Judges 9:48) The name of Dalmanutha has been supposed to be a
corruption of that of Zalmon.
Zalmonah
(shady), a desert station of the Israelites, (Numbers 33:41)
lies on the east side of Edom.
Zalmunna
[[1313]Zebah]
Zamzummim
(Deuteronomy 2:20) only, the Ammonite name for the people who
by others were called Rephaim. They are described as having
originally been a powerful and numerous nation of giants. From
a slight similarity between the two names, and from the mention
of the Emim in connection with each, it is conjectured that the
Zamzummim are identical with the Zuzim.
Zanoah
(marsh).
+ A town of Judah in the Shefelah or plain, (Joshua 15:34;
Nehemiah 3:13; 11:30) possibly identical with Zanu'a .
+ A town of Judah in the highland district, (Joshua 15:66) not
improbably identical with Sanute, about 10 miles south of
Hebron.
+ In the genealogical lists of the tribe of Judah in 1 Chron.,
Jekuthiel is said to have been the father of Zanoah. ch. (1
Chronicles 4:18) As Zanoah is the name of a town of Judah,
this mention of Bithiah probably points to some colonization
of the place by Egyptians or by Israelites directly from
Egypt.
Zaphnathpaaneah
a name given by Pharaoh to Joseph. (Genesis 41:45) The rabbins
interpreted Zaphnath-paaneah as Hebrew in the sense revealer of
a secret . As the name must have been Egyptian, it has been
explained from the Coptic as meaning the preserver of the age.
Zaphon
(north), a place mentioned in the enumeration of the allotment
of the tribe of Gad. (Joshua 13:27)
Zara, Or Zarah
the son of Judah. (Matthew 1:3)
Zarah, Or Zerah
the son of Judah. (Genesis 38:30; 48:12)
Zareah
the same as Zorah and Zoreah. (Nehemiah 11:29)
Zareathites, The
the inhabitants of Zareah or Zorah. (1 Chronicles 2:53)
Zared, The Valley Of
[[1314]Zered]
Zarephath
(smelting place), the residence of the prophet Elijah during
the latter part of the drought. (1 Kings 17:9,10) It was near
to, or dependent on, Zidon. It is represented by the modern
village of Sura-fend . Of the old town considerable indications
remain. One group of foundations is on a headland called Ain
el-Kanatarah ; but the chief remains are south of this, and
extend for a mile or more, with many fragments of columns,
slabs and other architectural features. In the New Testament
Zarephath appears under the Greek form of [1315]Sarepta. (Luke
4:26)
Zaretan, Or Zarthan
(Joshua 3:16)
Zarethshahar
(splendor of the dawn), a place mentioned only in (Joshua
13:19) in the catalogue of the towns allotted to Reuben.
Zarhites, The
a branch of the tribe of Judah, descended from Zerah the son of
Judah. (Numbers 26:13,20; Joshua 7:17; 1 Chronicles 27:11,15)
Zartanah
(1 Kings 4:12) [[1316]Zaretan, Or Zarthan, [1317]Zarthan]
Zarthan
+ A place in the circle of Jordan, mentioned in connection with
Succoth. (1 Kings 7:46)
+ It is also named in the account of the passage of the Jordan
by the Israelites, (Joshua 3:18) where the authorized Version
has Zaretan.
+ A place with the similar name of Zartanah. (1 Kings 4:12)
+ Further, Zeredathah, named in (2 Chronicles 4:17) only in
specifying the situation of the foundries for the brass-work
of Solomon's temple, is substituted for Zarthan; and this
again is not impossibly identical with the Zererath of the
story of Gideon. (Judges 7:22) All these spots agree in
proximity to the Jordan, but beyond this we are absolutely at
fault as to their position.
Zattu
The sons of Zattu were a family of laymen of Israel who
returned with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:8; Nehemiah 7:13)
Zavan
(1 Chronicles 1:42) [[1318]Zaavan, Or Zavan]
Zaza
one of the sons of Jonathan, a descendant of Jerahmeel. (1
Chronicles 2:33)
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Zebadiah
+ A Benjamite of the sons of Beriah. (1 Chronicles 8:15)
+ A Benjamite of the sons of Elpaal. (1 Chronicles 8:17)
+ One of the sons of Jeroham of Gedor. (1 Chronicles 12:7)
+ Son of Asahel, the brother of Joab. (1 Chronicles 27:7)
+ Son of Michael, of the sons of Shephatiah. (Ezra 8:8)
+ A priest Of the sons of Immer, who had married a foreign wife
after the return from Babylon. (Ezra 10:20)
+ Third son of Meshelemiah the Korhite. (1 Chronicles 26:3)
+ A Levite in the reign of Jehoshaphat. (2 Chronicles 17:8)
+ The son of Ishmael and prince of the house of Judah in the
reign of Jehoshaphat. (2 Chronicles 19:11)
Zebah
and Zalmun'na (deprived of protection), the two "kings" of
Midian who commanded the great invasion of Palestine, and who
finally fell by the hand of Gideon himself. (Judges 8:5-21;
Psalms 83:11) (B.C. 1250.) While Oreb and Zeeb, two of the
inferior leaders of the incursion, had been slain, with a vast
number of their people, by the Ephraimites, at the central
fords of the Jordan the two kings had succeeded in making their
escape by a passage farther to the north (probably the ford
near Bethshean), and thence by the Wady Yabis, through Gilead,
to Kurkor, high up on the Hauran. Here they sere reposing their
with 15,000 men, a mere remnant of their huge horde, when
Gideon overtook them. The people fled in dismay, and Gideon
captured the two kings and brought them to his native village,
Ophrah where he slew them because they had killed his brothers.
Zebaim
(the gazelles), mentioned in the catalogue of the families of
"Solomon's slaves" who returned from the captivity with
Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:57; Nehemiah 7:59)
Zebedee
(my gift) (Greek form of Zabdi) a fisherman of Galilee, the
father of the apostles James the Great and John (Matthew 4:21)
and the husband of Salome. (Matthew 27:56; Mark 15:40) He
probably lived either at Bethsaida or in its immediate
neighborhood. It has been inferred from the mention of his
"hired servants," (Mark 1:20) and from the acquaintance between
the apostle John and Annas the high priest, (John 18:15) that
the family of Zebedee were in easy circumstances. comp. (John
19:27) although not above manual labor. (Matthew 4:21) He
appears only twice in the Gospel narrative, namely, in (Matthew
4:21,22; Mark 1:19,20) where he is seen in his boat with his
two sons mending their nets.
Zebina
(purchase), one of the sons of Nebo who had taken foreign wives
after the return from Babylon, (Ezra 10:43)
Zeboim
(gazelles).
+ One of the five cities of the "plain" or circle of Jordan. It
is mentioned in (Genesis 10:19; 14:2,8; 29:23; Hosea 11:8) in
each, of which passages it is either coupled with Admah or
placed next it in the lists--perhaps represented by Talaa
Sebaan, a name attached to extensive ruins on the high ground
between the Dead Sea and Kerak . In (Genesis 14:2,8) the name
is given more correctly in the Authorized Version ZEBOIIM.
+ The valley of Zeboim, a ravine or gorge, apparently east of
Michmash, mentioned only in (1 Samuel 13:18) The road running
from Michmash to the east is specified as "the road of the
border that looketh to the ravine of Zeboim toward the
wilderness." The wilderness is no doubt the district of
uncultivated mountain tops and sides which lies between the
central district of Benjamin and the Jordan valley. In that
very district there is a wild gorge bearing the name of Shuk
ed-Dubba', ravine of the hyena, "the exact equivalent of Ge
hat-tsebo'im .
Zebudah
(bestowed), wife of Josiah and mother of King Jehoiakim. (2
Kings 23:36) (B.C. 653.)
Zebul
(habitation), chief man (Authorized Version "ruler") of the
city of Shechem at the time of the contest between Abimelech
and the native Canaanites. (Judges 9:28,30,36,41) (B.C. 1209.)
Zebulonite
a member of the tribe of Zebulun. (Judges 12:11,12) Applied
only to Elon, the one judge produced by the tribe. (Judges
12:11,12)
Zebulun
(a habitation), the tenth of the sons of Jacob, according to
the order in which their births are enumerated, the sixth and
last of Leah. (Genesis 30:20; 35:23; 46:14; 1 Chronicles 2:1)
His birth is mentioned in (Genesis 30:19,20) Of the individual
Zebulun nothing is recorded. The list of Genesis46 ascribes to
him three sons, founders of the chief families of the tribe
(comp.) (Numbers 26:26) at the time of the migration to Egypt.
The tribe is not recorded to have taken part, for evil or good,
in any of the events of the wandering or the conquest. The
statement of Josephus is probably in the main correct, that it
reached on the one side to the Lake of Gennesareth and on the
other to Carmel and the Mediterranean. On the south it was
bounded by Issachar, who lay in the great plain or valley of
the Kishon; on the north it had Naphtali and Asher. Thus remote
from the centre of government, Zebulun remains throughout the
history with one exception, in the obscurity which envelops the
whole of the northern tribes. That exception, however, is a
remarkable one. The conduct of the tribe during the struggle
with Sisera, when they fought with desperate valor side by side
with their brethren of Naphtali, was such as to draw down the
special praise of Deborah, who singles them out from cell the
other tribes. (Judges 5:18)
Zebulunites, The
the members of the tribe of Zebulun. (Numbers 26:27) only.
Zechariah
+ The eleventh in order of the twelve minor prophets. He is
called in his prophecy the son of Berechiah and the grandson
of Iddo, whereas in the book of Ezra, (Ezra 5:1; 6:14) he is
said to have been the son of Iddo. It is natural to suppose
as the prophet himself mentions his father's name, whereas
the book of Ezra mentions only Iddo, that Berechiah had died
early, and that there was now no intervening link between the
grandfather and the grandson. Zechariah, like Jeremiah and
Ezekiel before him, was priest as well as prophet. He seems
to have entered upon his office while yet young, (Zechariah
2:4) and must have been born in Babylon whence he returned
with the first caravan of exiles under Zerubbabel and Jeshua.
It was in the eighth month, in the second year of Darius,
that he first publicly discharged his office. In this he
acted in concert with Haggai. Both prophets had the same
great object before them; both directed all their energies to
the building of the second temple. To their influence we find
the rebuilding of the temple in a great measure ascribed. If
the later Jewish accounts may be trusted, Zechariah, as well
as Haggai, was a member of the Great Synagogue. The genuine
writings of Zechariah help us but little in our estimate of
his character. Some faint traces, however, we may observe in
them, of his education in Babylon. He leans avowedly on the
authority of the older prophets, and copies their
expressions. Jeremiah especially seems to have been his
favorite; and hence the Jewish saying that "the spirit of
Jeremiah dwelt in Zechariah." But in what may be called the
peculiarities of his prophecy, he approaches more nearly to
Ezekiel and Daniel. Like them he delights in visions; like
them he uses symbols and allegories rather than the bold
figures and metaphors which lend so much force and beauty to
the writings of the earlier prophets. Generally speaking,
Zechariah's style is pure, and remarkably free from
Chaldaisms.
+ Son of Meshelemiah or Shelemiah a Korhite, and keeper of the
north gate of the tabernacle of the congregation, (1
Chronicles 9:21) (B.C. 1043.)
+ One of the sons of Jehiel. (1 Chronicles 9:37)
+ A Levite of the second order in the temple band as arranged
by David, appointed to play "with psalteries on Alamoth." (1
Chronicles 15:18,20) (B.C. 1043.)
+ One of the princes of Judah in the reign of Jehoshaphat. (2
Chronicles 17:7) (B.C. 910.)
+ Son of the high priest Jehoiada, in the reign of Joash king
of Judah (2 Chronicles 24:20) and therefore the king's
cousin. After the death of Jehoiada, Zechariah probably
succeeded to his office, and in attempting to check the
reaction in favor of idolatry which immediately followed he
fell a victim to a conspiracy formed against him by the king,
and was stoned in the court of the temple. He is probably the
same as the "Zacharias son of Barachias" who was slain
between the temple and the altar. (Matthew 23:35)
[[1319]Zacharias, No. 2] (B.C. 838.)
+ A Kohathite Levite in the reign of Josiah. (2 Chronicles
34:12) (B.C. 628.)
+ The leader of the sons of Pharosh who returned with Ezra.
(Ezra 8:3) (B.C. 450.)
+ Son of Behai. (Ezra 8:11)
+ One of the chiefs of the people whom Ezra summoned in council
at the river Ahava. (Ezra 8:16) He stood at Ezra's left hand
when he expounded the law to the people. (Nehemiah 8:4) (B.C.
459.)
+ One of the family of Elam who had married a foreign wife
after the captivity. (Ezra 10:26) (B.C.458.)
+ Ancestor of Athaiah or Uthai. (Nehemiah 11:4)
+ A Shilonite, descendant of Perez. (Nehemiah 11:5)
+ A priest, son of Pashur. (Nehemiah 11:12)
+ The representative of the priestly family of Iddo in the days
of Joiakim the son of Jeshua. (Nehemiah 12:16) (B.C. 536.)
possibly the same as Zechariah the prophet, the son of Iddo.
+ One of the priests, son of Jonathan, who blew with the
trumpets at the dedication of the city wall by Ezra and
Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 12:36,41) (B.C. 446.)
+ A chief of the Reubenites at the time of the captivity by
Tiglath-pileser. (1 Chronicles 5:7) (B.C. 740.)
+ One of the priests who accompanied the ark from the house of
Obed-edom. (1 Chronicles 15:24) (B.C. 1043.)
+ Son of Isshiah or Jesiah, a Kohathite Levite descended from
Uzziel. (1 Chronicles 24:25) (B.C. 1043.)
+ Fourth son of Hosah of the children of Merari. (1 Chronicles
26:11)
+ A Manassite. (1 Chronicles 27:21,22)
+ The father of Jahaziel. (2 Chronicles 20:14)
+ One of the sons of Jehoshaphat. (2 Chronicles 21:2)
+ A prophet in the reign of Uzziah who appears to have acted as
the king's counsellor, but of whom nothing is known. (2
Chronicles 26:5) (B.C. 807.)
+ The father of Abijah or Abi, Hezekiah's mother. (2 Chronicles
29:1)
+ One of the family of Asaph in the reign of Hezekiah. (2
Chronicles 29:13) (B.C. 727.)
+ One of the rulers of the temple in the reign of Josiah. (2
Chronicles 35:8) (B.C. 628.)
+ The son of Jeberechiah, who was taken by the prophet Isaiah
as one of the "faithful witnesses to record," when he wrote
concerning Maher-shalal-hash-baz. (Isaiah 8:2) (B.C. 723.) He
may have been the Levite of the same name who in the reign of
Hezekiah assisted in the purification of the temple. (2
Chronicles 29:13) Another conjecture is that he is the same
as Zechariah the father of Abijah, the queen of Ahaz.
Zechariah, The Book Of
The book of Zechariah, in its existing form, consists of three
principal parts, vis. chs. 1-8; chs. 9-11; chs. 12-14.
+ The first of these divisions is allowed by the critics to be
the genuine work of Zechariah the son of Iddo. It consists,
first, of a short introduction or preface in which the
prophet announces his commission; then of a series of
visions, descriptive of all those hopes and anticipations of
which the building of the temple was the pledge and sure
foundation and finally of a discourse, delivered two years
later, in reply to questions respecting the observance of
certain established fasts.
+ The remainder of the book consists of two sections of about
equal length, chs. 9-11 and 12-14, each of which has an
inscription. (1) In the first section he threatens Damascus
and the seacoast of Palestine with misfortune, but declares
that Jerusalem shall be protected. (2) The second section is
entitled "The burden of the word of Jehovah for Israel." But
Israel is here used of the nation at large, not of Israel as
distinct from Judah. Indeed the prophecy which follows
concerns Judah and Jerusalem, in this the prophet beholds the
near approach of troublous times, when Jerusalem should be
hard pressed by enemies. But in that day Jehovah shall come
to save them an all the nations which gather themselves
against Jerusalem shall be destroyed. Many modern critics
maintain that the later chapters, from the ninth to the
fourteenth, were written by some other prophet, who lived
before the exile. The prophecy closes with a grand and
stirring picture. All nations are gathered together against
Jerusalem, and seem already sure of their prey. Half of their
cruel work has been accomplished, when Jehovah himself
appears on behalf of his people. He goes forth to war against
the adversaries of his people. He establishes his kingdom
over all the earth. All nations that are still left shall
come up to Jerusalem, as the great centre of religious
worship, and the city; from that day forward shall be a holy
city. Such is, briefly, an outline of the second portion of
that book which is commonly known as the Prophecy of
Zechariah. Integrity . -Mede was the first to call this in
question. The probability that the later chapters, from the
ninth to the fourteenth, were by some other prophet seems
first to have been suggested to him by the citation in St.
Matthew. He rests his opinion partly on the authority of St.
Matthew and partly-on the contents of the later chapters,
which he considers require a date earlier than the exile.
Archbishop Newcombe went further. He insisted on the great
dissimilarity of style as well as subject between the earlier
and later chapters and he was the first who advocated the
theory that the last six chapters of Zechariah are the work
of two distinct prophets.
Zedad
(mountain side), one of the landmarks on the north border of
the land of Israel, as Promised by Moses, (Numbers 34:8) and as
restored by Ezekiel. (Ezekiel 47:15) A place named Sudud exists
to the east of the northern extremity of the chain of
Anti-Libanus, about fifty miles east-northeast of Baalbec .
This may be identical with Zedad.
Zedekiah
(justice of Jehovah).
+ The last king of Judah and Jerusalem. He was the son of
Josiah by his wife Hamutal, and therefore own brother to
Jehoahaz. (2 Kings 24:18) comp. 2Kin 23:31 His original name
was Mattaniah, which was changed to Zedekiah by
Nebuchadnezzar when he carried off his nephew Jehoiachim to
Babylon and left him on the throne of Jerusalem. Zedekiah was
but twenty-one years old when he was thus placed in charge of
an impoverished kingdom, B.C. 597. His history is contained
in a short sketch .of the events of his reign given in (2
Kings 24:17; 2 Kings 25:7) and, with some trifling variations
in (Jeremiah 39:1-7; 62:1-11) together with the still shorter
summary in (1 Chronicles 38:10) etc.; and also in Jere
21,24,27,28,29,32,34,37,38 and (Ezekiel 16:11-21) From these
it is evident that Zedekiah was a man not so much bad at
heart as weak in will. It is evident from Jere 27 and 28 that
the earlier portion of Zedekiah's reign was marked by an
agitation throughout the whole of Syria against the
Babylonian yoke. Jerusalem seems to have taken the lead,
since in the fourth year of Zedekiah's reign we find
ambassadors from all the neighboring kingdoms--Tyre, Sidon,
Edom and Moab--at his court to consult as to the steps to be
taken. The first act of rebellion of which any record
survives was the formation of an alliance with Egypt, of
itself equivalent to a declaration of enmity with Babylon. As
a natural consequence it brought on Jerusalem an immediate
invasion of the Chaldaeans. The mention of this event in the
Bible though indisputable, is extremely slight, and occurs
only in (Jeremiah 37:5-11; 34:21) and Ezek 17:15-20 But
Josephus (x.7,3) relates it more fully, and gives the date of
its occurrence, namely, the eighth year of Zedekiah. (B.C.
589.) Nebuchadnezzar at once sent an army to ravage Judea.
This was done, and the whole country reduced, except
Jerusalem and two strong places in the western plain, Lachish
and Azekah, which still held out. (Jeremiah 34:7) Called away
for a time by an attack from Pharaoh and the Egyptians, on
the tenth day of the tenth month of Zedekiah's ninth year the
Chaldeans were again before the walls. (Jeremiah 52:4) From
this time forward the siege progressed slowly but surely to
its consummation, The city was indeed reduced to the last
extremity. The bread had for long been consumed, (Jeremiah
38:9) and all the terrible expedients had been tried to which
the wretched inhabitants of a besieged town are forced to
resort in such cases. At last, after sixteen dreadful months
the catastrophe arrived. It was on the ninth day of the
fourth month, about the middle of July at midnight, as
Josephus with careful minuteness informs us, that the breach
in those strong and venerable walls was effected. The moon,
nine days old, had gone down. The wretched remnants of the
army acquitted the city in the dead of night; and as the
Chaldaean army entered the city at one end, the king and his
wives fled from it by the opposite gate. They took the road
toward the Jordan. As soon as the dawn of day permitted it,
swift pursuit was made. The king's party were overtaken near
Jericho and carried to Nebuchadnezzar, who was then at
Riblah, at the upper end of the valley of Lebanon.
Nebuchadnezzar, with a refinement of barbarity characteristic
of those cruel times ordered the sons of Zedekiah to be
killed before him, and lastly his own eyes to be thrust out.
He was then loaded with brazen fetters, and at a later period
taken to Babylon, where he died.
+ Son of Chenaanah, a false prophet at the court of Ahab, head,
or, if not head, virtual leader, of the college. (B.C. 896.)
He appears but once viz. as spokesman when the prophets are
consulted by Ahab on the result of his proposed expedition to
Ramoth-gilead. 1Kin 22; 2Chr 18. Zedekiah had prepared
himself for the interview with a pair of iron horns, with
which he illustrated the manner in which Ahab should drive
the Syrians before him. When Micaiah the prophet of the Lord
appeared and had delivered his prophecy, Zedekiah sprang
forward and struck him a blow on the face, accompanying it by
a taunting sneer.
+ The son of Maaseiah, a false prophet in Babylon. (Jeremiah
29:21,22) He was denounced in the letter of Jeremiah for
having, with Ahab the son of Kolaiah, buoyed up the people
with false hopes, not for profane and flagitious conduct.
Their names were to become a by-word, tend their terrible
fate a warning. (B.C. 595.)
+ The son of Hananiah, one of the princes of Judah in the time
of Jeremiah. (Jeremiah 38:12) (B.C. 605.)
Zeeb
(wolf), one of the two "princes" of Midian in the great
invasion of Israel. (B.C. about 1250.) He is always named with
Oreb. (Judges 7:25; 8:3; Psalms 83:11) Zeeb and Oreb were not
slain at the first rout of the Arabs, but at a later stage of
the struggle, probably ill crossing the Jordan at a ford
farther down the river. Zeeb, the wolf, was brought to bay in a
wine-press which in later times bore his name--the "wine-press
of Zeeb." [[1320]Oreb]
Zelah
(a rib), a city in the allotment of Benjamin, (Joshua 18:28)
contained the family tomb of Kish, the father of Saul. (2
Samuel 21:14) [Perhaps the same as [1321]Zelzah]
Zelok
(fissure), an Ammonite, one of David's guard. (2 Samuel 23:37;
1 Chronicles 11:39)
Zelophehad
(first-born), son of Zepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son
of Manasseh. (Joshua 17:3) (B.C. before 1450.) He was
apparently the second son of Hepher. (1 Chronicles 7:15)
Zelophehad came out of Egypt with Moses, but died in the
wilderness, as did the whole of that generation. (Numbers
14:35; 27:3) On his death without male heirs, his five
daughters, just after the second numbering in the wilderness,
came before Moses and Eleazar to claim the inheritance of their
father in the tribe of Manasseh. The claim was admitted by
divine direction. (Numbers 26:33; 27:1-11)
Zelotes
the epithet given to the apostle Simon to distinguish him from
Simon Peter. (Luke 6:15) [[1322]Canaanite, The; [1323]Simon, 5]
Zelzah
(shadow), a place named once only, (1 Samuel 10:2) as on the
boundary of Benjamin close to Rachel's sepulchre, five miles
southwest of Jerusalem.
Zemaraim
(double fleece of wool), a town in the allotment of Benjamin,
(Joshua 18:22) perhaps identical with Mount Zemaraim, mentioned
in (2 Chronicles 13:4) only, which was "in Mount Ephraim," that
is to say, within the general district of the highlands of that
great tribe. (2 Chronicles 13:4)
Zemarite, The
one of the Hamite tribes who in the genealogical table of
(Genesis 10:18) and 1Chr 1:16 Are represented as "sons of
Canaan." Nothing is certainly known of this ancient tribe. The
old interpreters place them at Emessa, the modern Hums .
Zemira
(a song), one of the sons of Becher the son of Benjamin. (1
Chronicles 7:8) (B.C. after 1706.)
Zenan
(pointed), a town in the allotment of Judah, situated in the
district of the Shefelah. (Joshua 15:37) It is probably
identical with [1324]Zaanan. (Micah 1:11)
Zenas
a believer, and, as may be inferred from the context, a
preacher of the gospel, who is mentioned in (Titus 3:13) in
connection with Apollos. He is further described as "the
lawyer." It is impossible to determine whether Zenas was a
Roman jurisconsult or a Jewish doctor.
Zephaniah
(hidden by Jehovah).
+ The ninth in order of the twelve minor prophets. His pedigree
is traced to his fourth ancestor, Hezekiah, (Zephaniah 1:1)
supposed to be the celebrated king of that name. The chief
characteristics of this book are the unity and harmony of the
composition, the grace, energy and dignity of its style, and
the rapid and effective alternations of threats and promises.
The general tone of the last portion is Messianic, but
without any specific reference to the person of our Lord. The
date of the book is given in the inscription--viz, the reign
of Josiah, from 642 to 611 B.C. It is most probable moreover,
that the prophecy was delivered before the eighteenth year of
Josiah.
+ The son of Maaseiah, (Jeremiah 21:1) and sagan or second
priest in the reign of Zedekiah. (B.C. 588.) He succeeded
Jehoida, (Jeremiah 29:25,26) and was probably a ruler of the
temple, whose office it was, among others, to punish
pretenders to the gift of prophecy. (Jeremiah 29:29) On the
capture of Jerusalem he was taken and slain at Riblah.
(Jeremiah 52:24,27; 2 Kings 25:18,21)
+ Father of Josiah, 2, (Zechariah 6:10) and of Hen, according
to the reading of the received text of (Zechariah 6:14)
Zephath
(watch-tower), the earlier name, (Judges 1:17) of a Canaanite
town, which after its capture and destruction was called by the
Israelites Hormah. [[1325]Hormah]
Zephathah
(watch-tower), The valley of, the spot in which Asa joined
battle with Zerah the Ethiopian. (2 Chronicles 14:10) only.
Zephi
(1 Chronicles 1:36) [[1326]Zepho]
Zepho
(watch-tower), son of Eliphaz, son of Esau, (Genesis 36:11) and
one of the "dukes" or phylarchs of the Edomites. ver. (Genesis
36:15) In (1 Chronicles 1:36) he is called [1327]Zephi. (B.C.
after 1760.)
Zephon
(watch), the son of Gad, (Numbers 26:15) and ancestor of the
family of the Zephonites. Called [1328]Ziphion In (Genesis
46:16) (B.C. 1706.)
Zer
(flint), a fortified town in the allotment of Naphtali, (Joshua
19:35) only, probably in the neighborhood of the southwest side
of the Lake of Gennesareth.
Zerah
(rising (of the sun)).
+ A son of Reuel, son of Esau, (Genesis 36:13; 1 Chronicles
1:37) and one of the "dukes" or phylarchs of the Edomites.
(Genesis 36:17) (B.C. after 1760.)
+ Less properly, Zarah, twin son, with his elder brother
Pharez, of Judah and Tamar. (Genesis 38:30; 1 Chronicles 2:4;
Matthew 1:3) (B.C. about 1728.) His descendants were called
Zarhites, Ezrahites and Izrahites. (Numbers 26:20; 1 Kings
4:31; 1 Chronicles 27:8,11)
+ Son of Simeon, (1 Chronicles 4:24) called [1329]Zohar in
(Genesis 46:10) (B.C. 1706.)
+ A Gershonite Levite, son of Iddo or Adaiah. (1 Chronicles
6:21,41) (B.C. 1043.)
+ The Ethiopian or Cushite, an invader of Judah, defeated by
Asa about B.C. 941. [[1330]Asa] Zerah is probably the Hebrew
name of Usarken I., second king of the Egyptian twenty-second
dynasty; or perhaps more probably Usarken II his second
successor. In the fourteenth year of Asa, Zerah the
Ethiopian, with a mighty army of or million, invaded his
kingdom, and advanced unopposed in the field as far as the
valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. The Egyptian monuments
enable us to picture the general disposition of Zerah's army.
The chariots formed the first corps in a single or double
line; behind them, massed in phalanxes, were heavy-armed
troops; probably on the flanks stood archers and horsemen in
lighter formations. After a prayer by Asa, his army attacked
the Egyptians and defeated them. The chariots, broken by the
charge and with horses made unmanageable by flights of arrows
must have been forced back upon the cumbrous host behind. So
complete was the overthrow that the Hebrews could capture and
spoil the cities around Gerah which must have been in
alliance with Zerah. The defeat of the Egyptian army is
without parallel in the history of the Jews. On no other
occasion did an Israelite army meet an army of one of the
great powers and defeat it.
Zerahiah
(Jehovah has risen).
+ A priest, son of Uzzi and ancestor of Ezra the scribe. (1
Chronicles 6:6,51; Ezra 7:4)
+ Father of Elihoenai of the sons of Pahath-moab, whose
descendants returned from the captivity with Ezra. (Ezra 8:4)
Zered
(osier brook), (2:13,14) or Za'red, (Numbers 21:12) a brook or
valley running into the Dead Sea near its southeast corner,
which Dr. Robinson with some probability suggests as identical
with the Wady el-Ahsy . It lay between Moab and Edom and is the
limit of the proper term of the Israelites' wandering. (2:14)
Zereda
(the fortress) the native place of Jeroboam. (1 Kings 11:26)
Zereda or Zeredah has been supposed to be identical with
Zeredathah and Zarthan or Zartanah; but the last two were in
the valley of the Jordan, while Zeredah was, according to the
repeated statement of the LXX., on Mount Ephraim.
Zeredathah
[[1331]Zaretan, Or Zarthan, [1332]Zarthan]
Zererath
[[1333]Zaretan, Or Zarthan, [1334]Zarthan]
Zeresh
(gold), the wife of Haman the Agagite. (Esther 5:10,14; 6:13)
(B.C. 475.)
Zereth
(splendor), son of Ashur, the founder of Tekoa, by his wife
Helah. (1 Chronicles 4:7) (B.C. 1440.)
Zeri
(built), one of the sons of Jeduthun in the reign of David. (1
Chronicles 25:3) (B.C. 1043.)
Zeror
(a bundle), a Benjamite, ancestor of Kish the father of Saul.
(1 Samuel 9:1) (B.C. about 1730.)
Zeruah
(full breasted), the mother of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. (1
Kings 11:26) (B.C. 973.)
Zerubbabel
(born at Babel, i.e. Babylon), the head of the tribe of Judah
at the time of the return from the Babylonish captivity in the
first year of Cyrus. The history of Zerabbabel in the
Scriptures is as follows: In the first year of Cyrus he was
living at Babylon, and was the recognized prince of Judah in
the captivity,--what in later times was called "the prince of
the captivity," or "the prince." On the issuing of Cyrus'
decree he immediately availed himself of it, and placed himself
at the head of those of his countrymen "whose spirit God had
raised to go up to build the house of the Lord which is in
Jerusalem." It is probable that he was in the king of Babylon's
service, both from his having, like Daniel and the three
children, received a Chaldee name, Sheshbazzar, and from the
fact that he was appointed by the Persian king to the office of
governor of Judea. On arriving at Jerusalem, Zerubbabel's great
work, which he set about immediately, was the rebuilding of the
temple. In the second month of the second year of the return
the foundation was laid with all the pomp which could be
commanded. The efforts of the Samaritans were successful in
putting a stop to the work during the seven remaining years of
the reign of Cyrus and through the eight years of Cambyses and
Smerdis. Nor does Zerubbabel appear quite blameless for this
long delay. The difficulties in the way of building the temple
were not such as need have stopped the work and during this
long suspension of sixteen years Zerubbabel and the rest of the
people had been busy in building costly houses for themselves.
But in the second year of Darius, light dawned upon the
darkness of the colony from Babylon. In that year--it was the
most memorable event in Zerabbabel's life--the spirit of
prophecy suddenly blazed up with a most brilliant light among
the returned captives. Their words fell like sparks upon
tinder. In a moment Zerubbabel roused from his apathy, threw
his whole strength into the work. After much opposition [see
[1335]Nehemiah, The Book Of] and many hindrances find delays,
the temple was at length finished, in the sixth pear of Darius,
and was dedicated with much pomp and rejoicing. [[1336]Temple]
The only other works of Zerubbabel of which we learn from
Scripture are the restoration of the courses of priests and
Levites and of the provision for their maintenance, according
to the institution of David (Ezra 6:18; Nehemiah 12:47) the
registering the returned captives according to their
genealogies, (Nehemiah 7:5) and the keeping of a Passover in
the seventh year of Darius, with which last event ends all that
we know of the life of Zerubbabel, His apocryphal history is
told in 1 Esdr. 3-7. The exact parentage of Zerubbabel is a
little obscure, from his being always called the son of
Shealtiel, (Ezra 3:2,8; 5:2) etc.; (Haggai 1:1,12,14) etc., end
appearing as such in the genealogies of Christ (Matthew 1:12;
Luke 3:27) whereas in (1 Chronicles 3:19) he is represented as
the son of Pedaiah, Shealtiel or Salathiel's brother, and
consequently as Salathiel's nephew. Zerubbabel was the legal
successor and heir of Jeconiah's royal estate, the grandson of
Neri and the lineal descendant of Nathan the son of David. In
the New Testament the name appears in the Greek form of
Zorobabel.
Zeruiah
(balsam), the mother of the three leading heroes of David's
army--Abishai, Joah and Asahel-- known as the "sons of
Zeruiah." Of Zeruiah's husband there is no mention in the
Bible. (B.C. before 1046.)
Zetham
(olive), the son of Laadan, a Gershonite Levite. (1 Chronicles
23:8) (B.C. 1043.)
Zethan
(olive), a Benjamite of the sons of Bilhan. (1 Chronicles 7:10)
(B.C. probably 1014.)
Zethar
(star), one of the seven eunuchs of Ahasuerus, (Esther 1:10)
(B.C. 453.)
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Table of Contents
Zia
(motion), one of the Gadites who dwelt in Bashan. (1 Chronicles
5:13) (B.C. 1014.)
Ziba
(statue), a servant of Saul whom David made steward of Saul's
son Mephibosheth. (2 Samuel 9:2-18; 16:1-4; 19:17,29)
[[1337]Mephibosheth] (B.C. 1023.)
Zibeon
(robber), father of Anah, whose daughter Aholibamah was Esau's
wife. (Genesis 36:2) (B.C. 1797.) Although called a Hivite, he
is probably the same as Zibeon the son of Seir the Horite.
(Genesis 36:20,24,29; 1 Chronicles 1:38,40)
Zibia
(roe), a Benjamite, apparently the son of Shaharaim by his wife
Hodesh. (1 Chronicles 8:9) (B.C. 1440.)
Zibiah
(roe), a native of Beersheba and mother of King Joash. (2 Kings
12:1; 2 Chronicles 24:1) (B.C. 876)
Zichri
(memorable).
+ Son of Ishar the son of Kohath. (Exodus 6:21) (B.C. 1401.)
+ A Benjamite of the sons of Shimhi. (1 Chronicles 8:19) (B.C.
1440.)
+ A Benjamite of the sons of Shashak. (1 Chronicles 8:23)
+ A Benjamite of the sons of Jeroham. (1 Chronicles 8:27)
+ Son of Asaph, elsewhere called [1338]Zabdi and ZACCUB. (1
Chronicles 9:15)
+ A descendant of Eliezer the son of Moses. (1 Chronicles
26:25) (B.C. before 1043.)
+ The father of Eliezer, the chief of the Reubenites in the
reign of David. (1 Chronicles 27:16) (B.C. before 1043.)
+ One of the tribe of Judah, father of Amasiah. (2 Chronicles
11:16)
+ Father of Elishaphat, one of the conspirators with Jehoiada.
(2 Chronicles 23:1) (B.C. before 876.)
+ An Ephraimite hero in the invading army of Pekah the son of
Remaliah. (2 Chronicles 28:7) (B.C. 734.)
+ Father or ancestor of [1339]Joel, 14. (Nehemiah 11:9)
+ A priest of the family of Abijah, in the days of Joiakim the
son of Jeshua. (Nehemiah 12:17) (B.C. 480.)
Ziddim
(the declivities), a fortified town in the allotment of
Naphtali, (Joshua 10:35)
Zidkijah
(justice of Jehovah) a priest or family of priests who signed
the covenant with Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 10:1) (B.C. 410.)
Zidon, Or Sidon
(Genesis 10:15,19; Joshua 11:8; 19:28; Judges 1:31; 18:28;
Isaiah 23:2,4,12; Jeremiah 25:22; 27:3; Ezekiel 28:21,22; Joel
3:4) (Joel 4:4); Zech 9:2; Matt 11:21,22; 15:21; Mark 3:8;
1:24,31; Luke 6:17; 10:13,14 An ancient and wealthy city of
Phoenicia, on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, less
than twenty English miles to the north of Tyre. Its Hebrew
name, Tsidon, signifies fishing or fishery . Its modern name is
Saida . It is situated in the narrow plain between the Lebanon
and the sea. From a biblical point of view this city is
inferior in interest to its neighbor Tyre; though in early
times Sidon was the more influential of the two cities. This
view is confirmed by Zidonians being used as the generic name
of Phoenicians or Canaanites. (Joshua 13:6; Judges 18:7) From
the time of Solomon to the invasion of Nebuchadnezzar Zidon is
not often directly mentioned in the Bible, and it appears to
have been subordinate to Tyre. When the people called
"Zidonians" are mentioned, it sometimes seems that the
Phoenicians of the plain of Zidon are meant. (1 Kings 5:6;
11:1,5,33; 16:31; 2 Kings 23:13) All that is known are
respecting the city is very scanty, amounting to scarcely more
than that one of its sources of gain was trade in slaves, in
which the inhabitants did not shrink from selling inhabitants
of Palestine and that it was governed by kings. (Jeremiah
25:22; 27:3) During the Persian domination Zidon seems to have
attained its highest point of prosperity; and it is recorded
that, toward the close of that period, it far excelled all
other Phoenician cities in wealth and importance. Its
prosperity was suddenly cut short by an unsuccessful revolt
against Persia, which ended in the destruction of the town,
B.C. 351. Its king, Tennes had proved a traitor and betrayed
the city to Ochus, king of the Persians; the Persian troops
were admitted within the gates, and occupied the city walls.
The Zidonians, before the arrival of Ochus, had burnt their
vessels to prevent any one's leaving the town; and when they
saw themselves surrounded by the Persian troops, they adopted
the desperate resolution of shutting themselves up with their
families, and setting fire each man to his own house. Forty
thousand persons are said to have perished in the flames. Zidon
however, gradually recovered from the blow, and became again a
flourishing town. It is about fifty miles distant from
Nazareth, and is the most northern city which is mentioned in
connection with Christ's journeys. (The town Saida still shows
signs of its former wealth, and its houses are better
constructed and more solid than those of Tyre, many of them
being built of stone; but it is a poor, miserable place,
without trade or manufactures worthy of the name. The city that
once divided with Tyre the empire of the seas is now almost
without a vessel. Silk and fruit are its staple products. Its
population is estimated at 10,000, 7000 of whom are Moslems,
and the rest Catholics, Maronites and Protestants.--McClintock
and Strong's Cyclopaedia. There is a flourishing Protestant
mission here.--ED.)
Zidonians
the inhabitants of Zidon. They were among the nations of
Canaan; left to give the Israelites practice in the art of war,
(Judges 3:3) and colonies of them appear to have spread up into
the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephothmaim, (Joshua
13:4,6) whence in later times they hewed cedar trees for David
and Solomon. (1 Chronicles 22:4) They oppressed the Israelites
on their first entrance into the country, (Judges 10:12) and
appear to have lived a luxurious, reckless life. (Judges 18:7)
They were skillful in hewing timber, (1 Kings 5:8) and were
employed for this purpose by Solomon. They were idolaters, and
worshipped Ashtoreth as their tutelary goddess, (1 Kings
11:5,33; 2 Kings 23:13) as well as the sun-god Baal from whom
their king was named. (1 Kings 16:31)
Zif
(1 Kings 6:1) [[1340]Month]
Ziha
(parched).
+ The children of Ziha were a family of Nethinim who returned
with Zerubbabel. (Ezra 2:43; Nehemiah 7:46) (B.C. 536.)
+ Chief of the Nethinim in Ophel. (Nehemiah 11:21) The name is
probably identical with the preceding.
Ziklag
(winding), a place which possesses a special interest from its
having been the residence and the private property of David. It
is first mentioned in the catalogue of the towns of Judah in
(Joshua 15:31) and occurs, in the same connection among the
places which were allotted out of the territory of Judah to
Simeon. (Joshua 19:5) We next encounter it in the possession of
the Philistines (1 Samuel 27:6) when it was, at David's
request, bestowed upon him by Achish king of Gath. He resided
there for a year and four months. (1 Samuel 27:6,7; 30:14,26; 1
Chronicles 12:1,20) It was there he received the news of Saul's
death. (2 Samuel 1:1; 4:10) He then relinquished it for Hebron.
(2 Samuel 2:1) Ziklag is finally mentioned as being reinhabited
by the people of Judah after their return from captivity.
(Nehemiah 11:28) The situation of the town is difficult to
determine, and we only know for certain that it was in the
south country.
Zillah
(shade). [[1341]Lamech]
Zilpah
(a trickling), a Syrian given by Laban to his daughter Leah as
an attendant, (Genesis 29:24) and by Leah to Jacob as a
concubine. She was the mother of Gad and Asher. (Genesis
30:9-13; 35:26; 37:2; 46:18) (B.C. 1753.)
Zilthai
(shady).
+ A Benjamite, of the sons of Shimhi. (1 Chronicles 8:20)
+ One of the captains of thousands of Manasseh who deserted to
David at Ziklag. (1 Chronicles 12:20) (B.C. 1054.)
Zimmah
(purpose).
+ A Gershonite Levite, son of Jahath. (1 Chronicles 6:20) (B.C.
after 1706.)
+ Another Gershonite, son of Shimei, (1 Chronicles 6:42)
possibly the same as the preceding.
+ Father of ancestor of Joab, a Gershonite in the reign of
Hezekiah. (2 Chronicles 29:12) (B.C. before 726.) At a much
earlier period we find the same collocation of names, Zimmah
and Joah as father and son. (1 Chronicles 6:20)
Zimran
(celebrated), the eldest son of Keturah. (Genesis 25:2; 1
Chronicles 1:32) His descendants are not mentioned, nor is any
hint given that he was the founder of a tribe. (B.C. 1855.)
Zimri
+ The son of Salu, a Simeonite chieftain, slain by Phinehas
with the Midianitish princess Cozbi. (Numbers 25:14). (B.C.
1450.)
+ Fifth sovereign of the separate kingdom of Israel, of which
he occupied the throne for the brief period of seven days,
B.C. 930 or 929. Originally in command of half the chariots
in the royal army, he gained the crown by the murder of King
Elah; son of Baasha. But the army made their general, Omri,
king, who marched against Tirzah, where Zimri was. Zimri
retreated into the innermost part of the late king's palace,
set it on fire, and perished in the ruins. (1 Kings 16:9-20)
+ One of the five sons of Zerah the son of Judah. (1 Chronicles
2:6) (B.C. after 1706.)
+ Son of Jehoadah and descendant of Saul. (1 Chronicles 8:36;
9:42)
+ An obscure name, mentioned (Jeremiah 25:25) in probable
connection with Dedan, Tema, Buz, Arabia, the "mingled
people." Nothing further is known respecting Zimri, but the
name may possibly be the same as, or derived from,
[1342]Zimran, which see.
Zin
(flat), the name given to a portion of the desert tract between
the Dead Sea, Ghor, and Arabah on the east, and the general
plateau of the Tih which stretches westward. The country in
question consists of two or three successive terraces of
mountain converging to an acute single at the Dead Sea's
southern verge, toward which also they slope. Kadesh lay in it,
and here also Idumea was conterminous with Judah; since Kadesh
was a city in the border of Edom. [See [1343]Kadesh,
Kadeshbarnea]. (Numbers 13:21; 20:1; 27:14; 33:36; 34:3; Joshua
15:1)
Zina
(abundance); Zizah, the second son of Shimei the Gershonite. (1
Chronicles 23:10) comp. 1Chr 23:11
Zion
[[1344]Jerusalem]
Zior
(smallness), a town in the mountain district of Judah. (Joshua
15:54) It belongs to the same group with Hebron.
Ziph
(battlement), the name of two towns in Judah.
+ In the south, named between Ithnan and Telem. (Joshua 15:24)
It does not appear again in the history, nor has any trace of
has been met with.
+ In the highland district, named between Carmel and Juttah.
(Joshua 15:55) The place is immortalized by its connection
with David. (1 Samuel 23:14,15,24; 26:2) These passages show
that at that time it had near it a wilderness (i,e, a waste
pasture-ground) and a wood. The latter has disappeared but
the former remains. The name of Zif if, found about three
miles south of Hebron, attached to a rounded hill of some 100
feet in height, which is called Tell Zif .
+ Son of Jehaleleel. (1 Chronicles 4:16)
Ziphah
(feminine of Ziph), another son of Jehaleleel. (1 Chronicles
4:16)
Ziphim, The
the inhabitants of [1345]Ziph, 2. In this form the name is
found in the Authorized Version only in the title of (Psalms
54:1) In the narrative it occurs in the more usual form of
ZIPHITES. (1 Samuel 23:19; 26:1)
Ziphion
son of Gad (Genesis 46:18) elsewhere called Zephon.
Ziphran
(fragrance), appoint in the north boundary of the promised land
as specified by Moses. (Numbers 34:9)
Zippor
(sparrow), father of Balak king of Moab. (Numbers 22:2,4,10,16;
23:18; Joshua 24:9; Judges 11:25) Whether he was the "former
king of Moab" alluded to in (Numbers 21:26) we are not told.
(B.C. 1451.)
Zipporah, Or Zipporah
daughter of Reuel or Jethro, the priest of Midian, wife of
Moses and mother of his two sons Gershom and Eliezer. (Exodus
2:21; 4:25; 18:2) comp. Exod 18:6 (B.C. 1530.) The only
incident recorded in her life is that of the circumcision of
Gershom. (Exodus 4:24-28)
Zithri
(protection of Jehovah), properly Sithri; one of the sons of
Uzziel the son of Kohath. (Exodus 6:22) In (Exodus 6:21) Zithri
should be Zichri, as in Authorized Version of 1611.
Ziz
(the projection), The cliff of, the pass by which the horde of
Moabites, Ammonites and Mehunim made their way up from the
shores of the Dead Sea to the wilderness of Judah near Tekoa.
(2 Chronicles 20:16) only; comp. 2Chr 20:20 It was the pass of
Ain Jidy--the very same route which is taken by the Arabs in
their marauding expeditions at the present day.
Ziza
(shining).
+ Son of Shiphi, a chief of the Simeonites in the reign of
Hezekiah. (1 Chronicles 4:37) (B.C. about 725.)
+ Son of Rehoboam by Maachah the granddaughter of Absalom. (2
Chronicles 11:20) (B.C. after 973.)
Zizah
a Gershonite Levite, second son of Shimei, (1 Chronicles 23:11)
called [1346]Zina in ver. (1 Chronicles 23:10)
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Zoan
(place of departure), an ancient city of lower Egypt, called
Tanis by the Greeks. It stood on the eastern bank of the
Tanitic branch of the Nile. Its name indicates a place of
departure from a country, and hence it has been identified with
Avaris (Tanis, the modern San), the capital of the Shepherd
dynasty in Egypt, built seven years after Hebron and existing
before the time of Abraham. It was taken by the Shepherd kings
in their invasion of Egypt, and by them rebuilt, and
garrisoned, according to Manetho, with 240,000 men. This cite
is mentioned in connection with the plagues in such a manner as
to leave no doubt that it is the city spoken of in the
narrative in Exodus as that where Pharaoh dwelt, (Psalms
78:42,43) and where Moses wrought his wonders on the field of
Zoan a rich plain extending thirty miles toward the east. Tanis
gave its name to the twenty-first and twenty-third dynasties
and hence its mention in Isaiah. (Isaiah 19:13; 30:4) (The
present "field of Zoan" is a barren waste, very thinly
inhabited. "One of the principal capitals of Pharaoh is now the
habitation of fishermen the resort of wild beasts, and infested
with reptiles and malignant fevers." There have been discovered
a great number of monuments here which throw light upon the
Bible history. Brugsch refers to two statues of colossal size
of Mermesha of the thirteenth dynasty, wonderfully perfect in
the execution of the individual parts and says that memorials
of Rameses the Great lie scattered broadcast like the
mouldering bones of generations slain long ago. The area of the
sacred enclosure of the temple is 1500 feet by 1250.-ED.)
Zoar
(smallness), one of the most ancient cities of the land of
Canaan. Its original name was [1347]Bela. (Genesis 14:2,8) It
was in intimate connection with the cities of the "plain of
Jordan"--Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, See also (Genesis
13:10) but not Genesis10:19 In the general destruction of the
cities of the plain Zoar was spared to afford shelter to Lot.
(Genesis 19:22,23,30) It is mentioned in the account of the
death of Moses as one (of the landmarks which bounded his view
from Pisgah, (34:3) and it appears to have been known in the
time both of Isaiah, (Isaiah 15:5) and Jeremiah. (Jeremiah
48:34) These are all the notices of Zoar contained in the
Bible. It was situated in the same district with the four
cities already mentioned, viz. in the "plain" or "circle" of
the Jordan, and the narrative of (Genesis 19:1)... evidently
implies that it was very near to Sodom. vs. (Genesis 19:15;
23:27) The definite position of Sodom is, and probably will
always be, a mystery; but there can be little doubt that the
plain of the Jordan was at the north side of the Dead Sea and
that the cities of the plain must therefore have been situated
there instead of at the southern end of the lake, as it is
generally taken for granted they were. [[1348]Sodom] (But the
great majority of scholars from Josephus and Eusebius to the
present of the Dead Sea.)
Zoba, Or Zobah
(station), the name of a portion of Syria which formed a
separate kingdom in the time of the Jewish monarchs Saul, David
and Solomon. It probably was eastward of Coele-Syria, and
extended thence northeast and east toward, if not even to, the
Euphrates. We first hear of Zobah in the time of Saul, when we
find it mentioned as a separate country, governed apparently by
a number of kings who owned no common head or chief. (1 Samuel
14:47) Some forty years later than this we find Zobah under a
single ruler Hadadezer son of Rehob. He had wars with Toi king
of Hamath, (2 Samuel 8:10) and held various petty Syrian
princes as vassals under his yoke. (2 Samuel 10:19) David, (2
Samuel 8:3) attacked Hadadezer in the early part of his reign,
defeated his army, and took from him a thousand chariots, seven
hundred (seven thousand,) (1 Chronicles 18:4) horsemen and
20,000 footmen. Hadadezer's allies, the Syrians of Damascus,
were defeated in a great battle. The wealth of Zobah is very
apparent in the narrative of this campaign. A man of Zobah,
Rezon son of Eliadah, made himself master of Damascus where he
proved a fierce adversary to Israel all through the reign of
Solomon. (1 Kings 11:23-25) Solomon also was, it would seem
engaged in a war with Zobah itself. (2 Chronicles 8:3) This is
the last that we hear of Zobah in Scripture. The name however,
is found at a later date in the inscriptions of Assyria, where
the kingdom of Zobah seems to intervene between Hamath and
Damascus.
Zobebah
(the slow), son of Coz, of the tribe of Judah. (1 Chronicles
4:8)
Zohar
(light).
+ Father of Ephron the Hittite. (Genesis 23:8; 25:9) (B.C.
before 1860.)
+ One of the sons of Simeon (Genesis 46:10; Exodus 6:15) called
[1349]Zarah, Or Zerah, [1350]Zerah in (1 Chronicles 4:24)
Zoheleth
(serpent), The stone, This was "by En-rogel," (1 Kings 1:9) and
therefore, if En-rogel be the modern Um-ed-Deraj, this stone,
"where Adonijah slew sheep and oxen," was in all likelihood not
far from the well of the Virgin.
Zoheth
son of Ishi of the tribe of Judah. (1 Chronicles 4:20)
Zophah
(a cruse) son of Helem or Hotham the son of Heber, an Asherite.
(1 Chronicles 7:35,36)
Zophai
(descended from Zuph), a Kohathite Levite, son of Elkanah and
ancestor of Samuel. (2 Chronicles 6:26) (11). In ver. 35 he is
called [1351]Zuph.
Zophar
(sparrow), one of the three friends of Job. (Job 2:11; 11:1;
20:1; 42:9)
Zophim
(watchers), The field of, a spot on or near the top of Pisgah,
from which Balaam had his second view of the encampment of
Israel. (Numbers 23:14) The position of the field of Zophim is
not defined. Possibly it is the same place which later in the
history is mentioned as Mizpah-moab.
Zorah
(hornet), a town in the allotment of the tribe of Dan, (Joshua
19:41) It is previously mentioned ch. (Joshua 15:33) in the
catalogue of Judah, among the places in the district of the
Shefelah (Authorized Version "Zoreah"), It was the residence of
Manoah and the native place of Samson. It is mentioned among
the places fortified by Rehoboam. (2 Chronicles 11:10) It is
perhaps identical with the modern village of Sur'ah .
Zorathites, The
i.e. the people of Zorah, mentioned in (1 Chronicles 4:2) as
descended from Shobal.
Zoreah
[[1352]Zorah]
Zorites, The
are named in the genealogies of Judah, (1 Chronicles 2:54)
apparently among the descendants of Salma and near connections
of Joab.
Zorobabel
(Matthew 1:12,13; Luke 3:27) [[1353]Zerubbabel]
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Zuar
(littleness), father of Nethaneel the chief of the tribe of
Issachar at the time of the exodus. (Numbers 1:8; 2:5; 7:18,23;
10:15) (B.C. 2491.)
Zuph
a Kohathite Levite, ancestor of Elkanah and Samuel. (1 Samuel
1:1; 1 Chronicles 6:35) In (1 Chronicles 6:26) he is called
[1354]Zophai.
(honeycomb), The land of, a district at which Saul and his
servant arrived after passing through the possessions of
Shalisha, of Shalim and of the Benjamites. (1 Samuel 9:5) only.
It evidently contained the city in which they encountered
Samuel, ver. 6, and that again was certainly not far from the
"tomb of Rachel." It may perhaps be identified with Soba, a
well-known place about seven miles due west of Jerusalem.
Zur
(a rock).
+ Father of Cozbi, (Numbers 25:15) and one of the five princes
of Midian who were slain by the Israelites when Balaam fell.
(Numbers 31:8) (B.C. 1451.)
+ Son of Jehiel, the founder of Gideon. (1 Chronicles 8:30;
9:36), (B.C. after 1445.)
Zuriel
(my rock is God) son of Abihail, and chief of the Merarite
Levites at the time of the exodus. (Numbers 3:35)
Zurishaddai
(my rock is the Almighty), father of Shelumiel, the chief of
the tribe of Simeon at the time of the exodus. (Numbers 1:6;
2:12; 7:36,41; 10:19)
Zuzim, The
An ancient people who, lying in the path of Chedorlaomer and
his allies, were attacked and overthrown by them. (Genesis
14:5) The Zuzim perhaps inhabited the country of the Ammonites,
who were identical with the Zamzummim, who are known to have
ben exterminated and succeeded in their land by the Ammonites
[[1355]Zamzummim].