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Zemaraim - (1.)
A town of Benjamin (Josh. 18:22); now the ruin, rather two ruins,
es-Sumrah, 4 miles north of Jericho.
(2.) A mount in the highlands of Ephraim, to
the north of Jerusalem (2 Chr. 13:4-20). Here the armies of Abijah
and Jeroboam engaged in a bloody battle, which issued in the total
defeat of the king of Israel, who never "recovered strength again,"
and soon after died.
Zemarite - the
designation of one of the Phoenician tribes (Gen. 10:18) who
inhabited the town of Sumra, at the western base of the Lebanon
range. In the Amarna tablets (B.C. 1400) Zemar, or Zumur, was one of
the most important of the Phoenician cities, but it afterwards
almost disappears from history.
Zemira -
vine-dresser, a Benjamite; one of the sons of Becher (1 Chr. 7:8).
Zenas - a
disciple called "the lawyer," whom Paul wished Titus to bring with
him (Titus 3:13). Nothing more is known of him.
Zephaniah -
Jehovah has concealed, or Jehovah of darkness. (1.) The son of Cushi,
and great-grandson of Hezekiah, and the ninth in the order of the
minor prophets. He prophesied in the days of Josiah, king of Judah
(B.C. 641-610), and was contemporary with Jeremiah, with whom he had
much in common. The book of his prophecies consists of:
(a) An introduction (1:1-6), announcing the
judgment of the world, and the judgment upon Israel, because of
their transgressions.
(b) The description of the judgment (1:7-18).
(c) An exhortation to seek God while there is
still time (2:1-3).
(d) The announcement of judgment on the
heathen (2:4-15).
(e) The hopeless misery of Jerusalem (3:1-7).
(f) The promise of salvation (3:8-20).
(2.) The son of Maaseiah, the "second priest"
in the reign of Zedekiah, often mentioned in Jeremiah as having been
sent from the king to inquire (Jer. 21:1) regarding the coming woes
which he had denounced, and to entreat the prophet's intercession
that the judgment threatened might be averted (Jer. 29:25, 26, 29;
37:3; 52:24). He, along with some other captive Jews, was put to
death by the king of Babylon "at Riblah in the land of Hamath" (2
Kings 25:21).
(3.) A Kohathite ancestor of the prophet
Samuel (1 Chr. 6:36).
(4.) The father of Josiah, the priest who
dwelt in Jerusalem when Darius issued the decree that the temple
should be rebuilt (Zech. 6:10).
Zephath -
beacon; watch-tower, a Canaanite town; called also Hormah (q.v.),
Judg. 1:17. It has been identified with the pass of es-Sufah, but
with greater probability with S'beita.
Zephathah - a
valley in the west of Judah, near Mareshah; the scene of Asa's
conflict with Zerah the Ethiopian (2 Chr. 14:9-13). Identified with
the Wady Safieh.
Zerah -
sunrise. (1.) An "Ethiopian," probably Osorkon II., the successor of
Shishak on the throne of Egypt. With an enormous army, the largest
we read of in Scripture, he invaded the kingdom of Judah in the days
of Asa (2 Chr. 14:9-15). He reached Zephathah, and there encountered
the army of Asa. This is the only instance "in all the annals of
Judah of a victorious encounter in the field with a first-class
heathen power in full force." The Egyptian host was utterly routed,
and the Hebrews gathered "exceeding much spoil." Three hundred years
elapsed before another Egyptian army, that of Necho (B.C. 609), came
up against Jerusalem.
(2.) A son of Tamar (Gen. 38:30); called also
Zara (Matt. 1:3).
(3.) A Gershonite Levite (1 Chr. 6:21, 41).
Zered - =Zared,
luxuriance; willow bush, a brook or valley communicating with the
Dead Sea near its southern extremity (Num. 21:12; Deut. 2:14). It is
called the "brook of the willows" (Isa. 15:7) and the "river of the
wilderness" (Amos 6:14). It has been identified with the Wady el-Aksy.
Zereda - the
fortress, a city on the north of Mount Ephraim; the birthplace of
Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:26). It is probably the same as Zaretan (Josh.
3:16), Zererath (Judg. 7:22), Zartanah (1 Kings 4:12), or the
following.
Zeredathah - a
place in the plain of Jordan; the same as Zarthan (2 Chr. 4:17; 1
Kings 7:46). Here Solomon erected the foundries in which Hiram made
the great castings of bronze for the temple.
Zererath - (Judg.
7:22), perhaps identical with Zereda or Zeredathah. Some identify it
with Zahrah, a place about 3 miles west of Beth-shean.
Zeresh - star
of Venus, the wife of Haman, whom she instigated to prepare a
gallows for Mordecai (Esther 5:10).
Zeruah -
stricken, mother of Jeroboam, the first king of the ten tribes (1
Kings 11:26).
Zerubbabel -
the seed of Babylon, the son of Salathiel or Shealtiel (Hag. 1:1;
Zorobabel, Matt. 1:12); called also the son of Pedaiah (1 Chr.
3:17-19), i.e., according to a frequent usage of the word "son;" the
grandson or the nephew of Salathiel. He is also known by the Persian
name of Sheshbazzar (Ezra 1:8, 11). In the first year of Cyrus, king
of Persia, he led the first band of Jews, numbering 42,360 (Ezra
2:64), exclusive of a large number of servants, who returned from
captivity at the close of the seventy years. In the second year
after the Return, he erected an altar and laid the foundation of the
temple on the ruins of that which had been destroyed by
Nebuchadnezzar (3:8-13; ch. 4-6). All through the work he occupied a
prominent place, inasmuch as he was a descendant of the royal line
of David.
Zeruiah -
stricken of the Lord, David's sister, and the mother of Abishai,
Joab, and Asahel (1 Chr. 2:16), who were the three leading heroes of
David's army, and being his nephews, they were admitted to the
closest companionship with him.
Zetham - olive
planter, a Levite (1 Chr. 23:8).
Zethan - a
Benjamite (1 Chr. 7:10).
Zia - fear, a
Gadite (1 Chr. 5:13).
Ziba - post;
statue, "a servant of the house of Saul" (2 Sam. 9:2), who informed
David that Mephibosheth, a son of Jonathan, was alive. He afterwards
dealt treacherously toward Mephibosheth, whom he slanderously
misrepresented to David.
Zibeon -
robber; or dyed. (1.) A Hivite (Gen. 36:2).
(2.) A Horite, and son of Seir (Gen. 36:20).
Zibia -
gazelle, a Benjamite (1 Chr. 8:9).
Zibiah - the
mother of King Joash (2 Kings 12:1; 2 Chr. 24:1).
Zichri -
remembered; illustrious. (1.) A Benjamite chief (1 Chr. 8:19).
(2.) Another of the same tribe (1 Chr. 8:23).
Ziddim - sides,
a town of Naphtali (Josh. 19:35), has been identified with
Kefr-Hattin, the "village of the Hittites," about 5 miles west of
Tiberias.
Zidkijah - the
Lord is righteous, one who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah (Neh.
10:1).
Zidon - a
fishery, a town on the Mediterranean coast, about 25 miles north of
Tyre. It received its name from the "first-born" of Canaan, the
grandson of Noah (Gen. 10:15, 19). It was the first home of the
Phoenicians on the coast of Palestine, and from its extensive
commercial relations became a "great" city (Josh. 11:8; 19:28). It
was the mother city of Tyre. It lay within the lot of the tribe of
Asher, but was never subdued (Judg. 1:31). The Zidonians long
oppressed Israel (Judg. 10:12). From the time of David its glory
began to wane, and Tyre, its "virgin daughter" (Isa. 23:12), rose to
its place of pre-eminence. Solomon entered into a matrimonial
alliance with the Zidonians, and thus their form of idolatrous
worship found a place in the land of Israel (1 Kings 11:1, 33). This
city was famous for its manufactures and arts, as well as for its
commerce (1 Kings 5:6; 1 Chr. 22:4; Ezek. 27:8). It is frequently
referred to by the prophets (Isa. 23:2, 4, 12; Jer. 25:22; 27:3;
47:4; Ezek. 27:8; 28:21, 22; 32:30; Joel 3:4). Our Lord visited the
"coasts" of Tyre and Zidon = Sidon (q.v.), Matt. 15:21; Mark 7:24;
Luke 4:26; and from this region many came forth to hear him
preaching (Mark 3:8; Luke 6:17). From Sidon, at which the ship put
in after leaving Caesarea, Paul finally sailed for Rome (Acts 27:3,
4).
This city is now a town of 10,000
inhabitants, with remains of walls built in the twelfth century A.D.
In 1855, the sarcophagus of Eshmanezer was discovered. From a
Phoenician inscription on its lid, it appears that he was a "king of
the Sidonians," probably in the third century B.C., and that his
mother was a priestess of Ashtoreth, "the goddess of the Sidonians."
In this inscription Baal is mentioned as the chief god of the
Sidonians.
Zif -
brightness; splendour; i.e., "the flower month," mentioned only in 1
Kings 6:1, 37, as the "second month." It was called Iyar by the
later Jews. (See
MONTH.)
Ziha - drought.
(1.) The name of a family of Nethinim (Ezra 2:43; Neh. 7:46). (2.) A
ruler among the Nethinim (Neh. 11:21).
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Ziklag - a town
in the Negeb, or south country of Judah (Josh. 15:31), in the
possession of the Philistines when David fled to Gath from Ziph with
all his followers. Achish, the king, assigned him Ziklag as his
place of residence. There he dwelt for over a year and four months.
From this time it pertained to the kings of Judah (1 Sam. 27:6).
During his absence with his army to join the Philistine expedition
against the Israelites (29:11), it was destroyed by the Amalekites
(30:1, 2), whom David, however, pursued and utterly routed,
returning all the captives (1 Sam. 30:26-31). Two days after his
return from this expedition, David received tidings of the
disastrous battle of Gilboa and of the death of Saul (2 Sam.
1:1-16). He now left Ziklag and returned to Hebron, along with his
two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail, and his band of 600 men. It has been
identified with 'Asluj, a heap of ruins south of Beersheba. Conder,
however, identifies it with Khirbet Zuheilikah, ruins found on three
hills half a mile apart, some seventeen miles north-west of
Beersheba, on the confines of Philistia, Judah, and Amalek.
Zillah -
shadow, one of the wives of Lamech, of the line of Cain, and mother
of Tubal-cain (Gen. 4:19, 22).
Zilpah -
drooping, Leah's handmaid, and the mother of Gad and Asher (Gen.
30:9-13).
Zilthai -
shadow (i.e., protection) of Jehovah. (1.) A Benjamite (1 Chr.
8:20). (2.) One of the captains of the tribe of Manasseh who joined
David at Ziklag (1 Chr. 12:20).
Zimmah -
mischief. (1.) A Gershonite Levite (1 Chr. 6:20).
(2.) Another Gershonite Levite (1 Chr. 6:42).
(3.) The father of Joah (2 Chr. 29:12).
Zimran -
vine-dressers; celebrated, one of the sons of Abraham by Keturah
(Gen. 25:2).
Zimri -
praise-worthy. (1.) A son of Salu, slain by Phinehas, the son of
Eleazar, because of his wickedness in bringing a Midianitish woman
into his tent (Num. 25:6-15).
(2.) Murdered Elah at Tirzah, and succeeded
him on the throne of Israel (1 Kings 16:8-10). He reigned only seven
days, for Omri, whom the army elected as king, laid siege to Tirzah,
whereupon Zimri set fire to the palace and perished amid its ruins
(11-20). Omri succeeded to the throne only after four years of
fierce war with Tibni, another claimant to the throne.
Zin - a low
palm-tree, the south-eastern corner of the desert et-Tih, the
wilderness of Paran, between the Gulf of Akabah and the head of the
Wady Guraiyeh (Num. 13:21). To be distinguished from the wilderness
of Sin (q.v.).
Zina -
ornament, one of the sons of Shimei (1 Chr. 23:10).
Zion - sunny;
height, one of the eminences on which Jerusalem was built. It was
surrounded on all sides, except the north, by deep valleys, that of
the Tyropoeon (q.v.) separating it from Moriah (q.v.), which it
surpasses in height by 105 feet. It was the south-eastern hill of
Jerusalem.
When David took it from the Jebusites (Josh.
15:63; 2 Sam. 5:7) he built on it a citadel and a palace, and it
became "the city of David" (1 Kings 8:1; 2 Kings 19:21, 31; 1 Chr.
11:5). In the later books of the Old Testament this name was
sometimes used (Ps. 87:2; 149:2; Isa. 33:14; Joel 2:1) to denote
Jerusalem in general, and sometimes God's chosen Israel (Ps. 51:18;
87:5).
In the New Testament (see SION ¯T0003448) it
is used sometimes to denote the Church of God (Heb. 12:22), and
sometimes the heavenly city (Rev. 14:1).
Zior -
littleness, a city in the mountains of Judah (Josh. 15:54); the
modern Si'air, 4 1/2 miles north-north-east of Hebron.
Ziph - flowing.
(1.) A son of Jehaleleel (1 Chr. 4:16).
(2.) A city in the south of Judah (Josh.
15:24), probably at the pass of Sufah.
(3.) A city in the mountains of Judah (Josh.
15:55), identified with the uninhabited ruins of Tell ez-Zif, about
5 miles south-east of Hebron. Here David hid himself during his
wanderings (1 Sam. 23:19; Ps. 54, title).
Ziphah - a
descendant of Judah (1 Chr. 4:16).
Ziphron - sweet
odour, a city on the northern border of Palestine (Num. 34:9),
south-east of Hamath.
Zippor - a
little bird, the father of Balak, king of Moab (Num. 22:2, 4).
Zipporah - a
female bird. Reuel's daughter, who became the wife of Moses (Ex.
2:21). In consequence of the event recorded in Ex. 4:24-26, she and
her two sons, Gershom and Eliezer, when so far on the way with Moses
toward Egypt, were sent back by him to her own kinsfolk, the
Midianites, with whom they sojourned till Moses afterwards joined
them (18:2-6).
Zithri - the
Lord protects, a Levite, son of Uzziel (Ex. 6:22).
Ziz -
projecting; a flower, a cleft or pass, probably that near En-gedi,
which leads up from the Dead Sea (2 Chr. 20:16) in the direction of
Tekoa; now Tell Hasasah.
Ziza -
splendour; abundance. (1.) A Simeonite prince (1 Chr. 4:37-43).
(2.) A son of Rehoboam (2 Chr. 11:20).
Zizah - a
Gershonite Levite (1 Chr. 23:11).
Zoan - (Old
Egypt. Sant= "stronghold," the modern San). A city on the Tanitic
branch of the Nile, called by the Greeks Tanis. It was built seven
years after Hebron in Palestine (Num. 13:22). This great and
important city was the capital of the Hyksos, or Shepherd kings, who
ruled Egypt for more than 500 years. It was the frontier town of
Goshen. Here Pharaoh was holding his court at the time of his
various interviews with Moses and Aaron. "No trace of Zoan exists;
Tanis was built over it, and city after city has been built over the
ruins of that" (Harper, Bible and Modern Discovery). Extensive
mounds of ruins, the wreck of the ancient city, now mark its site (Isa.
19:11, 13; 30:4; Ezek. 30:14). "The whole constitutes one of the
grandest and oldest ruins in the world."
This city was also called "the Field of Zoan"
(Ps. 78:12, 43) and "the Town of Rameses" (q.v.), because the
oppressor rebuilt and embellished it, probably by the forced labour
of the Hebrews, and made it his northern capital.
Zoar - small, a
town on the east or south-east of the Dead Sea, to which Lot and his
daughters fled from Sodom (Gen. 19:22, 23). It was originally called
Bela (14:2, 8). It is referred to by the prophets Isaiah (15:5) and
Jeremiah (48:34). Its ruins are still seen at the opening of the
ravine of Kerak, the Kir-Moab referred to in 2 Kings 3, the modern
Tell esh-Shaghur.
Zobah - =Aram-Zobah,
(Ps. 60, title), a Syrian province or kingdom to the south of Coele-Syria,
and extending from the eastern slopes of Lebanon north and east
toward the Euphrates. Saul and David had war with the kings of Zobah
(1 Sam. 14:47; 2 Sam. 8:3; 10:6).
Zohar -
brightness. (1.) The father of Ephron the Hittite (Gen. 23:8).
(2.) One of the sons of Simeon (Gen. 46:10;
Ex. 6:15).
Zoheleth - the
serpent-stone, a rocky plateau near the centre of the village of
Siloam, and near the fountain of En-rogel, to which the women of the
village resort for water (1 Kings 1:5-9). Here Adonijah (q.v.)
feasted all the royal princess except Solomon and the men who took
part with him in his effort to succeed to the throne. While they
were assembled here Solomon was proclaimed king, through the
intervention of Nathan. On hearing this, adonijah fled and took
refuge in the sanctuary (1 Kings 1:49-53). He was afterwards
pardoned.
Zoheleth projects into or slightly over-hangs
the Kidron valley. It is now called ez-Zehwell or Zahweileh.
Zoheth -
snatching (?), one of the sons of Ishi (1 Chr. 4:20).
Zophah -
spreading out, a son of Helem (1 Chr. 7:35), a chief of Asher.
Zophar -
chirping, one of Job's friends who came to condole with him in his
distress (Job 2:11. The LXX. render here "king of the Mineans" =
Ma'in, Maonites, Judg. 10:12, in Southern Arabia). He is called a
Naamathite, or an inhabitant of some unknown place called Naamah.
Zophim, Field of -
field of watchers, a place in Moab on the range of Pisgah (Num.
23:14). To this place Balak brought Balaam, that he might from
thence curse the children of Israel. Balaam could only speak the
word of the Lord, and that was blessing. It is the modern
Tal'at-es-Safa. (See PISGAH.)
Zorah - place of
wasps, a town in the low country of Judah, afterwards given to Dan
(Josh. 19:41; Judg. 18:2), probably the same as Zoreah (Josh.
15:33). This was Samson's birthplace (Judg. 13:2, 25), and near it
he found a grave (16:31). It was situated on the crest of a hill
overlooking the valley of Sorek, and was fortified by Rehoboam (2
Chr. 11:10). It has been identified with Sur'ah, in the Wady Surar,
8 miles west of Jerusalem. It is noticed on monuments in the
fifteenth century B.C. as attacked by the Abiri or Hebrews.
Zuph -
honeycomb, a Kohathite Levite, ancestor of Elkanah and Samuel (1
Sam. 1:1); called also Zophai (1 Chr. 6:26).
Zuph, Land of -
(1 Sam. 9:5, 6), a district in which lay Samuel's city, Ramah. It
was probably so named after Elkanah's son, Zuph (1 Chr. 6:26, marg.).
Zur - rock.
(1.) One of the five Midianite kings whom the Israelites defeated
and put to death (Num. 31:8).
(2.) A Benjamite (1 Chr. 8:30).
Zuriel - rock
of God, chief of the family of the Merarites (Num. 3:35) at the time
of the Exodus.
Zurishaddai -
rock of the Almighty, the father of Shelumiel, who was chief of the
tribe of Simeon when Israel was encamped at Sinai (Num. 1:6; 2:12).
Zuzims -
restless; sprouting, were smitten "in Ham" by Chedorlaomer and his
allies (Gen. 14:5). Some have identified this tribe with the
Zamzummims (q.v.).
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