twenty years old upward numbered 57,400. (Num. 1:1-3, 30, 31) A second census taken at the close of Israel’s forty years’ wandering in the wilderness revealed an increase of 3,100 registered males.—Num. 26:26, 27.

In the wilderness, the tribe of Zebulun, alongside the tribes of Judah and Issachar, camped on the E side of the tabernacle. This three-tribe division was first in the order of march. Eliab the son of Helon served as the chieftain of the Zebulunite army.—Num. 1:9; 2:3-7; 7:24; 10:14-16.

TRIBAL INHERITANCE

Regarding the inheritance of the tribe of Zebulun, the dying patriarch Jacob stated: “Zebulun will reside by the seashore, and he will be by the shore where the ships lie anchored; and his remote side will be toward Sidon.” (Gen. 49:13) Since Sidon was to the N of Israel and since Zebulun’s territory was to be toward Sidon, the location of Zebulun’s territory was to be a northern one. While not bordering directly on the sea, the area assigned to Zebulun was situated between the Sea of Galilee on the E and the Mediterranean on the W and thus gave the Zebulunites easy access to both bodies of water. Hence, the could easily engage in commercial trade, which may be alluded to by Moses’ words of blessing: “Rejoice O Zebulun, in your going out.”—Deut. 33:18.

At the time the distribution of the Promised Land continued from Shiloh the third lot was drawn for Zebulun. (Josh. 18:8; 19:10-16) Elizaphan the son of Parnach, the divinely appointed representative of the tribe of Zebulun, assisted in the division of the land. (Num. 34:17, 25) When the territorial boundaries were established, Zebulun was surrounded by Asher (Josh. 19:24, 27), Naphtali (Josh. 19:32-34) and Issachar.

Several Levite cities were situated in the territory of Zebulun. (Josh. 21:7, 34, 35; 1 Chron. 6:63, 77) From one of these, Nahalol (Nahalal), the Zebulunites failed to drive out the Canaanites, as was also true of the city of Kitron.—Judg. 1:30.

OUTSTANDING WARRIORS

The tribe of Zebulun produced courageous warriors. Ten thousand men from Naphtali and Zebulun responded to Barak’s call to fight against the forces under the command of Sisera. (Judg. 4:6, 10) Following the victory, Barak and Deborah sang: “Zebulun was a people that scorned their souls to the point of death.” (Judg. 5:18) Among those supporting Barak were Zebulunites “handling the equipment of a scribe,” evidently men in charge of numbering and enrolling the warriors. (Judg. 5:14; compare 2 Kings 25:19; 2 Chronicles 26:11.) Zebulunites also came to Judge Gideon in response to his call for warriors. (Judg. 6:34, 35) Among David’s supporters were 50,000 Zebulunites, loyal men not having a “double heart.” (1 Chron. 12:33, 38-40) During David’s reign Zebulunites evidently had a notable share in subduing the enemies of Israel.—Ps. 68:27.

ATTITUDE TOWARD TRUE WORSHIP

In the latter half of the eighth century B.C.E. individuals from the tribe of Zebulun humbled themselves and responded to Judean King Hezekiah’s invitation to attend the Passover celebration at Jerusalem. (2 Chron. 30:1, 10, 11, 18, 19) Centuries later, in fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy (Isa. 9:1, 2), Christ Jesus preached in the territory of ancient Zebulun and apparently found hearing ears there.—Matt. 4:13-16.

REFERRED TO IN VISIONS

In Ezekiel’s vision, Zebulun’s land assignment was situated between Issachar and Gad (Ezek. 48:26, 27), and one of the gates of the city “Jehovah Himself Is There” bears the name Zebulun. (Ezek. 48:33, 35) The apostle John, in vision, heard that 12,000 had been sealed out of the (spiritual) tribe of Zebulun.—Rev. 7:4, 8.

ZEBULUNITE

(Zebʹu·lun·ite).

A member of the tribe of Zebulun. (Num. 26:26, 27) Judge Elon was a Zebulunite.—Judg. 12:11, 12.

ZECHARIAH

(Zech·a·riʹah) [Jehovah has remembered].

1. One of the ten sons of Jeiel in the tribe of Benjamin. (1 Chron. 9:35-37) His name is abbreviated as Zecher in the parallel list at 1 Chronicles 8:31.

2. A Reubenite who possibly warred against the Hagrites in the days of Saul.—1 Chron. 5:6, 7, 10.

3. A Levitical gatekeeper also commended as “a counselor with discretion.” He had been a gatekeeper at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and when David reorganized the Levitical services for the future temple, Zechariah’s lot fell to the north. He was the firstborn son of Meshelemiah, a Korahite, in the Kohathite family of Levites.—1 Chron. 9:21, 22; 26:1, 2, 14.

4. A Levite assigned to play a stringed instrument with other Levites in the procession that brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. Zechariah thereafter played in front of the tent that housed the Ark.—1 Chron. 15:18, 20; 16:1, 4, 5.

5. A priestly trumpeter in the procession accompanying the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem.—1 Chron. 15:24.

6. A Levite of the family of Uzziel who was involved in the reorganization of service for the house of Jehovah.—1 Chron. 24:24, 25.

7. A Merarite Levite, son of Hosah, appointed to the corps of gatekeepers during David’s reign.—1 Chron. 26:1, 10, 11.

8. A Manassite whose son Iddo was tribal chieftain in Gilead during David’s reign.—1 Chron. 27:16, 21.

9. A Levite whose son Jahaziel assured Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah that Jehovah would fight their war for them.—2 Chron. 20:13-17; compare 1 Chronicles 6:39, 43.

10. One of the princes of the people whom Jehoshaphat, in 934 B.C.E., charged to teach Jehovah’s law throughout the cities of Judah.—2 Chron. 17:7, 9.

11. Son of King Jehoshaphat. Zechariah and his brothers had all received generous gifts from Jehoshaphat, but the kingship passed to the firstborn Jehoram; in order to make his position strong, Jehoram, after his enthronement, killed Zechariah and his brothers and other princes.—2 Chron. 21:1-4.

12. Son of High Priest Jehoiada. After Jehoiada’s death, King Jehoash turned away from true worship, listening to wrong counsel rather than to Jehovah’s prophets. Zechariah, Jehoash’s cousin (2 Chron. 22:11), sternly warned the people about this, but, instead of repenting, they stoned him in the temple courtyard. Zechariah’s dying words were: “Let Jehovah see to it and ask it back.” This prophetic request was granted, for not only did Syria do great damage to Judah, but also Jehoash was killed by two of his servants “because of the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest.” The Septuagint and Vulgate say that Jehoash was killed to avenge the blood of the “son” of Jehoiada. The Masoretic and Syriac Peshitta, however, read “sons” possibly using the plural number to denote the excellence and worth of Jehoiada’s son Zechariah the prophet-priest.—2 Chron. 24:17-22, 25.

Zechariah the son of Jehoiada is most likely the one whom Jesus had in mind when prophesying that “the blood of all the prophets spilled from the founding of the world” will be required “from this generation [the Jews of the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry], from the blood of Abel down to the blood of Zechariah, who was slain between the altar and the house.” (Luke 11:50, 51) The places mentioned as the site of the slaying correspond. In the first century C.E., Chronicles was the last book in the canon of the Hebrew Scriptures. So Jesus’ words, “from Abel . . . to Zechariah,” was similar to our expression, “from Genesis to Revelation.” In the parallel account at Matthew 23:35, Zechariah is called the son of Barachiah, possibly another name for Jehoiada, unless, by chance, it indicates a generation between Jehoiada and Zechariah, or is the name of an earlier ancestor.—See BARACHIAH.

13. An adviser of King Uzziah, who reigned from 829 to 777 B.C.E. Zechariah is described as an “instructor in the fear of the true God.”—2 Chron. 26:5.

14. King of Israel. Zechariah was a son of Jeroboam II and the last of Jehu’s dynasty to rule. His recorded reign of six months was terminated when he was murdered by Shallum. (2 Ki. 15:8-12) Zechariah’s father died in 803 B.C.E., in the 27th year of Uzziah’s reign (2 Ki. 14:29), but some eleven years passed before his stated rule of six months’ duration occurred in Uzziah’s 38th and 39th years (792/791 B.C.E.). (2 Ki. 15:8, 13) This may have been due to his being very young when his father died, or it may have been due to considerable opposition (typical of the northern kingdom of Israel) that had to be overcome before he was firmly established in the kingdom.

15. A witness to Isaiah’s writing the name of his son on a tablet; son of Jeberechiah.—Isa. 8:1, 2.

16. Maternal grandfather of King Hezekiah.—2 Ki. 18:1, 2; 2 Chron. 29:1.

17. One of the Levites of the sons of Asaph who helped to dispose of the unclean objects removed from the temple at the beginning of Hezekiah’s reign.—2 Chron. 29:13, 15-17.

18. A Kohathite Levite appointed to help oversee the temple repairs sponsored by King Josiah.—2 Chron. 34:8, 12.

19. One of three leading priests who made generous contributions of animal victims for the great Passover celebration arranged by Josiah.—2 Chron. 35:1, 8.

20. A postexilic prophet and writer of the book bearing his name. Zechariah calls himself “the son of Berechiah the son of Iddo” (Zech. 1:1, 7) but in other references made to him, this middle linkage is omitted. (Ezra 5:1; 6:14; Neh. 12:4, 16) Zechariah was probably born somewhere in Babylon, for his prophetic activity began only sixteen years after the return from exile and reasonably he was at that time older than sixteen, though still called a “young man.”—Zech. 2:4.

Zechariah and Haggai were used by Jehovah to stimulate Zerubbabel, High Priest Jeshua and the returned exiles to finish rebuilding Jehovah’s temple even though a Persian government ban was still in effect. (Ezra 5:1, 2; 6:14, 15) Zechariah’s prophecy contains messages that he delivered to that end over a period of two years and a month. (Zech. 1:1, 7; 7:1, 8) Any other prophetic activity he performed is not recorded.—See ZECHARIAH, BOOK OF.

Though this Zechariah’s father’s name was Berechiah, Jesus’ reference to “Zechariah the son of Barachiah” (Matt. 23:35; note the difference in spelling) more likely refers to a high priest who lived at an earlier time.—See No. 12 above.

21. One of the “head ones” whom Ezra sent to gather some ministers for the house of God at the time of the journey to Jerusalem in 468 B.C.E. (Ezra 8:15-17) He is possibly the same as No. 22 or 23 below.

22. Head of the paternal house of Parosh. Zechariah and 150 males of that paternal house came to Jerusalem with Ezra. (Ezra 8:1, 3) Possibly the same as No. 21 above.

23. Head of the paternal house of Bebai who led twenty-eight males of his family on the return with Ezra. (Ezra 8:1, 11) Possibly the same as No. 21 above.

24. One of those sons of Elam who dissolved their foreign marriage alliances, upon the advice of Ezra.—Ezra 10:10, 11, 26, 44.

25. An associate of Ezra when he read and expounded the Law to the people. Zechariah, probably a priest, stood on Ezra’s left.—Neh. 8:1, 2, 4.

26, 27. Two men of Judah, the son of Amariah and of the Shelanite respectively, whose descendants lived in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile.—Neh. 11:4, 5.

28. A priest, the son of one named Pashhur, whose descendants lived in postexilic Jerusalem.—Neh. 11:10, 12.

29. A priestly trumpeter in the procession at the inauguration of Jerusalem’s rebuilt wall; son of Jonathan.—Neh. 12:27, 31, 35.

30. Another trumpeter, also a priest, at the same inauguration attended by No. 29 above.—Neh. 12:40, 41.

31. Priestly father of John the Baptist. (Luke 3:2) He and his wife Elizabeth, a relative of Jesus’ mother Mary, lived in the Judean hills. They both feared God and obeyed his commandments. Though advanced in years, they had no children.—Luke 1:5-7, 36.

When it was Zechariah’s turn to offer incense during “the division of Abijah,” probably around late spring or early summer of 3 B.C.E., he entered the sanctuary as usual. On this occasion Jehovah’s angel Gabriel appeared to him, informing him that his prayers for a son were to be answered. Gabriel also said that the boy was to be called John, and he instructed as to how he should be raised and what this son was to accomplish. (Luke 1:5-17) Zechariah asked the angel for a sign as a further assurance. Because of his weakness as to believing the angel, he was informed that he would be struck with dumbness until after John’s birth. (Luke 1:18-23) On the eighth day after the baby was born, Elizabeth rejected suggestions from neighbors and relatives and insisted that her son be named John. Upon their appealing to the father, Zechariah took a tablet and wrote on it: “John is its name.” Instantly his speech was restored and he uttered a prophecy concerning the work of his son and that of the Messiah.—Luke 1:13, 57-79.

ZECHARIAH, BOOK OF

This book of the Hebrew Scriptures identifies its writer as “Zechariah the son of Berechiah the son of Iddo the prophet.” (Zech. 1:1) It also provides a basis for establishing the time period covered and an approximate date for the composition. The last time indicator found in the book of Zechariah is the fourth day of Chislev in the fourth year of Darius’ reign (about November 29, 518 B.C.E.). (Zech. 7:1) Accordingly, this book could not have been committed to writing before the close of 518 B.C.E. Since it was in the “eighth month in the second year of Darius” (October/November 520 B.C.E.) that the “word of Jehovah occurred to Zechariah” (Zech. 1:1), the book covers a period of at least two years.

From chapter nine onward the subject matter found in the book of Zechariah appears to differ considerably from the earlier section. No further reference is made to angels and visions nor to Governor Zerubbabel and High Priest Joshua. There is no mention of the temple rebuilding work, and not even the name of Zechariah appears. In view of this and the nature of the prophecies contained in the latter chapters of the book, a number of critics maintain that this section could not have been written by Zechariah. However, it should be noted that Zechariah, like other prophets, wrote according to divine inspiration and did not receive all revelations at the same time nor in the same manner. (2 Pet. 1:20, 21) Also, prophecies did not have to fit within a particular framework of existing circumstances and incorporate the name of the prophet or of some of his contemporaries for an entire book to be the work of the prophet. That