The ship on which Paul as a prisoner set sail from the island of Malta bore the figurehead “Sons of Zeus,” that is, the twin brothers Castor and Pollux.—Acts 28:11; see CASTOR AND POLLUX.

ZEUS, SONS OF

[Gr., Di·oʹskou·roi, Sons of Zeus].

According to Greek and Roman mythology, Castor and Pollux were the twin sons of Leda and the offspring of the god Zeus (Jupiter), thus being called Dioscuri or “Sons of Zeus.” Among other things, they were regarded as protectors of mariners, able to save sailors imperiled at sea. The Alexandrian boat on which the prisoner Paul sailed from Malta to Puteoli when en route to Rome bore the figurehead “Sons of Zeus,” perhaps having the image or symbol and possibly the name of Castor on one side of the bow and those of Pollux on the other.—Acts 28:11; see CASTOR AND POLLUX.

ZIA

(Ziʹa) [the trembler].

A Gadite who lived in Bashan.—1 Chron. 5:11, 13.

ZIBA

(Ziʹba).

The servant of Saul’s household from whom David, on inquiry, learned of Jonathan’s lame son Mephibosheth. David brought Mephibosheth to Jerusalem and made Ziba, his fifteen sons and twenty servants, all care for Mephibosheth’s inheritance. (2 Sam. 9:2-12 [The reference to “my table” in verse 11 is generally thought to be a scribal error for “David’s table”; another possibility is that Ziba may have been repeating David’s exact words.]) When David fled from Jerusalem on account of Absalom’s rebellion, Ziba brought him much needed supplies of food and animals. However, he left Mephibosheth behind even though he wanted to come, and told David that Mephibosheth deliberately stayed in Jerusalem, expecting to recover the kingdom for Saul’s house. In response, David transferred Mephibosheth’s property to Ziba.—2 Sam. 16:1-4.

When David returned after the rebellion was crushed, Ziba was among the early ones to greet the king. Then Mephibosheth met David, welcomed him back, and informed him of Ziba’s trickery and slander. This caused David to modify his mind about the property. In the light of these new developments, David now decided that the property should be divided between Mephibosheth and Ziba, and in this way he would be acknowledging Mephibosheth’s loyalty, while at the same time not forgetting Ziba’s services and supplies. Mephibosheth, however, declared: “Let him [Ziba] even take the whole, now that my lord the king has come in peace to his house.”—2 Sam. 19:17, 24-30.

ZIBEON

(Zibʹe·on) [hyena].

A sheik in the land of Seir. (Gen. 36:20, 29, 30; 1 Chron. 1:38, 40b) His granddaughter Oholibamah married Esau. (Gen. 36:2, 14, 24, 25) For the suggested explanations as to why Zibeon is described as both a Hivite and a Horite, see HORITE.

ZIBIA

(Zibʹi·a) [gazelle].

Family head in the tribe of Benjamin. Son of Shaharaim by his wife Hodesh.—1 Chron. 8:1, 8-10.

ZIBIAH

(Zibʹi·ah) [gazelle].

Mother of King Jehoash of Judah, presumably the wife of King Ahaziah, and therefore daughter-in-law of Athaliah. (2 Ki. 11:1, 2; 12:1; 2 Chron. 24:1) Zibiah was from Beer-sheba. Nothing is said of how she fared in Athaliah’s purge of Judah’s royal house.

ZICHRI

(Zichʹri) [mindful, remembrance].

1. Third-named son of Izhar; grandson of Kohath, a Levite.—Ex. 6:18, 21.

2, 3, 4. Three family heads in the tribe of Benjamin, residents of Jerusalem. They were sons or descendants of Shimei, Shashak and Jeroham respectively.—1 Chron. 8:1, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 28.

5. A son of Asaph, and forefather of the postexilic musician Mattaniah. (1 Chron. 9:15) Elsewhere he may be called Zabdi (Neh. 11:17) and Zaccur.—1 Chron. 25:2, 10; Neh. 12:35.

6. A Levitical descendant of Moses through Eliezer, and father or ancestor of the Shelomoth appointed, during David’s reign, over the treasures of the things captured in war.—1 Chron. 26:25-27; 23:15, 17.

7. A Reubenite whose son Eliezer was tribal chieftain during David’s reign.—1 Chron. 27:16.

8. A man of Judah whose son Amasiah was a military chief for King Jehoshaphat.—2 Chron. 17:12, 14, 16.

9. Father of the Elishaphat who helped Jehoiada to overthrow Athaliah.—2 Chron. 23:1.

10. A mighty warrior from Ephraim in the army of the northern kingdom which invaded Judah around 760 B.C.E. Zichri killed three prominent members of King Ahaz’ household, including a royal prince.—2 Chron. 28:6, 7.

11. A Benjamite whose son Joel was an overseer of the Benjamites living in Jerusalem after the exile.—Neh. 11:3, 4, 7, 9.

12. Head of the priestly paternal house of Abijah during the time of High Priest Jeshua’s successor Joiakim.—Neh. 12:12, 17.

ZIDDIM

(Zidʹdim) [sides].

A fortified city in the territory of Naphtali. (Josh. 19:32, 35) Its exact location is not definitely known.

ZIHA

(Ziʹha).

1. First-listed family of Nethinim who accompanied the exiled Israelites back to Judah in 537 B.C.E.—Ezra 2:1, 2, 43; Neh. 7:46.

2. One of two overseers of the Nethinim who returned from Babylonian exile.—Neh. 11:21.

ZIKLAG

(Zikʹlag).

As originally assigned, this was a Simeonite enclave city in S Judah. (Josh. 15:21, 31; 19:1, 2, 5; 1 Chron. 4:24-30) Later, Ziklag was under Philistine control. Achish, king of Gath, gave it to the fugitive David as a place of residence (and it thereafter became the possession of Judah’s kings). (1 Sam. 27:6) The Amalekites raided and burned the city, taking captives, including David’s wives Ahinoam and Abigail. After defeating the marauders and recovering the captives and things taken, David, from Ziklag, sent some of the spoil of battle to his friends, older men of Judah in various cities. (1 Sam. chap. 30) Many armed mighty men joined David at Ziklag, and there he received news of King Saul’s death. (2 Sam. 1:1, 2; 4:10; 1 Chron. 12:1, 2, 20-22) After the Babylonian exile, some of the sons of Judah settled in this city. (Neh. 11:25, 28) Though its exact site is uncertain, Ziklag is generally identified with Tell el-Khuweilfeh, some five miles (8 kilometers) SW of the suggested site of Debir.

ZILLAH

(Zilʹlah) [shadow (protection)].

One of the two wives of Lamech, the first polygamist of Bible record. She was the mother of Tubal-cain and of his sister Naamah. Lamech composed a poem for his wives Adah and Zillah.—Gen. 4:19-24.

ZILLETHAI

(Zilʹle·thai) [(Jehovah is) a shadow, protection].

1. Head of a family of Benjamites that lived in Jerusalem; son of Shimei.—1 Chron. 8:1, 20, 21, 28.

2. A valiant Manassite chieftain who joined David’s forces at Ziklag.—1 Chron. 12:19-21.

ZILPAH

(Zilʹpah).

Leah’s maidservant and Jacob’s secondary wife. Zilpah had been a servant of Leah’s father Laban until Leah and Jacob were married in 1774 B.C.E., when she was given to Leah. (Gen. 29:24) After Leah had four sons, and she thought she was through childbearing, she gave Zilpah to Jacob as a secondary wife. Zilpah then bore Gad and Asher, who, in turn, had many sons. (30:9-13; 35:26; 37:2; 46:16-18) Zilpah remained with Jacob’s household through their many travels.—32:22; 33:1, 2.

ZIMMAH

(Zimʹmah) [loose conduct].

A Gershonite Levite. (1 Chron. 6:20) He is possibly the same Zimmah who is mentioned in verse 42. If this genealogy skips many names (as these lists commonly do), he may also be the one referred to at 2 Chronicles 29:12, whose descendant Joah helped to cleanse the temple in Hezekiah’s day.

ZIMRAN

(Zimʹran).

First named of the six sons Keturah bore to Abraham. Zimran and his five full brothers were given gifts and sent into “the land of the East.” (Gen. 25:1, 2, 6; 1 Chron. 1:32) The conjecture of some is that Zimran’s descendants were associated either with Zabram, a town situated W of Mecca on the Arabian shore of the Red Sea, or with Zimri, mentioned in Jeremiah 25:25.

ZIMRI

(Zimʹri).

1. A son of Zerah and grandson of Judah.—1 Chron. 2:4, 6.

2. The Simeonite chieftain, son of Salu, who brought Cozbi the Midianitess into the camp of Israel, committing fornication with her in his own tent. For this, Zimri and Cozbi were slain by Phinehas, with Jehovah’s approval. This quick action put an end to the scourge that had already executed thousands of guilty Israelites.—Num. 25:6-8, 14-18.

3. Fifth king of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel. Zimri ruled in Tirzah for seven days in about 951 B.C.E. He had previously been chief of half the chariots under King Elah, but when the army was away at Gibbethon, and King Elah had remained behind, Zimri killed him and all the rest of Baasha’s house, and made himself king. His rule was very short because the army made Omri king and immediately returned to besiege Tirzah, whereupon Zimri burned the king’s house down over himself. Zimri is noted for doing what was bad in Jehovah’s eyes. (1 Ki. 16:3, 4, 9-20) Jezebel’s last words recalled the consequences that befell Zimri. As Jehu triumphantly rode into Jezreel, she taunted from the window: “Did it go all right with Zimri the killer of his lord?”—2 Ki. 9:30, 31.

4. A descendant of Saul and Jonathan. (1 Chron. 8:33-36; 9:42) It has been suggested that he may be the same as No. 3 above; the reason adduced is that there is a possibility that this Zimri (No. 3) was trying to recover the kingship as a member of Saul’s household.

5. An apparent geographic location that is unknown; sometimes, but without good authority, connected with Abrabam’s son Zimran.—Jer. 25:25; Gen. 25:1, 2.

ZIN

1. A wilderness through which the Israelites traveled en route to Canaan, but not synonymous with the wilderness of Sin. (Num. 33:11, 36) In the second year after Israel’s leaving Egypt, twelve spies reconnoitered the Promised Land, starting out from the wilderness of Zin. At that time the Israelites were encamped at Kadesh. (Num. 13:21, 26) Later, after having wandered in the wilderness for years, the Israelites arrived at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin the second time. This area of the wilderness of Zin was desolate, unsown, lacking figs, vines, pomegrantes and water. (Num. 20:1-5; compare Numbers 20:28; 33:38; Deuteronomy 1:3.) It was in connection with the waters of Meribah at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin that Moses and Aaron failed to sanctify Jehovah before the people and lost the privilege of entering the Promised Land.—Num. 27:12-14; Deut. 32:50, 51.

The wilderness of Zin was “alongside Edom” (being immediately W of Edom) and at the SE extremity of Judah’s assigned territory. (Num. 34:3; Josh. 15:1) Since Kadesh was located in both the wildernesses of Zin and Paran (Num. 13:26; 20:1), possibly these were adjoining wilderness regions, or that of Zin may have been part of the more extensive wilderness of Paran.

2. Twice “Zin” appears without the term “wilderness.” In these cases, it may designate a presently unidentified town in S Judah between the ascent of Akrabbim and Kadesh-barnea and from which the surrounding wilderness drew its name. Or, it may mean the wilderness of Zin itself.—Num. 34:4; Josh. 15:3.

ZINA

(Ziʹna).

A descendant of Gershon through Shimei. (1 Chron. 23:6, 7, 10) He is called Zizah in verse 11.—See ZIZAH.

ZION

(Ziʹon).

Originally the Jebusite stronghold that came to be called the “city of David.” (1 Ki. 8:1; 1 Chron. 11:5) After capturing Mount Zion, David established his royal residence there. (2 Sam. 5:6, 7, 9; see DAVID, CITY OF.) Alluding to David’s ruling from Zion as God’s anointed one are Jehovah’s words: “I, even I, have installed my king upon Zion, my holy mountain.” (Ps. 2:6) Zion became a mountain especially holy to Jehovah when David had the sacred Ark transferred there. (2 Sam. 6:17) Later, the designation “Zion” embraced the temple area on Mount Moriah (where the Ark was moved during Solomon’s reign) and the term was, in fact, applied to the entire city of Jerusalem. (Compare Isaiah 1:8; 8:18; see MOUNTAIN OF MEETING.) Since the Ark represented Jehovah’s presence (Ex. 25:22; Lev. 16:2), Zion was referred to as the place of God’s dwelling (Ps. 9:11; 74:2; 76:2; 78:68; 132:13, 14; 135:21) and the place from which help, blessing and salvation would come.—Ps. 14:7; 20:2; 50:2; 53:6; 134:3.

For unfaithfulness to him, Jehovah allowed the Babylonians to desolate Zion or Jerusalem. (Lam. 2:1, 4, 6, 8, 10, 13) Later, in fulfillment of prophecy, Jehovah restored a remnant of his repentant people to Zion or Jerusalem. (Isa. 35:10; 51:3; 52:1-8; Jer. 50:4, 5, 28; 51:10, 24, 35) This made it possible for Jesus Christ to ride into Jerusalem on the colt of an ass and present himself to Zion as king, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah. (Zech. 9:9; Matt. 21:5; John 12:15) Only a remnant responded favorably, whereas the religious leaders rejected Jesus as king and sought his death. This pointed to calamity for earthly Jerusalem or Zion and its casting off by God.—Matt. 21:33-46.

As Jesus had been rejected in earthly Jerusalem, it could not have been there that Jehovah laid his Son as “a tried stone, the precious corner of a sure foundation.” (Isa. 28:16; Rom. 9:32, 33; 1 Pet. 2:6) Rather, it must have been in the Zion concerning which Hebrew Christians were told: “But you have approached a Mount Zion and a city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem, and myriads of angels, in general assembly, and the congregation of the first-born who have been enrolled in the heavens, and God the Judge of all, and the spiritual lives of righteous ones who have been made perfect, and Jesus the mediator of a new covenant.” (Heb. 12:22-24) It is evidently on this heavenly Mount Zion that the Lamb, Christ Jesus, stands with the 144,000 who have been purchased from the earth.—Rev. 14:1-3; see JERUSALEM; NEW JERUSALEM.

ZIOR

(Ziʹor) [smallness].

A city in the mountainous region of Judah. (Josh. 15:20, 48, 54) It is often identified with Siʽir (or, Saʽir), some five miles (c. 8 kilometers) N-NE of Hebron. Ruins there, however, are believed to date only from the Byzantine period.