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Zaanan – Zechrias
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Zaanan
A place mentioned in . where there is a characteristic word-play : ‘The inhabitress of Za’anan went (.ySseah) not out’ (for fear of the enemy). Za’anan is generally considered to be the same as Zenan of Jos 15", an unidentified town in the Shephelah.
Zaanannim
The border of the tribe of Naphtali passed through ‘the terebinth in Zaanannim’ (). and the camp of Heber the Kenite was at ‘the terebinth in Z. which is by Kedesh’ (). It is probable that the preposition ‘in’ (6e in Heb.) is part of the name, which should then be read Bezaanannim. The site is unknown. A plausible conjecture is that it was Khirbet Bessum, E. of Mt. Tabor. H. L. Willett.
Zaavan
A descendant of Seir ( = ).
Zabad
(‘he hath given’ or ‘a gift’). Many names are derived from this root, both in OT and in Palmyrene and Nabataean inscriptions. About 36 are reckoned in OT — 23 in Chron., and nearly all in post-exilic books. In it is the first explanation of ‘Zebulun.’ The fuller form is Zabdiel or Zebadiah (‘my gift is J"‘). 1. . a descendant of Judah, perhaps the same as the Zabud of 1 K #. 2. . an Ephraimite; if the text is correct, this passage and 1 indicate that there was some uncertainty as to the reckoning of the clan probably intended by the name. 3. . one of David’s valiant men, perhaps= l. 4. . one of the murderers of Joash=Jozacar () we should perhaps read Zacar here. 5. 6. 7. Laymen who married’ strange’ wives, (cf. 1 Esdras 9:28 [Sabathus], S3 [Sabanneus], [Zabadeas] ). C. W. Emmet.
ZABAD.SANS. — The name of an Arabian tribe defeated by Jonathan Maccabeus, B.C. 144. According to the account in 1 Mac l23<>-‘2, its home was to the N.W. of Damascus. Perhaps Zebedani, on the Anti- Lebanon, about 20 miles on the way from Damascus to Baalbek, represents the ancient name.
J. F. McCUBDY.
Zabadeas
Zabadeas (1 Esdras 9:35) IW^ Zabad.
ZABBAI, — 1. One of the descendants of Bebai who had married a foreign wife () ; called in 1 Esdras 9:29 Jozabdus. 2. Father of Baruch who assisted in the re-building of the wall (). The KerS has, perhaps rightly, Zaccai, a name which occurs in = . and is the origin of the Zacchseus of 2 Maccabees 10:19 and the NT.
Zabbud
(Kerd Zaccur). An exile who returned (). In 1 Esdras 8:40 we-Zaccur [an easy slip, in Heb., for tm-Zabbud] is apparently corrupted into Istalcurus.
Zabdeus
Zabdeus (1 Esdras 9:21) = Zebadiah of .
Zabdi
Zabdi (‘gift of Jah,’ or perh. ‘my gift,’ or ‘gift to me’; NT Zebedee).— 1. The grandfather of Achan (), called in Zimri. 2. A Benjamite (). 3. An officer of David (). 4. A Levite () but read probably Zichri, as in 1 Ch .
Zabdiel
(‘my gift is El’). 1. Father of one of David’s officers (). 2. A prominent official in Nehemiah’s time (). 3. An Arabian who put Alexander Balas to death and sent his head to Ptolemy (1 Maccabees 11:17).
Zabud
The son of Nathan () cf. Zabad, 1.
Zaccai
See Zabbai, 2.
Zacch
Zacch ffiUS ( = Zaccai, . . lit. ‘pure’ ).— 1. An officer put to death by Judas Maccabseus for treachery (2 Maccabees 10:18–22). 2. A ‘chief publican’ of Jericho who entertained our Lord (). He was a rich man, a Jew (), of a higher grade than St. Matthew, but, like all his class, hated by his countrymen. Being short of staturer he had climbed up into a ‘fig-mulberry’ tree to see Jesus; our Lord called him down and invited Himself to his house. On hearing the murmuring of the people at the distinction conferred on a publican, Zacchseus justifies himself. Jesus passes this by, but in effect replies to the murmurers: ‘If he is a sinner, I have come to save him.’ A. J. Maclean.
Zaccur
1. A Reubenite ( W). 2. A Simeonite (). 3. A Merarite (). 4. An Asaphite (, , ). 6. One of those who helped to re-build the wall (). 6. One of those who sealed the covenant (), prob. same as mentioned in . 7. . See Zabbud.
Zachariah, Zacharias
Zachariah, zacharias (the latter uniformly in RV except in No. 4). 1. 1 Esdras 1:8 = Zechariah (No. 19). 2. 1 Esdras 1:15 = Heman of . 3. 1 Esdras 6:1 7:3 Zechariah (No. 20). 4. 1 Esdras 8:30, 44 = Zechariah (No. 21). 5. 1 Esdras 8:37 = Zechariah (No. 22). 6. 1 Esdras 9:27, 44 = Zechariah (No. 24). 7. Father of Joseph, an officer of Judas Maccabaeus (1 Maccabees 5:18, 56). 8. Husband of Elisabeth, and father of John the Baptist, a priest of the course of Abijah () — this was one of the twenty-four courses of priests,^ — but clearly not the high priest, as the Apocryphal Gospel called Protevangdion makes him (§8). As he was ministering in his turn in the Temple, the angel Gabriel appeared to him and predicted the birth and future work of his son. His disbelief was punished by dumbness, which was cured only on the child being brought to be circumcised and named; when in obedience to Gabriel’s command he and Elisabeth insisted that he should be called John. Under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, Zacharias composed the Benedictua. We know nothing more of him. 9. The martyr mentioned by our Lord in , ljj usi. The reference is clearly to the death of Zechariah, son of Jehoiada () and as Chronicles was the last book of the Jewish canon, the phrase ‘from Abel to Zechariah’ would be equivalent to our ‘from Genesis to Revelation.’ In Mt., however, Zachariah is called ‘son of Barachiah,’ and there is thus a confusion with Zechariah the prophet, whose father was Berechiah (Zee ). Allen (‘St. Matthew’ in ICC, p. 250) thinks that the confusion was due to the tradition of the age. It is more likely to be due to the Evangelist, or, still more, to a scribe, who perhaps was misled by the mention by Josephus of a ‘Zacharias son of Baruch,’ murdered in the Temple by the Zealots {BJ iv. v. 4). Origen’s guess that the father of the Baptist is meant is scarcely tenable.
_.>.n.«„ A. J. Maclean.
Zachart
Zachart (2 Esdras 1:40) =Zechariah the prophet.
Zadok
1. Founder of an important branch of the priesthood in Jerusalem. The reading of MT in (= ) being doubtful, there is no definite information concerning his family except in the genealogical lists in , in which his descent is traced from Eleazar the elder son of Aaron; but these details are of doubtful reliability. He is first mentioned In , where perhaps he should be associated with Abiathar in the correct text, as he is in : He was appointed priest by Solomon in place of Abiathar (), because of his own loyalty (1 K and the disloyalty of Abiathar (). From this it is evident that his position hitherto had been inferior to that of Abiathar, although his name regularly has the precedence in Samuel. From the time of Solomon the descendants of Zadok constituted the most prominent family among the priests, the high priests being taken from them till the time of the Maccabees. To Ezekiel the Zadokites are the only legitimate priests (40 43 44 48). 2. A warrior of David’s, of the house of Aaron (), identified by Josephus (.Ant. vii. ii. 2) with 1, against all probability. 3. Maternal grandfather of Jotham (, ). 4. Son of Baanah (see . Neb ), a helper of Nehemiah in re-building the wall (). 6. Son of Immer, repairer of a portion of the wall (). 6. ‘The scribe,’ probably a priest, appointed a treasurer by Nehemiah () ; perhaps to be identified with 5. 7. One of the ‘chiefs of the people’ who sealed the covenant (). 8. A high priest later than 1 ( [cf. , ) a passage of doubtful historicity). 9. An ancestor of Joseph the husband of Mary ( [AV and RV Sadoc]). George R. Bebby.
Zaham
A son of Rehoboam ().
Zain
The seventh letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and as such employed in the 119th Psalm to designate the 7th part, each verse of which begins with this letter,
Zair
According to the MT of , Joram, in the course of his campaign against Edom, ‘passed over to Zair." In the parallel passage, , the Heb. is’ passed over with his princes,’ which may be confidently pronounced to be a corruption of the text in Kings. The latter itself is unfortunately not certain — so that the identification of the place in question is impossible.
Zalaph
The father of Hanun ().
Zauhon
1 . The hill near Shechem where Ablmelech and his followers cut wood for the burning down of the stronghold of Baal-berith (). Possibly the same mountain is meant in , where a snowstorm is apparently referred to as contributing to the scattering of ‘kings’ opposed to the people of Jehovah. As the Psalm refers to incidents of wars not related in the canonical books, we have to look to the times of the Maccabees; and the most obvious allusion is to the retreat of the army of Tryphon in b.c. 143, when he attempted to relieve the Syrian garrison in Jerusalem and was’prevented by a heavy fall of snow (1 Maccabees 13:22). 2. See Ilai. J. F. McCuhdy.
Zalmonah
An unidentified ‘station’ of the Israelites ( f.).
Zauhttnna
See Zebas.
Zambri
Zambri (1 Esdras 9) = Amariah.
Zamoth
Zamoth (1 Esdras 9:28) = Zattu.
ZAmZTnHMIK. — A name given by the conquering Ammonites to the Bephaim, the original inhabitants of the land (). They are described as a people ‘great and many and tall like the Anakim’ (see art. Rephaim). The name Zamzummim has been connected with Arab, zamzamah ‘a distant and confused noise,’ and with zizim, the sound of the jinn heard in the desert at night. The word may thus perhaps be translated’ Whisperers,’ ‘Murmurers,’ and may denote the spirits of the giants supposed to haunt the hills and ruins of Eastern Palestine (cf. art. Zuzim).
W. F. Boyd.
Zanoah
1. A town in the Shephelah (. , ). It is the modern Zanu’a, S.E. of Zoreah. 2. A place in the mountains () possibly Zannta S.W. of Hebron.
Zaphenath-paneah
The name given by Pharaoh to Joseph (). It should evidently be read Ze-p-net-e-f-‘onkh, meaning in Egyp. ‘God hath said he liveth’ — a common type of Egyp. name in late times (see Pharaoh, 2, and cf. Joseph, p. 495").
F. Ll. Geiffith.
Zaphon
(‘north’). A city E. of Jordan, assigned to Gad (). It is named also in , where ZaplOnah should be rendered ‘to Zaphon’ (RVm) instead of ‘northward’ (AV and RV). Possibly the Talmudic tradition is correct which identifies Zaphon with Amathus, the modern ‘AmOteh, a little north of the Jabbok, at the mouth of WUdy er-Riigeib. Zaphon is probably connected with Ziphion (), or (more correctly) ZSphon. with gentilic name Zephonites (Nu ), described as a ‘son’ of Gad.
Zaraias
1. 1 Es 58=Seraiah, ; Azariah, . 2. 1 Esdras 8:2, one of the ancestors of Ezra, called Zerahiah, . and Ama, 2 Esdras 1:2. 3. 1 Esdras 8:31 = Zerahiah, the father of Ellehoenai, . 4. 1 Esdras 8:34 =Zebadiah, .
Zarakes
Called in 1 Esdras 1:38 brother of Joakim or Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and said to have been brought up out of Egypt by him. The name apparently is a corruption, through confusion of Heb. d and r, of Zedekiah, who was a brother of Jehoiakim (). The verse of 1 Es. is entirely different from the corresponding passage in .
Zabdeus
Zabdeus (1 Esdras 9:28) =Bzr 10:27 Aziza.
Zarephath
The Arab. village of Sarafend lies on a promontory about eight miles south of Zidon. On the shore in front of it are the scattered remains of what must have been a considerable town, the Zarephath or Sarepta of the Bible. Zarephath originally belonged to Zidon (), but passed into the possession of Tyre after the assistance rendered by the fleet of Zidon to Shalmaneser iv. in b.c. 722 in his abortive attempt to capture insular Tyre. In it jg again called a city of Sidon (RV ‘in the land of Sidon ‘). Zarephath is included in the list of towns captured by Sennacherib when he invaded Phoenicia in b.c. 701. It was the town in which Elijah lodged during the years of famine ().
Zabethan
Zabethan (, ). Three readings of this name appear, the other ,two being Zeredah (, ) and Zererah (). It is probable that all three names refer to the same place, and that it must be sought near a ford of the Jordan on the W. side. The most probable spot is near the Jisr ed- Damieh at the junction of the Jabbok and the Jordan.
H. L. WlIiLETT.
ZATHOES, 1 Esdras 8:32, probably stands for Zattu. The name does not appear in the Heb. of the corresponding passage , to be corrected from 1 Es. so as to run ‘Of the sons of Zattu, Shecaniah the son of Jahaziel.’
Zathui
Zathui (1 Esdras 5:12) =Zattu, , ; called also Zathoes, 1 Esdras 8.
Zattu
A family of exiles that returned ( = [1 Esdras 5:12 Zathui]); several members of this family had married foreign wives ( [1 Esdras 9:28 ZamothJ); its head sealed the covenant ( cs)). See also Zathoes.
Zaza
A Jerahmeelite ().
Zealot
See Canan^an, Messiah (p. 610» f.),
IPTT A "RT ^F ‘P^
Zebadiah
1. 2. Two Benjamites (, ).
3. One of those who joined David at Ziklag (). 4. One of David’s officers U Ch ). 5. An exile who returned with Ezra’s second caravan () called In 1 Esdras 8:34 Zarias. 6. A priest who had married a foreign wife () called in 1 Esdras 9:21 Zabdeus. 7. A Korahite (). 8. One of the Levites sent by Jehoshaphat to teach in the cities of Judah (). 9. An officer of king Jehoshaphat ().
Zebah
(‘victim’). A Midianite king, mentioned together with Zalmunna, who was killed by Gideon as the result of blood-revenge () both kings had, however, been previously overcome in battle by Gideon, who championed the Israelites against their Midianite oppressors. This victory must have been of vital and far-reaching consequence to the Israelites, for it is more than once commemorated long after as a landmark in the nation’s history ( , ps gS"). The death of Zebah and Zalmunna is very graphically described. Gideon commands Jether, his eldest son, to slay them, but being only a youth he is afraid; so the kings ask Gideon himself to kill them; he does so, and takes the crescents from the necks of their camels. This last action may conceivably imply a kindly remembrance of the kings on the part of Gideon, for from it would seem that it was only reluctantly, and from a sense of duty, that he slew them. W. O. E. Oesterley.
Zebedee
Father of James and John, husband of Salome; a comparatively rich fisherman, for he had ‘hired servants’ (see e.g. ; cf. ).
A. J. Maclean.
Zebidah
Zebidah (Kethlbh and RV) or ZEBUDAH (.Keri and AV).— The mother of Jehoiakim ().
Zebina
One of the sons of Nebo who had married a foreign wife ().
Zeboiim
One of the five cities of the Plain (. 142- 8, W, [AV and RV here Zeboim]). The site has not been identified. See, further, Plaik [Cities op the].
Zeboim
1. ‘The ravine of ZebO’im’ (‘ravine of the hyaenas’) is named in in describing the route followed by one of the bands of Philistine marauders. It is prob. the WSdy el-Kelt or one of its branches. The name WMy abu Daba (‘hyaena gorge’) is still applied to a ravine in this neighbourhood. The same locality appears to be referred to in the Zeboim of . 2. . See Zeboiim.
Zebudah
See Zebidah.
Zebul
A lieutenant of Abimelech (wh. see), who was left by him as governor of Shechem. He cleverly assisted his master in suppressing the revolt of Gaal (). The episode is obscure, but he apparently acted loyally from the first; having no force at his command, he was obliged to use craft. This is clear, if belong to a different narrative. C. W. Emmet.
Zebulun
According to OT tradition, Zebulun was the tenth son of Jacob, and the sixth of Leah ( E).
The original form of the name is uncertain, there being some evidence in favour of Zebulon, and even Zebul. The meaning of the name is likewise doubtful. presents a double explanation. One of these (apparently E’a) connects it with the verb zabad ‘to endow’; the other (J’s) derives it from zdbal ‘to dwell,’ — because Leah said, ‘Now will my husband dwell with me’ (so AV and RV following the Vulg. habitabit). The Assyr. meaning of zdbalu, however, ‘carry,’ ‘exalt,’ affords a more suitable rendering for this isolated use of the Hebrew verb, for the remarlt, ‘Now will my husband dwell with me,’ appears rather gratuitous and pointless after she had borne him six sons. The phrase beth zebul, . moreover, implies a connotation of zbl different from that of ‘dwell, for the context immediately defines its purpose as a’ place for thee to dwell in.’ Zehm is here used of the dwelling of God, elsewhere of the sun and moon, and, therefore, probably designated ori^nally, in harmony with the Assyrian, a lofty abode, a beth-har, or mountain sanctuary, such as is referred to in as being in the territory of Zebulun and lasachar. It so, the name Zebulun, while etymologically related to zbl, is rather of geographical import m its historic application to the tribe.
According to . Zebulun is the progenitor of three tribal families through his three sons Sered, Elon, and Jahleel, who went down into Egypt with the other sons and grandsons of Jacob. The first and last of these names are notably like the town names Sarid and Nahalal, which were allotted to Zebulun according to f.: There is no name corresponding to Elon in this passage, but the names of seven of the twelve cities spoken of have been lost.
At the time of the Sinai census the male Zebulunites from 20 years old and upwards numbered 57,400, and their lot on the march was cast on the east of the Tabernacle, with Judah and Issachar ( f. P). All of these, as in the case of the men of the other tribes, died before the next census in the plains of Moab, where, nevertheless, the total reached 60,500 (, P).
The boundary line marked off by lot in gives only the southern and eastern borders, and is difficult to follow. Starting on the south with Sarid (.Tell Shadud l), about five miles S.W. of Nazareth, it reached Jokneam, eight miles due W., on the farther side of the plain of Esdraelon. It extended about the same distance eastwards, reaching, at the west of Mt. Tabor, Daberath (which, however, in fell to Issachar), and then, if the text and identifications are correct, which is improbable, turned sharply west again to Japhia. Thence it continued in a north-easterly direction, passing Gath-hepher and Rimmon, and across the plain until it reached Hannathon, known to Babylonians, c. B.C. 1400, as Hinnaiuni, which at that time was held by Amen-hotep. The remaining statement, ‘and the goings out thereof were at the valley of Iphtael,’ would indicate that the line turned at Hannathon in a south-westerly direction, perhaps towards Jefai, There would thus be no distinctly northern border, but only a north-western. The western is left undefined; but as Asher is made to reach to Carmel, and its S.E. point to join Zebulun at the valley of Iphtah-el (), there is no room left for the access of Zebulun to the sea. Jacob’s Song, however, uses the same expression () as is used of Asher in . and apparently extends the border to Sidon. In the ‘Blessing of Moses’ it is said that ‘Zebulun and Issachar shall suck the abundance of the seas’ (). This, as is clear from the inclusion of Issachar, implies only that their position will be such as to enable them to obtain the mercantile and other advantages of the sea traffic. The delimitations of the tribal boundaries in Joshua are very indefinite, and often in conflict with one another and with other data. Of the five cities mentioned in Bethlehem is the only one whose site is identified with certainty. The modem Ma’lul may represent Nahalal, one of the four cities which, according to f. (P), was given by the Zebulunites to the sons of Merari (Levites). Roughly speaking, Zebulun lay to the N.E. of Carmel, between Issachar on the S.E. and Asher on the N.W.
Zebulun shared in the natural richness and fertility of the rest of Galilee, and the great ‘way of the sea’ (the via maris of the Crusaders) which ran through its territory, and from Acco to Damascus, brought it into touch with the outer world and its products.
In the war against Jabin 10,000 men of Zebulun and Naphtali went with Barak against Sisera, and in the battle, whose issues were of decisive importance to the tribes of Israel, they immortalized themselves by their bravery (). They, like the other tribes, failed, however, to drive out the Canaanites from some of their city strongholds. One of the minor ‘judges’ came from this tribe, viz. Elon, who headed the tribes in the anarchic and troublous time preceding the kingdom (). In later history, Zebulun, like the other northern tribes, played an unimportant rflle. According to , it would appear that the (ate of the other tribes of Galilee overtook this tribe in the days of Pekah, when the Assyrian king Tiglath-pileser carried them captive to Assyria. See also art. Tribes.
n^^. ...... . James A. Craig.
Zechariah
1. Brother of Ner and uncle of Saul () called Zecher in . 2. A son of Meshelemiah ( , ). 3. A Levite musician (, ). 4. A priest in the time of David (1 Ch IS"). 5. A Levite, of the family of Kohath (). 6. A Levite, of the family of Merari (). 7. Father of Iddo (). 8. One of the princes of Judah in the days of Jehoshaphat (). 9. A Levite, one of the sons of Asaph (). 10. Son of Jehoshaphat (). 11. Son of Jehoiada the priest (). After Jehoiada’s death, Zechariah reproved the idolaters and announced God’s judgment against them. He was stoned with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the Lord. His dying words, ‘The Lord look upon it and require it,’ were long remembered. See also Zachariah (No. 9). 12. A prophet, living in the earlier part of Uzziah’s reign (). 13. Son of Jeroboam ( IS*- "). See next article. 14. A man of high repute in Isaiah’s day (). When faithful witnesses were required to attest a solemn prophetic roll, this Zech. was chosen along with Uriah the priest. He is described as son of Jeberechiah, and may possibly be the same as the Asaphite mentioned in . 15. The father of Abi or Abijah, the mother of king Hezekiah (, ). 16. A reforming Asaphite under Hezekiah (). 17. Head of a house of the Reubenites (). 18. A Levite, one of the sons of Kohath (). 19. One of the rulers of the Temple under Josiah ( [1 Esdras 1:8 ZachariasJ). 20. The prophet (see Zechariah [Book of)). 21. One of the family of Parosh ( [1 Esdras 8:30 Zacharias]). 22. Son of Bebai ( [1 Esdras 8:37 ZachariasJ). 23. One of the chief men with whom Ezra consulted at the river Ahava (; cf. 1 Esdras 8:44; prob. = No. 21). 24. A descendant of Elam (, [1 Esdras 9:27 Zacharias]). 26. A descendant of Perez (). 26. A Shilonite (). 27. Son of Pashhur (). 28. An Asaphite (). 29. A priest ().
ZECHARIAH, king of Israel, was the last member of the house of Jehu to come to the throne, and he occupied it only six months. His assassination begins the period of virtual anarchy with which the history of Israel comes to an end ( ). H. P. Smith.
Zechariah, Book of
The first eight chapters contain the genuine prophecies of Zechariah. Chs. 9-14 are sharply distinguished from these in form, language, and thought. They are generally regarded as anonymous prophecies which became attached to the original book, and are often spoken of as Deutero-Zechariah.
1. Chapters 1-8. — 1. Historical occasion. — According to Ezra (5’ 6"), the prophets Haggai and Zechariah roused Zerubbabel and Joshua to build the Temple, and the work went forward prosperously through their prophesying. The dates given in the book itself assign the prophecies to the second and fourth years of Darius (B.C. 520, 518). The first message (l’-») is placed two months after the first address of Haggai, between the second and third. The section l’-6" is two months later than the last addresses of Haggai, while chs. 7. 8 follow after an interval of nearly two years. The prophecies are thus associated with the earlier part of the four years devoted to the re-building of the Temple, and their contents connect themselves with this occasion.
2. Contents. — ^The book opens with an exhortation to return unto Jehovah (li-*), Daaed upon the sad esroerience of the fathera who had not heeded the word of the prophets to return from their evil ways.
It is especially noticeable that this post-exilic prophet, although very familiar with the words of his predecessor, is not enslaved by them; he rather draws a living lesson from a broad view of the vital experiences of the past. The main body of the book (l’-6"‘) is made up of a aeries of eight visions and a symbolic action, after the manner of Ezeldel. In the firat (l’-^‘) the prophet sees at night, in a myrtle-shaded glen, four horsemen whom the angel that tallcs with him designates as the messengers of Jehovah. They report that all 13 quiet in the earth. The angel calls upon Jehovah: ‘How long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?’ In response, assurance comes that Jehovah is displeased with the nations which are at ease. He i3_ returned to Jerusalem, His house shall be built, His cities shall overflow with prosperity, Zion be comforted, Jerusalem chosen. The second vision (l’*-2i) ia of four horns — the nations which have scattered the holy
Seople — and four smiths, who are to cast them down. Text, the prophet sees (2i-*) the future Jerusalem spread far and wide beyond the limits of her old walla, with Jehovah as a wall of fire round about her. There follows a^ song that calls upon the exiles to return, pictures the discomfiture of those that have plundered them, and the future glory of Zion as Jehovah’s dwelling-place.
In ch. 3, Joshua, the high priest, is seen standing before Jehovah’s angel, clad in filthy garments and accused by the Satan. Now these garments are taken from him, and he is clothed in rich apparel as a symbol of the removal of guilt. Joshua is pronused full exercise of his priestly functions if he will walk in Jehovah’s ways; he and those with him are a sign that Jehovah is to bring His servant the Branch (cf. , ). The vision that follows (ch. 4) is of the seven-branched lamp of the Temple, supplied with oil from two olive trees. Probably the promise to Zerubbabel (w.*‘‘-!’‘*) should be transferred to the end of the chapter; then confusion disappears, and the seven lamps are interpreted as the eyes of Jehovah which run to and fro through the earth. ‘The olive trees are explained as the two sons of oil that stand by the Lord of the whole earth. They must be Zerubbabel and Joshua, representatives of king and priest. The splendid promise to Zerubbabel now closes the picture, as that to Joshua had closed the preceding. In this, Zerubbabel is assured that he shall bring the Temple to completion, not by might nor bj^ power, but by Jehovah’s spirit. The proimnent place given in these visions to priest and king, as essential to the national life, is most significant. Next, the prophet sees (S’*^) the curse of Jehovah as a book that flies and enters the house of every thief and perjurer to consume it. The seventh vision (S*"") follows naturally upon the preceding. Wickedness, represented by a woman, is carried away from the land to Babylonia. Jehovah’s curse has fallen upon the sinners, and sin itself is now removed to the land of exile. The last vision () represents four chariots going forth upon the earth; of these the one that goes to the north executes the wrath of Jehovah upon those who have oppressed His people. The visions opened with the horsemen that reported the earth as quiet; they close with the chariots that keep the world in subjection to Jehovah. There follows the symbolic act of crowning Joshua (more probably, in the original text, Zerubbabel). The visions centre in the hope of a glorious future for Jerusalem, with its Temple restored, its enemies stilled, its exiles returned, its sin forgiven, its wickedness removed, and with Jehovah’s spirit flowing in through priest and prince of Davidic line. The visions lead on to the symbolic crowning of the promised ruler.
In the third section (chs. 7. 8), Zechariah is led by a question concerning fasting to teach that the fasts wmch have been kept in the years of exile are to be changed into joyous feasts. Rather than fast they should observe the teachings of the earlier prophets concerning justice and mercy. With glorious promises for the peace and prosperity of Jerusalem, with the nations coming to seek Jehovah, the original Book of Zechariah closes.
3. Significance. — The historical importance of Zechariah in connection with the re-building of the Temple has already been noted. In the transition from prophetical to apocalyptic literature, this book is an important link. Zechariah has a large measure of the spirit of the early ethical prophets. From the experiences of the past he can draw broad and deep moral lessons, with something of the freedom and consciousness of immediate Divine illumination that distinguished an Amos or an Isaiah. Yet, even in the passages where this is most observable, one feels a harking back that was not characteristic of the earlier prophecy — less of vital touch with present conditions and with the God in whose name he speaks. The centring of hope in prince and priest, with the consciousness that the great era of prophecy is past, sharply distinguishes Zechariah from his pre-exilic predecessors. In the visions, the machinery of apocalypse, introduced by Ezekiel, has been somewhat developed in its feature of angelic intermediaries. The characteristic apocalyptic spirit, however,with its revelling In the blood of enemies, is noticeably lacking. Zechariah loves, rather, to dwell upon peace and prosperity, upon sin removed, and the Divine spirit inflowing. His message is rich and full, for he has caught the ethical enthusiasm of the great eighth-century prophets, and has enriched it by the spiritual insight of Jeremiah and the glorious hopes of the exilic prophets. Zechariah not only strove to get the Temple built, but also urged upon the builders those moral and spiritual truths without which the Temple and its worship would be hollow mockery.
u. Chaptehs 9-14. — 1. Critical analysis. — As early as 1653, it was maintained, in the interest of the accuracy of , . that chs. 9-11 were written by Jeremiah. This view was soon adopted by several writers, and chs. 12-14 were connected with 9-11 as the work of the earlier prophet. Near the close of the 18th century, chs. 9-11 and 12-14 were distinguished as separate prophecies, dated respectively, from internal evidence, in the time of Hosea, and shortly after the death of Josiah. At about the same time, the view that 9-14 were really later than Zechariah was advocated. During the 19th century, each of the three general conclusions — (1) that the entire book is the work of Zechariah; (2) that 9-14 are pre-exilic; (3) that 9-14 are post-Zecharian — found many advocates. In the third quarter of the century, however, the first view was largely abandoned, and, after the thoroughgoing discussion of Stade, in 1881-2, the third view became almost completely dominant. Growing knowledge of the general course of development of prophetic and apocalyptic literature makes this conclusion more and more inevitable. How many separate prophecies, by different hands, may be embodied in these six chapters is not determinable with equal clearness. On the whole, however, 9-11 (with ) seem distinct from 12-14. Less conclusive are the data which indicate distinct sections as beginning at and . It is not possible to connect chs. 9-14 positively with any known events in the post-exilic history. In general, the historical situation seems to be that of the years after Alexander’s conquests and death, when the Egyptian and Syrian rulers struggled for the possession of Palestine. Possibly some of the material comes from the time just before or during the Maccabaean struggle.
2. Contents.^In the oracle is one of doom upon Israel’s neighbours, with promises of dominion and prosperity for Israel, restored to her land. The title burden of the word of Jehovah’ is very unusual, occurring elsewhere only in Zee and Mai . The opening message of doom upon Israel’s neighbouis bears outward resemblance to Amos^ but the ethical ground of Amos’s denunciation is noticeably lacking. If is rightly interpreted as referring to food ritually unclean, the contrast with the early proi^het is still more striking. V.8, with its comforting promise, seems to reflect the devastation of the Temple, as in the past. This is followed by the prediction of the coming king of peace — a beautiful lyric winch breaks in sharply upon the context, and is followed by a i>rediction of successful resistance to ^the Greeks, and victory given through Jehovah. The ^shepherds of Judah, Jehovah’s flock, are condemned, and viotoiy is promised to the flock. The house of Judah shall be strengthened, and the house of Joseph restored to its land. In . the figure of the false shepherds, introduced in the preceding section, is worked out into an allegory of the false and true shepherd, in a way that enables the prophet to illustrate the frustration of God’s beneficent purpose by the olsstinacy of His people, as well as the evil character of their rulera. The three shepherds cut off in quick succession strongly suggest the conditions shortly before the Maccabsean uprismg, but the highly symbolic and somewhat imitative character of the prophecy renders it precarious to seek any exact picture of inunediate conditions; our ignorance, too, of large portions of the post-exilic age makes it impossible to say that some other time may not have furnished an equally appropriate occasion.
The second main division of che. 9-14, beginning with ch. 12, leads us immediately into the familiar apocalyptic conception introduced by Zephaniah, and developed by Ezekiel and Joel. The nations are assembled against Jerusalem, there to be consumed through the power of Jehovah. Hope centres in the house of David, and yet this house, it would seem, is now reduced to the position of merely one of the important families of the people. The closing verses of the first section in this mvision () indicate a time when prophecy is utterly degraded — idols, prophets, unclean spirit are evils to be removed. Ch. 14 gives another apocalyptic vision of the siege of Jerusalem. The onslaught is terrible, and the discomfiture of her enemies is wrought only after great affliction. In this little apocalypse the vengeful, proud hopes with which the wretched, persecuted Jews consoled themselves throughout the later pre-Christian centuries, and on into Christian times, find vivid expression. With these hopes there is clearly present that late, narrow, legalistic spirit which finds its climax of religious outlook in a wide recognition of the feasts, and in ceremonially clean boiling-pots for the sacrifices. It is evident that the closing oracle of this collection appended to Zechariah carries us far into ‘the night of legalism,*
Hensy T. Fowi-er.
Zecheb
Zecheb () = Zechariah.
Zechrias
An ancestor of Ezra (1 Esdras 8:1).
James Hastings (ed.), with John A. Selbie and John C. Lambert, Dictionary of the Bible (Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1909). Public domain. Scan of Cornell University Library’s copy from the Internet Archive; text from its OCR, with the Bible references read again from the page images.