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Zacchaeus
(Greek from of Zaccai) A Jew who was “chief publican” or commissioner of taxes at Jericho (Luke 19: 2-8).
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Zachariah
The Lord hath remembered.
(1) The last king of Israel of the line of Jehu (2 Kgs. 14: 29; 2 Kgs. 15: 8-12).
(2) 2 Kgs. 18: 2
; in 2 Chr. 29: 1, 13
, called Zechariah.
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Zacharias
(1) A priest, father of John the Baptists (Luke 1: 5); his vision, the angel’s message, struck dumb for unbelief (Luke 1: 11-23, 40); tongue loosed (Luke 1: 67-79; Luke 3: 2).
(2) Slain between the temple and the altar (Matt. 23: 35
; Luke 11: 51
; cf. 2 Chr. 24: 20
).
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Zadok
Righteous.
The priest (2 Sam. 8: 17; 2 Sam. 15: 24-36; 2 Sam. 17: 15; 2 Sam. 18: 19, 27; 2 Sam. 19: 11; 2 Sam. 20: 25). He belonged to the family of Eleazar (1 Chr. 6: 4-8). During the latter years of Saul’s reign there seems to have been a double high priesthood: Abiathar, who belonged to the family of Ithamar, officiating in David’s camp, and Zadok at Gibeon, where the tabernacle was standing. This arrangement continued after David’s accession, but during the rebellion of Adonijah, Zadok remained faithful to David (1 Kgs. 1: 8, 26). He anointed Solomon (1 Kgs. 1: 32-45); and was finally put in the room of Abiathar. See 1 Kgs. 2: 35; 1 Kgs. 4: 2, 4; 1 Chr. 6: 8, 53; 1 Chr. 12: 28; 1 Chr. 15: 11; 1 Chr. 16: 39; 1 Chr. 18: 16; 1 Chr. 24: 3, 6, 31; 1 Chr. 27: 17; 1 Chr. 29: 22; 2 Chr. 31: 10; Ezra 7: 2; Ezek. 40: 46; Ezek. 43: 19; Ezek. 44: 15; Ezek. 48: 11. He is probably the same as in 1 Chr. 6: 12; 1 Chr. 9: 11; Neh. 11: 11; others are in 2 Kgs. 15: 33; 2 Chr. 27: 1; Neh. 3: 4, 29; Neh. 10: 21; Neh. 13: 13.
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Zaphnath-paaneah
A name given by Pharaoh to Joseph (Gen. 41: 45). Although its meaning is uncertain, the Rabbical commentaries, following the Targum, interpret the name as “he who reveals that which is hidden.”
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Zarephath
A city lying between Tyre and Sidon, where Elijah dwelt with a widow (1 Kgs. 17: 9; Obad. 1: 20; Luke 4: 26).
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Zebedee
Probably Heb. Zebediah, meaning endowment of the Lord. The father of James and John, two of the Twelve; a fisherman in fairly good circumstances at or near Capernaum (Mark 1: 19, 20; Luke 5: 10).
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Zeboim, Zeboiim
(1) One of the “cities of the plain” (see Gomorrah) (Gen. 10: 19; Gen. 14: 2, 8).
(2) A valley between Jericho and Michmash (1 Sam. 13: 18
; Neh. 11: 34
).
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Zebulun
Son of Jacob and Leah (Gen. 30: 20); inheritance of the tribe (Josh. 19: 10-16, 27, 34); Levitical cities (four) in Josh. 21: 7, 34; Judg. 1: 30; take part with Deborah and Barak, and they are commended (Judg. 4: 6, 10; Judg. 5: 14, 18); with Gideon (Judg. 6: 35; 1 Chr. 12: 40); at Hezekiah’s passover (2 Chr. 30: 10-18; Ps. 68: 27; Isa. 9: 1; Ezek. 48: 26-27, 33).
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Zechariah
Son of Berechiah, son of Iddo (Neh. 12: 4, 16); a contemporary of Haggai (Ezra 5: 1; Ezra 6: 14); prophesied from 2nd to 4th year of Darius I (520-518 B.C.) The book of Zechariah has two divisions: chs. 1 - 8, a series of visions sketching the future of the people of God, and chs. 9 -14, prophecies of an obscure kind, belong to a different situation. The Visions: Zech. 1: 1-6, introduction: warning to hear and repent, by the example of the fathers, who refused to hear and were overtaken by God’s judgments, justly, as they acknowledged. Zech. 1: 7-17, first vision, riders on horses of various colors, which go over all the earth to report on the state of the nation in the interests of Jerusalem. Zech. 1: 18-21, second vision, four horns - all the agencies that have scattered Israel; and four craftsmen - the divine agencies that shall counteract and destroy them. Ch. 2, third vision, a man with a measuring line to measure Jerusalem. The city shall be immeasurable and overflow with people. Ch. 3, fourth vision, Joshua, the high priest, in filthy garments, standing before the angel of the Lord, with Satan at his right hand to accuse him (cf. Job 1: 6-11). Satan is rebuked; the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem has plucked the brand from the burning. The beautiful vision might be a reflection of the feeling of the people, their abject condition awakening a sense of their sin, and the fear that the Lord had not returned to them in truth. They are comforted with the assurance that his favor and forgiveness are with them, dispensed through the ministries among them; these ministries are but types of a more perfect one, when through the Branch (Messiah, Jer. 23: 5; Jer. 33: 15) the Lord will remove the iniquity of the land in one day. Ch. 4, fifth vision, a lampstand surmounted by a bowl of oil, which feeds by tubes the seven burning lamps of the lampstand, two olive trees on either side supplying the bowl with oil. The lamps might represent the light shed by the people or that shed among them. The oil is the symbol of the Spirit, through whom, and not by might or power, all Israel’s work and destiny shall be accomplished. This Spirit is dispensed through the two anointed ones (“sons of oil”), representing the priestly and royal rule (Joshua and Zerubbabel). Zech. 5: 1-4, sixth vision, a symbol of the curse that shall light on sin in the land. Zech. 5: 5-11, seventh vision, symbol of the removing of the sin of the people to Shinar, the land of their foes (Lev. 16: 21). Zech. 6: 1-8, eighth vision, horsemen, called also winds (Rev. 7: 1), going to all quarters of the earth - symbols of agencies by which God shall subdue the nations, foes of his people. Zech. 6: 9-15, symbolical action to teach that the Branch (Messiah), who shall truly build the temple of the Lord, shall be a Crowned Priest. Chs. 7 and 8 reply to a question about fasting: the Lord is indifferent whether men fast or eat; he desires that they execute judgment and show mercy (Zech. 7: 8-10). The fasts shall be turned into festivals of joy (Zech. 8: 19). Chs. 1 - 8 are full of profoundly spiritual teaching.
Chs. 9 - 11. 1. An invasion from the north sweeps over Damascus, Tyre, and the Philistines; the last are incorporated in Israel (Zech. 9: 1-7
). Zion is saved; her King comes to her righteous and victorious, meek, and prince of peace (Zech. 9: 8-10
). Her captives are restored, and Judah and Ephraim, miraculously strengthened of God, are victorious over the Greeks and shall no more seek to diviners, but to the Lord (Zech. 9: 11
- 10: 2). 2. A similar theme. Good shepherds displace the evil ones; Judah miraculously strengthened, with Ephraim fully restored, shall humble the pride of Assyria and Egypt (Zech. 10: 3-12
). 3. Invasion of Lebanon and the Jordan-land (Zech. 11: 1-3
). The prophet is commissioned to feed the flock destined for slaughter (Zech. 11: 4-8
); renounces the thankless task (Zech. 11: 9-14
); the flock falls into the hands of an evil shepherd (Zech. 11: 15-17
).
Chs. 12 - 14. 1. Final war of the nations against Jerusalem, and their defeat (Zech. 12: 1-9
). 2. The Spirit poured out on Jerusalem, and a fountain opened for sin and uncleanness (Zech. 12: 10
- 13: 6). 3. Ch. 14 appears to be a duplicate of Ch. 12, with the difference that Jerusalem falls for a time into the hands of the nations before the Lord appears for her salvation.
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Zedekiah
The Lord (is) righteousness.
Cf. Jer. 23: 6; Jer. 33: 16; last king of Judah, his name changed from Mattaniah to Zedekiah. See 2 Kgs. 24: 17-20; 2 Kgs. 25: 2-7; 1 Chr. 3: 15; 2 Chr. 36: 10; Jer. 1: 3; Jer. 21: 1-7; Jer. 24: 8; Jer. 27: 3, 12; Jer. 28: 1; Jer. 29: 3; Jer. 32: 1-5; Jer. 34: 2-8, 21; chs. 37 - 39; Jer. 44: 30; Jer. 49: 34; Jer. 51: 59; Jer. 52.
Book of Mormon references to Zedekiah are many, a notable contribution being the information that not all of the sons of Zedekiah were slain (as implied in Jer. 52: 10
), for one son, Mulek, came to the Western Hemisphere (Hel. 8: 21
). See also 1 Ne. 1: 4
; 1 Ne. 5: 12-13
; Omni 1: 15
; Hel. 6: 10
.
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Zelotes (the Zealot)
A name of Simon, one of the 12 Apostles (Luke 6: 15; Acts 1: 13). Matt. and Mark in their lists call him “the Cananaean” (not Canaanite as in the KJV), which is formed from an Aramaic word (Kanan), of which Zelotes is the Greek and Zealot the English equivalent. The Zealots were a party among the Jews (so called from their zeal for the law) who were determined to resist Roman or any foreign authority in Palestine.
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Zephaniah
The Lord hides.
(1) Prophesied in the reign of Josiah (639-608 B.C.). His prophecy speaks first of universal judgment (Zeph. 1: 1 - 3: 8); and then of universal salvation in the knowledge of Jehovah (Zeph. 3: 9-20). The “day of the Lord” is the outpouring of his wrath on all created things. It falls on Judah for her idolatries, on the royal house, on the merchant classes, and on all the ungodly and indifferent. It falls also on the nations round about.
(2) The “second priest” i.e., next in rank to the high priest (2 Kgs. 25: 18
; Jer. 21: 1
; Jer. 29: 25, 29
; Jer. 37: 3
; Jer. 52: 24
).
(3) 1 Chr. 6: 36
;
(4) Zech. 6: 10, 14
.
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Zerubbabel
Born in Babylon (the name is Assyrian).
Grandson of Jehoiachin, king of Judah, and son of Pedaiah (1 Chr. 3: 16-19); in Ezra 3: 2 and elsewhere he is called “son of Shealtiel,” i.e., probably his nephew or legal heir. Zerubbabel was also known by the Persian name Sheshbazzar (Ezra 1: 8, etc.). When Cyrus gave permission to the Jews to return to Palestine, Zerubbabel was appointed “pekhah” or governor, as the representative of the Jewish royal house (Ezra 1: 8). He set up an altar in Jerusalem and rebuilt the temple (see Temple of Zerubbabel) (Ezra 3: 2, 8; Ezra 4: 2-3; Ezra 5: 2); being helped by Haggai (Hag. 1: 1-14; Hag. 2: 1-23) and Zechariah (Zech. 4: 6-10). In the N.T. he is called Zorobabel.
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Zidon
Fisher’s town (sometimes spelled Sidon).
In ancient times it was the most important city of Phoenicia (hence Phoenicians are generally called Zidonians in the O.T.). It was on the border of Asher (Josh. 19: 28), but was never occupied by that tribe (Judg. 1: 31). The town is now known as Saida, midway between Tyre and Beyrout (Beirut).
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Zif
The second month.
See
Calendar
.
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Ziklag
A city in the Negeb, originally assigned to Judah (Josh 15: 31), but transferred to Simeon (Josh. 19: 5). It was a Philistine city in the days of Saul, and was given by Achish to David (1 Sam. 27: 6). The Amalekites made a raid upon it (1 Sam. 30: 1-26; see also 2 Sam. 1: 1; 2 Sam. 4: 10; 1 Chr. 4: 30; 1 Chr. 12: 1, 20; Neh. 11: 28).
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Zin
The site is unknown, but the use of the name “wilderness of Zin” shows it must have been near Kadesh in the extreme south of Palestine (Num. 13: 21; Num. 20: 1; Num. 27: 14; Num. 33: 36; Num. 34: 3-4; Deut. 32: 51; Josh. 15: 1,3).
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Zion
The word Zion is used repeatedly in all the standard works of the Church, and is defined in latter-day revelation as “the pure in heart” (D&C 97: 21). Other usages of Zion have to do with a geographical location. For example, Enoch built a city that was called his temple on Mount Zion (1 Kgs. 8: 1; cf. 2 Sam. 5: 6-7); and Jackson Country. Missouri, is called Zion in many of the revelations in the D&C, such as D&C 58: 49-50; D&C 62: 4; D&C 63: 48; D&C 72: 13; D&C 84: 76; D&C 104: 47. The city of New Jerusalem, to be built in Jackson County, Missouri, is to be called Zion (D&C 45: 66-67). The revelations also speak of “the cause of Zion” (D&C 6: 6; D&C 11: 6). In a wider sense all of North and South America are Zion (HC 6: 318-19). For further references see 1 Chr. 11: 5; Ps. 2: 6; Ps. 99: 2; Ps. 102: 16; Isa. 1: 27; Isa. 2: 3; Isa. 4: 3-5; Isa. 33: 20; Isa. 52: 1-8; Isa. 59: 20; Jer. 3: 14; Jer. 31: 6; Joel 2: 1-32; Amos 6: 1; Obad. 1: 17, 21; Heb. 12: 22-24; Rev. 14: 1-5; and many others. (In the N.T., Zion is spelled Sion.)
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Zipporah
Wife of Moses and daughter of Jethro or Reuel, priest of Midian (Ex. 2: 21; Ex. 4: 20, 25; Ex. 18: 2).