account of their wickedness. IIe prophesied against the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, and Ethiopians, (ch. 2,) and foretold the destruction of Nineveh; and also declared the restoration of the Jews, and their future flourishing condition, (ch. 3.) M.

ZEPHATH, a city of Simeon, near to Mareshah, a town in the south of Judah. The name signifies a watch-tower, from Y tzephath, that which beholds; the stations of watch-towers frequently became towns. This city was also called Hormah, or Anathema, on account of the great destruction made here of the king of Arad's troops by Israel, (Numb. 21. 1-3,) and also the slaughter of the inhabitants by the tribes of Judah and Simeon after Joshua's time. (Judges 1. 17.)

ZEPHATHAH. The valley of Zephathah, mentioned 2Chronicles 14. 10, was probably so called from being near Zephath beforenamed. In this valley Asa, king of Judah, defeated Zerah, king of Cush (in Arabia Petræa.)

I. ZERAH or ZARA, son of Simeon, and grandson of Jacob; head of a family in Israel. (Numb. 26. 13.) He is called Zohar in Genesis 46. 10; and hence his family were termed Zarhites.

II. Zerah or Zarah, king of Cush (in Arabia Petræa.) He came against Asa, king of Judah, with an army of a million infantry, and three hundred warchariots. Asa met him with three hundred thousand spearmen of Judah, and two hundred and eighty thousand bowmen of Benjamin, in the valley of Zephathah; and Asa, praying to God, was enabled to overthrow the Cushites, who fled in disorder; and Asa pursued them to Gerar, and took much spoil. M.

ZERETH. A Hebrew measure, in our version translated a span. It was half a cubit, or ten inches and a half. It was understood to be as much as a man could measure, with his hand expanded, from the thumb to the little finger. The word is derived from compass about." M.

to "

zarah,

ZERUBBABEL or ZOROBABEL, son of Salathiel, of the house of David, according to St. Matthew, St. Luke, Haggai, and Esdras; but son of Pedaiah according to 1Chronicles 3. 17,19. It has been conjectured that he was actually the son of Pedaiah, and grandson of Salathiel, but having been brought up by the latter, was accounted his son; a custom not uncommon among the Jews. Among the Jews in the Captivity he bore the name of Zerubbabel, signifying "the stranger in Babylon," from Tzur, a stranger, and babel, confusion, or Babylon. But on returning to Jerusalem with the restored exiles, he bore the additional name of Sheshbazzar, or "joy in tribulation," from WW shusa, joy, a be, in, and tzarar, tribulation. He was the chief of the exiles who returned; and to his care Cyrus committed the sacred vessels of the Temple. He restored the religious worship, and the usual sacrifices; and refused the Samaritans the permission they sought to assist in rebuilding the Temple, because the privilege was granted by Cyrus to the Jews only. (Ezra 4. 2,3.) When the rebuilding of the Temple had been discontinued on account of the obstacles thrown in the way of the Jews by the envy of the Samaritans, Zorobabel was encouraged by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to recommence the work, and the Lord showed Zachariah the vision of two olive-trees ncar the golden candlestick; which was explained by

the angel, that the two olive-trees, supplying the candlestick with oil, were Zerubbabel, prince of Judah, and Joshua, the high-priest, son of Josedech. Josephus says that when Darius, Hystaspes' son, came to the throne, after Cambyses, that Zerubbabel, having a great personal friendship for that monarch, returned to Babylon, and was appointed one of the royal body-guards. In the celebrated discussion, mentioned in Esdras 3 and 4, in the court of Darius, as to which was the strongest, the king, wine, women, and truth, maintained by three young men of the guards, Zorobabel argued successfully for women and truth, and gained the prize-a purple garment, cups of gold, a gilded bed, a chariot with bridles of gold, a head-tire of fine linen, a chain of gold, the seat next to Darius, and the title of the king's cousin. (Josephus, Ant. 11. ch. 3). Zerubbabel, then, according to Josephus, reminded Darius of his former promise to rebuild Jerusalem, to which that monarch assenting, Zerubbabel returned to Jerusalem with the king's grants, and recommenced the work which had been forbidden by Cambyses. been forbidden by Cambyses. It was at this period that the Samaritans obstructing the Jews, Zerubbabel went as ambassador to Darius, in behalf of his countrymen; and succeeding in his mission, returned to Jerusalem, where it is probable he died. He left seven sons and one daughter. M.

לוד עבר ",Lod on the other side »

ZIBA, a servant, or steward, in the household of Saul, king of Israel. (2Sam. 9.) Some of the Jews say that he was a Canaanite; and therefore did not recover his liberty on the death of Saul, but remained in servitude attached to the royal household, when David came to the throne. David being desirous of showing kindness to any survivors of Saul's house, for the sake of Jonathan, inquired of Ziba if any such remained, and was by him acquainted with the existence of Mephibosheth, a son of Jonathan, who was lame, and dwelt at Lodebar, a place probably beyond Jordan, as the name seems to signify, David accordingly sent for Mephibosheth, and spoke kindly to him, and restored to him the estate of his grandfather Saul, (which on the death of the latter had been confiscated,) and added the privilege of eating at the royal table, though it was arranged that he should reside in the house of Ziba. David also appointed Ziba agent and overseer to Mephibosheth's restored lands; to cultivate them for him, and bring the profits for Mephibosheth's use to Jerusalem, as Ziba had fifteen sons, and twenty servants to assist him. In some years afterwards, when David fled from Jerusalem in consequence of Absalom's rebellion, Ziba came to meet him, bringing two asses saddled, for the use of any of the king's companions who might be fatigued; and two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a quantity of summer fruit, and a bottle (or large skin) of wine, for the refreshment of the fugitives.

David inquiring why Mephibosheth, to whom he had shown such kindness, did not come to him in his distress, Ziba, with a view to his own advantage, told David that he chose to remain in Jerusalem, expecting, on account of the civil commotions there, to be raised to the throne of his grandfather. David believing Ziba, and displeased with the ingratitude of Mephibosheth, hastily bestowed on Ziba the whole of Mephibosheth's estate, which was forfeited by treason, if Ziba's tale were true. (2Sam. 16.) After Absalom's overthrow, Ziba came, with all his sons and his servants, to meet David at Gilgal, and escort him over Jordan on his return to Jerusalem. Mephibosheth also came to meet him, in a neglected and disordered state of dress, with

his hair and beard untrimmed, having borne the garb and signs of mourning during David's exile; and excused himself for not having previously joined the king in his misfortunes, by alleging that Ziba, on the former occasion, had deceived him, that instead of preparing an ass to carry him, as Mephibosheth had ordered, being too lame to walk, Ziba had left him unprovided with means of conveyance, and had gone forward and abandoned him to David. The king appears not to have been fully convinced in his mind concerning the matter, as he neither punished Ziba as one guilty of disobedience and calumny, nor seems to have been entirely reconciled to Mephibosheth as an injured person; for to the latter's earnest and affectionate speech, he replied, "Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land." Nor did he renew to Mephibosheth the privilege of the royal table. (2Sam. 19. 29.)

Some commentators have thought that David did not (as the words seem to imply,) leave half the estate to Ziba; but that the expression "I have said," meant, "My former grant shall stand," i.e., the land shall be Mephibosheth's, and Ziba shall cultivate it for him. But the majority of the Rabbins say that David did actually divide it between them; and that the sentence was manifestly unjust, Ziba not making any defence, or refuting Mephibosheth's; and some of the Hebrew doctors affirm, that in consequence of David's injustice, a bath-col, or voice, from heaven declared, that thus would God divide his kingdom between Jeroboam and Rehoboam. M.

ZIF, the second month of the Jewish ecclesiastical year, and eighth of the civil year. It answered to part of our April and May. It was afterwards called Jyar. We only meet with the name of Zif in 1Kings 6. 1, as the month in which the foundations of Solomon's temple was laid; and it was probably on that account that it was called Zif, i. e., brightness or splendour. This month contains but twenty-nine days; and its fasts and festivals in the Jewish calendar are as follow:

10th day. A fast for the death of Eli and taking of the ark. (1Sam. 4. 8.)

14th. The second Passover, for those who were unable to celebrate it in the last month. (Numb. (Numb. 9. 10,11.)

23d. Simon Maccabæus takes Gaza. A feast. 28th. A fast for the death of Samuel. (1Sam. 25. 1.) M.

ZIKLAG, a city in the south part of Canaan. In the division of the land, under Joshua, Ziklag fell to the lot of the tribe of Judah, (Josh. 15. 31;) but was afterwards allotted to Simeon, who had a portion out of Judah. (Josh. 19. 5.) But the Philistines kept possession of it till Achish, king of Gath, bestowed it upon David, when he took refuge with Achish from the wrath of Saul; since which time it always appertained to the kings of Judah. In the absence of David, the Amalekites took and plundered it. David was at Ziklag when numbers of the different tribes resorted to him, to assist him against Saul; and at Ziklag he put to death the Amalekite who boasted he had slain Saul in the battle at Mount Gilboa. (2Sam. 1.) M.

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posed to have been the origin of the classic Vulcan, the god of the anvil: the names bear a similarity, the bin Oriental language being interchangeable with v; so that Tubal-cain might be pronounced "Tuval-cain," or "Tvul-can." Zillah had also a daughter, named Naamah, whom the Rabbins say had incestuous intercourse with her brother Tubal-cain, and was the mother of demons.

The address of Lamech to his wives, Adah and Zillah, (Gen. 4. 23,) has occasioned much perplexity to commentators; it refers to some occurrence which, though well known traditionally in Moses' time, has been so completely lost sight of in the course of years, as to be now completely unknown; and the meaning and occasion of the address can now only be guessed at. The Rabbinical tradition (which has been followed by some Christians) is, that Lamech being out hunting, a young man told him that a wild beast was concealed in a particular place; and Lamech, going thither, unawares killed Cain, who was lurking in the thicket; and being alarmed on account of the vengeance denounced against him who should kill Cain, and angry with the person who had been the cause of his mischance, he slew the young man himself; and in the recorded speech informed his wives of the occurrence.

The Chaldee paraphrase understands interrogatively the words of Lamech, not "I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt," according to our version; but "Have I slain a man?" and expounds it as though Lamech were defending himself from some accusation: "I have not slain a man that I should bear sin for him; nor destroyed a young man, that my seed should be consumed for him."

Others think that Lamech having been the first person to commit polygamy, drew upon himself the resentment of his kindred, and his wives being apprehensive that he might slay some one, or be slain himself, he endeavours to soothe them by reasoning, observing that he has not deserved evil by killing any one; Have I slain a man in my contest? and pointing out to them that if it were forbidden to kill Cain under a seven-fold penalty, surely he, Lamech, who was a much less guilty person, would be protected under a penalty of much greater magnitude. But the conjecture of Lowth appears the most simple and ingenious. He conceives that the speech of Lamech is an apology for some justifiable homicide that he had committed in self-defence, on some man who had assaulted and wounded him; and he comforts his wives, who are anxious about the issue, by reminding them of the protection extended to Cain's life, a more guilty man than himself. Lowth renders the speech: Hadah and Zillah, hear my voice;

Ye wives of Lamech, hearken to my speech;
For I have slain a man because of my wounding,
A young man because of my hurt.

If Cain shall be avenged seven times,
Certainly Lamech seventy and seven!

Houbigant's translation, of which Lowth approves, gives the same sense, at the beginning of the 23rd verse, but more clearly expressed:

I, being wounded, have slain a man:
Being assaulted, a young man.

And Lowth adds proofs from the Hebrew of the correctness of this construction. M.

ZILPAH. Handmaid of Leah, whom she gave to Jacob, and who became mother of Gad and Asher. (Gen. 30. 9; and 46. 18.)

towards the Holy Land, encamped for a while at Shittim, (called also Abel-Shittim, Numb. 33. 49,) a place in the plains of Moab, near Jordan, they began to associate unlawfully with the Moabitish women, and were by them seduced into idolatry. (Numb. 25.) And the anger of God being kindled against them, Moses by His command, ordered the offenders to be put to death. Zimri, in open contempt of Moses' authority, brought into the camp a Midianitish woman, (Cozbi, the daughter of a prince,) whom Josephus says, he married. (Antiq. book iv. 6.) The same historian records a rebellious and insolent speech made by Zimri to Moses, in presence of an assembly of the elders, accusing Moses of tyranny, and boastfully acknowledging his unlawful connexion, and his idolatry. Phineas, grandson of Aaron, moved with indignation, took a weapon, (the Rabbins say, a sword, which he snatched from the hand of Moses,) and following Zimri into his tent, slew both him and Cozbi; for which act of zeal, the high-priesthood was established in his family.

The crime of Zimri appears to have been particularly audacious: he was not satisfied in associating without the camp with the foreign idolatress, but brought her within, in the sight of Moses," (Numb. 25. 6,) and of the Israelites who were weeping before the tabernacle in penitence and fear. Being a man of high rank, his reckless example was calculated to have a very bad effect; and it appears inferentially, that many of his tribe had been corrupted by it, and had in consequence lost their lives, either by the plague which was sent as a punishment, (Numb. 25. 8,) or, in the judicial slaughter. (Numb. 25. 5.) For, whereas the tribe of Simeon had at the former muster, (Numb. 1. 22,23,) fifty-nine thousand and three hundred men; at the next census, (Numb. 26. 1-14,) they numbered but twenty-two thousand, two hundred men; shewing a decrease of thirty-seven thousand, one hundred. The Rabbins relate, that several miracles occurred on the death of Zimri; and amongst others, that when his kinsman assaulted and would have slain Phineas for killing their prince, the Angel of the Lord smote and destroyed them all.

II. Zimri. (1Chron. 2. 6.) Son of Zerah, and grandson of Judah. He is also called Zabai in Joshua. He was grandfather of Achan, for whose trespass, in stealing part of the spoil of Jericho, the Israelites were defeated at Ai. (Josh. 7.)

III. Zimri. Commander of half the war-chariots of Elah, king of Israel, against whom he conspired, and whom he murdered, while the king was in a state of intoxication at the house of his steward in Tirzah, a city of Ephraim, and royal seat of the kings of Israel. Zimri also killed the whole of his sovereign's family and friends, fulfilling the prediction of Jehu the prophet, to Baasha, Elah's father: "Behold I will take away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of his house. Him that dieth of Baasha in the city, shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the fields, shall the fowls of the air eat." (1 Kings 16. 3,4.) When the army of Israel, that was besieging Gibbethon, a city of the Philistines, heard that Zimri had slain their monarch and usurped the throne, they chose Omri king, and marched against Zimri at Tirzah, and besieged it; and Zimri seeing the city on the point of being taken, set fire to the palace, and perished in the flames, after a short reign of only seven days.

Mount Moriah, on which Solomon built the Temple, and which is commonly put in Scripture for the Mount of the Temple, and sometimes for the holy city itself; and in prophetic language for the Church. Mount Zion lay opposite to the ancient city of Jerusalem, on the south side. When the Israelites drove out the Jebusites from the city, the latter retreated to a fort, or strong hold, on Mount Zion, (Josh. 15,) where they firmly maintained their post, and even appear to have remained comparatively at peace with the Israelites, till the time of David. The Jews have a tradition, that the Jebusites were not to be classed among the obnoxious Canaanites, but that they were the descendants of Abimelech, king of Gerar, with whom Israel made a covenant, (Gen.26.28;) and on that account the Israelites were not as desirous of their extirpation as of that of the other inhabitants.

After David had ascended the throne of Israel, he determined to dispossess the Jebusites of their stronghold on Mount Zion, and accordingly marched against and laid siege to it. (2Sam. 5. 6-8.) But the Jebusites had such faith in the strength of their fort, that they considered it impregnable; and replied to David's summons of surrender; "Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither;" words on the meaning of which commentators are not agreed. Rabbi Elieser says, that when Abraham bought the field of Machpelah from the children of Heth, (Gen. 23. 16,17,) he signed a covenant with them, that when his posterity should possess Canaan, according to revelation, they should not dispossess the Jebusites; and that now the besieged engraved the covenant on brazen statues, and placed them on the walls, saying to David, “Thou canst not come in hither without breaking the oath of | Abraham, and rendering it impotent as the lame and the blind." Luther says that the blind and the lame were the gods, or idols, of the Jebusites, (of which the Hebrews said, that they had eyes, and saw not; and feet, and walked not,) (Psalm 115. 5-7,) and that they set them on their walls as their defenders. Bochart, however, gives a more simple and natural explanation: that the Jebusites, trusting in the strength of their position, treated David with contempt, telling him that even their lame and their blind men would be able to repel him. David, however (who appears to have been exasperated by their taunts), took the fort, by getting up to the water-pipes, and cutting off the supply of water. David then made the fort his residence, transferred his court thither from Hebron, building great additions, and inclosing all the mountain, which was thenceforward frequently called "the city of David," though joined to and forming part of Jerusalem. From the alteration of the ground in process of time, it is now difficult to conceive of Zion as a fort of such strength as it is known to have been; for, though much higher on the north than the ancient city, and on the east than the ground leading to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, yet it has but little elevation on the south and west. The only remains of its former strength now apparent, is a deep ravine, or trench, by which it is surrounded on the south, east, and west; the breadth of which is 150 feet, and the depth about 60 feet. The bottom of the ravine is rock, thinly covered with earth; and both sides are cut perpendicularly down. In the winter it serves as a channel to carry off the water from the higher ground.

Mount Zion is about a mile in circumference, and

V. Zimri. A district of Arabia. (Jer. 25. 25.) M.

ZION, dry parched ground, a dry heap. 13 Zion, a mountain forming part of, and belonging to

abruptly from the Valley of Hinnom. The summit, along its western brow, is a level tract of considerable extent. The east side slopes down steeply to the Tyropoon, or Valley of Cheesemongers, a ravine between Zion and Acra, which was the Lower City. At the

south-east the hill extends quite down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. On the north, near the gate of Zion, stands an Armenian convent, inclosing the small church of St. Salvador, said to mark the site of the house of Caiaphas. Under the altar they show a stone, which they affirm to be that which closed the Holy Sepulchre. They also profess to show the place where Peter denied Christ. The northern part of Zion is the only portion inclosed within the modern walls; it chiefly contains the Jews'quarter and the great Armenian convent. About the middle of Mount Zion is the tomb of David, over which stands a Turkish mosque, the santons of which are much venerated. The tomb of David, shown in the interior, is held in great reverence, and no one is permitted to enter it.

This mosque was formerly a Christian church of high antiquity, called the Church of the Conaculum, because tradition says that it contains the room in which the Lord's Supper was instituted. The room stands above the tomb of David; it is built of stone, and is upwards of fifty feet long, by thrty wide. At the east end is a small niche, used by the Christians, at particular periods, as an altar for celebrating mass. At the south is a larger recess, which the Mahometans use as the place of direction towards which to turn in prayer. This church is believed to have been the only one existing on Mount Zion about the end of the twelfth century. It is thought to be the place where St. Stephen was buried. It was also said to have contained the pillar to which Christ was bound by Pilate. On the north-west part of Zion stands the Citadel of Jerusalem, called, in the time of the Crusades, the Citadel of David. It is described as an irregular assemblage of square towers, surrounded on the inner side towards the city by a low wall; and on the outer, or west side, by a deep trench; the towers that rise from the brink of this trench are strengthened on that side by a solid sloping buttress. The north-eastern tower, within the fortress, is called the Tower of David, and bears evident marks of antiquity. The lower part, to the height of about forty feet, is the most ancient, and is built of large stones bevelled at the edges. The tower is quadrangular, but not square. The entrance is in the upper part: to the lower, and more ancient part, there is now no discoverable ingress; but it is thought that several feet, from five to ten, of the tower, are buried under the rubbish at the bottom.

The high level part of Zion is occupied by the Christian cemeteries, and a few scattered buildings. The rest of this tract, once the city of David, is tilled, fulfilling the prophecy of Malachi, (3. 12,) "Therefore shall Zion, for your sakes, be ploughed as a field." The east slope falls down in terraces, divided by low walls of dry stone; the lower terraces are principally used as gardens, and are watered from the pool of Siloam. M.

ZIPII. I. A city in the mountains of Judah. Jerome speaks of it as existing in his time, about eight miles from Hebron; but Dr. Robinson found the distance less. The remains of the city lie on a low ridge between two small valleys, which commence here, and run towards the Dead Sea. In the vicinity is a round eminence, about one hundred feet high, called Tell Zif, or the Hill of Ziph. The ruins of Ziph consist mostly of broken walls and foundations, chiefly of unhewn stones, and covering a considerable tract. In the middle is a low massive square stone building, formed of squared stones, and vaulted within with pointed arches, showing that it was inhabited since the Mahommedan conquest. Some cisterns remain; and in the midst of the ruins is

a

narrow sloping passage cut down into the rock,

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terminating at a door, with a subterranean chamber beyond.

On the top of the hill of Ziph is a level plot, with several cisterns, and apparently once inclosed by a wall. David concealed himself from Saul for some time in the wilderness near Ziph; but the inhabitants of that city appear to have been unfriendly to him. (1Sam. 23. 19.) Since Jerome's time, the place has not been mentioned in history. (See Dr. Robinson's Researches in Palestine, vol. ii., sect. 10.)

II. Ziph, son of Jehaleel, of the tribe of Judah, and family of Caleb. (1Chron. 4, 16.) He probably gave his name to the city of Ziph. M.

ZIPPORAH, one of the seven daughters of Jethro, (son of Reuel or Raguel,) priest, or according to the Chaldee, prince of Midian. When Moses was obliged

to fly from Egypt (Exod. 3. 15,) he took refuge in Midian, where resting himself near a well, he had occasion to defend Zipporah and her sisters from the rudeness of some shepherds, who would not suffer them to water their flocks. The father of the young women, pleased with Moses' conduct, received him into his house, and gave him Zipporah in marriage.

The Rabbins relate that Jethro at first imprisoned Moses, intending to send him back to Pharaoh, but Zipporah procured his liberty, and induced her father to consent to their marriage; which he did on the condition that Moses should pluck up a rod of sapphire (or lapis lazuli,) which was deeply planted in Jethro's garden; and Moses having done it with ease, he was married to Zipporah, and retained the rod, which was the famous one wherewith his wonders were afterwards wrought. Zipporah became the mother of two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. When Moses was commanded by the Lord to return to Egypt, he set out with Zipporah and his children; but was met on the way by the angel of the Lord, who threatened him with death for having neglected the ordinance of circumcision in the case of his son. (Exod. 4. 24,25.) Zipporah, to save Moses, instantly performed the rite herself, with a sharp knife of flint; saying to Moses, "Surely a bloody husband art thou to me," (ver. 25,) which some commentators consider as an expression of reproach, because her child being on a journey, she was apprehensive of ill consequences; but others understand it rather as an expression of tenderness, implying that she saved his life, and espoused him a second time by the act. It appears from Exodus 18, that Zipporah, with her children, left Moses to pursue his way to Egypt, and returned with her children to her father, apprehensive, perhaps, of some further dangers on the journey.

Afterwards when Moses had brought the Israelites out of Egypt, to the camp at Sinai, Jethro went thither to him, bringing Zipporah and her sons. In Numbers 12 we read that Miriam and Aaron had a disagreement with Moses, "because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married." Josephus says this was a person whom he had married, Zipporah being either dead or divorced. But the Rabbins, and most Christian commentators, think it was Zipporah herself concerning whom they quarrelled. She is called an Ethiopian, because she was a native of part of the country of Cush, (or Asiatic Ethiopia.) The Rabbins say that Moses had neglected and separated himself from Zipporah, (being absorbed in his public duties,) and that his brother and sister espoused her cause.

Some Christian commentators think that Aaron and Miriam were angry with Moses for marrying a foreigner, lest the example should be prejudicial to Israel, and