Succoth, at the mouth of the Jabbok, some 30 miles up the river from
where the people were encamped. There the water “stood and rose upon
an heap.” Thus the whole space of 30 miles of the river-bed was dry, that
the tribes might pass over (Joshua 3:16, 17; comp. Psalm 104:3).
- ZARETH-SHAHAR the splendour of the dawn, a city “in the mount of
the valley” (Joshua 13:19). It is identified with the ruins of Zara, near the
mouth of the Wady Zerka Main, on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea,
some 3 miles south of the Callirrhoe. Of this town but little remains. “A
few broken basaltic columns and pieces of wall about 200 yards back from
the shore, and a ruined fort rather nearer the sea, about the middle of the
coast line of the plain, are all that are left” (Tristram’s Land of Moab). - ZARTHAN a place near Succoth, in the plain of the Jordan, “in the clay
ground,” near which Hiram cast the brazen utensils for the temple (1 Kings
7:46); probably the same as Zartan. It is also called Zeredathah (2
Chronicles 4:17). (See ZEREDA.) - ZATTHU a sprout, Nehemiah 10:14.
- ZATTU id., one whose descendants returned from the Captivity with
Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:8; Nehemiah 7:13); probably the same as Zatthu. - ZAZA plenty, a descendant of Judah (1 Chronicles 2:33).
- ZEAL an earnest temper; may be enlightened (Numbers 25:11-13; 2
Corinthians 7:11; 9:2), or ignorant and misdirected (Romans 10:2; Phil.
3:6). As a Christian grace, it must be grounded on right principles and
directed to right ends (Galatians 4:18). It is sometimes ascribed to God (2
Kings 19:31; Isaiah 9:7; 37:32; Ezekiel 5:13). - ZEALOTS a sect of Jews which originated with Judas the Gaulonite
(Acts 5:37). They refused to pay tribute to the Romans, on the ground
that this was a violation of the principle that God was the only king of
Israel. They rebelled against the Romans, but were soon scattered, and
became a lawless band of mere brigands. They were afterwards called
Sicarii, from their use of the sica, i.e., the Roman dagger. - ZEBADIAH gift of Jehovah. (1.) A son of Asahel, Joab’s brother (1
Chronicles 27:7).
(2.) A Levite who took part as one of the teachers in the system of
national education instituted by Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 17:7, 8).