XYZ
XERXES [zurk´-sees] — the Greek name of Ahasuerus, the king mentioned in the Book of Esther (Esther 1:1; 2:1; 3:1, NIV). He was also known as Xerxes the Great. He was the king of Persia from 486 to 465 B.C.
YAHWEH, YAHWEH ELOHIM [yah´way, el-oh-heem´] — name for God; pronunciation of the Hebrew consonants YHWH, usually translated “the Lord” (Exod. 3:15).
YEA — yes; indeed; truly (Ps. 23:4, NKJV).
YEAR — the period of time required for the earth to complete a single revolution around the sun. The year of the Hebrew people consisted of twelve months (1 Kings 4:7; 1 Chron. 27:1–5). These months were based on the changing cycles of the moon. A year would usually have about 354 days, but periodically a thirteenth month had to be added to the Hebrew calendar to balance out the time.
YEAR OF JUBILEE — the Year of Jubilee took place every fifty years. It was a special year for families because a man who was a slave or working off a debt was set free and allowed to return home to his family. If any members of his family were also slaves or working off a debt, the entire family was set free and allowed to go home. Houses and lands could also be redeemed in the Year of Jubilee (Lev. 25:9–14).
YEARN — to feel strongly about (1 Kings 3:26, NKJV).
YHWH — the Hebrew name of the God of Israel, originally pronounced Yahweh. Eventually the Jews quit pronouncing it because they thought the name was too holy for human mouths. Instead they said Adonai or “Lord.”
YOKE — a device that harnesses animals together (Deut. 21:3). The word “yoke” is also used as a symbol for slavery or a burden.
YONDER — there (Matt. 26:36, KJV).
ZACCHAEUS [zak-ke´-us] (pure) — a tax collector of Jericho who made a lot of money by overtaxing the people. When Jesus visited Jericho, Zacchaeus climbed a tree in order to see him (Luke 19:3). Jesus asked Zacchaeus to come down from the tree and then went to his house to visit. During the visit, Zacchaeus became a follower of Jesus. He repented of his sins and tried to make up for the things he had done wrong. He gave half of what he owned to the poor and gave back four times the money to the people he had cheated.
ZACHARIAH [zak-a-ri´-ah] — a form of Zechariah.
ZACHARIAS [zak´-a-ri´-as] (the Lord has remembered) — the prophet who was killed by the Jews because he scolded them for breaking God’s commandments; another form of Zechariah (Matt. 23:35, KJV; Luke 11:51, KJV).
Another man named Zacharias was the father of John the Baptist (Luke 1:13; 3:2).
ZADOK [za´-dok] (just, righteous) — a high priest in the time of David. Zadok was a son of Ahitub (2 Sam. 8:17) and a descendant of Aaron (1 Chron. 24:3). Zadok served as high priest with Abiathar (2 Sam. 8:17).
ZEAL, ZEALOUS — enthusiastic devotion; eager desire; true allegiance (support) (2 Sam. 21:2, NKJV; 2 Kings 10:16, NKJV; 19:31, NKJV).
ZEALOT [zel´-ot] (devoted supporter) — a Zealot was a member of a strict Jewish sect (group) that fought against the Roman domination (control) of Palestine during the first century A.D.
The Zealots were devoted to the Jewish law and religion just like the Pharisees. But the Zealots thought it was treason against God to pay taxes to the Roman emperor because God alone was Israel’s king. They were willing to fight to the death for Jewish independence.
Zealot was also a nickname given to Simon, one of Jesus’ twelve apostles (Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13).
ZEBEDEE [zeb´-e-dee] (gift [of the Lord]) —the father of James and John (Matt. 4:21–22; Mark 1:19–20). He was a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee. He most likely lived in Capernaum or Bethsaida and was probably wealthy (Mark 1:20).
ZEBULUN [zeb´-u-lun] — the tenth son of Jacob and the sixth and last son of Leah (Gen. 30:19–20; 35:23; 1 Chron. 2:1). Zebulun had three sons: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel (Gen. 46:14; Num. 26:26–27). This is the only information about Zebulun in the Bible.
The mound of New Testament Jericho, the home of Zacchaeus the tax collector who became a disciple of Jesus (Luke 19:1–10).
The territory where the tribe of Zebulun lived was also called Zebulun.
ZEBULUN, TRIBE OF — the tribe (family group) that began with Zebulun (Num. 1:9; Deut. 27:13; Josh. 19:10, 16; Judg. 1:30). The tribe was divided into three large families. Zebulun’s three sons were the leaders of these families (Num. 26:26–27).
ZECHARIAH [zec-a-ri´-ah] (the Lord remembers) — the name of about thirty men in the Bible. A few of these are:
1. The fifteenth king of Israel (2 Kings 14:29; 15:8, 11; Zachariah, KJV). The son of Jeroboam II, Zechariah became king when his father died. Shallum killed (assassinated) him only six months after he became king.
2. A son of Meshelemiah (1 Chron. 9:21; 26:2, 14) and a Levite doorkeeper in the days of David.
3. A Levite who helped cleanse the temple during the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah (2 Chron. 29:13).
4. A prophet in the days of Ezra (Ezra 5:1; 6:14; Zech. 1:1, 7; 7:1, 8) and the author of the Book of Zechariah. He was a leader in the rebuilding of the nation of Israel after the Captivity.
5. A Levite who led a group of musicians at the dedication of the rebuilt wall of Jerusalem (Neh. 12:35–36).
ZECHARIAH, BOOK OF — a prophetic book in the Old Testament that tells about the coming of the Messiah.
Zechariah is naturally divided into two major sections: Chapters 1–8 are the prophet’s encouragement to the people to finish the work of rebuilding the temple. Chapters 9–14 are Zechariah’s description of Israel’s glorious future and the coming of the Messiah.
ZEDEKIAH [zed-e-ki´-ah] (the Lord my righteousness) — a son of Chenaanah and a false prophet who told King Ahab to attack the Syrian army at Ramoth Gilead (1 Kings 22:11).
Another man named Zedekiah was the last king of Judah (597–586 B.C.). He was the son of Josiah. He became king after Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:17–20; 25:1–7; 2 Chron. 36:10–13). Zedekiah’s original name was Mattaniah, but Nebuchadnezzar renamed him to show that he had power over him and that he controlled him (2 Kings 24:17). He was king for eleven years but the people of Judah never fully accepted him as king.
ZEPHANIAH [zef-a-ni´-ah] (the Lord has hidden) — the name of four men in the Old Testament:
A painting of the prophet Zechariah by Michelangelo, in the Sistine Chapel in Rome.
1. A son of Maaseiah (2 Kings 25:18; Jer. 21:1; 29:25, 29; 37:3).
2. A Levite of the family of Kohath (1 Chron. 6:36).
3. An Old Testament prophet who wrote the Book of Zephaniah (Zeph. 1:1). He began his ministry about 627 B.C., the same year as the great prophet Jeremiah.
4. Father of Josiah (Zech. 6:10).
ZEPHANIAH, BOOK OF — a short prophetic book of the Old Testament. This book reminds us that even though God’s judgment is certain, He will always see to it that His chosen people will survive and continue to serve Him throughout the world.
Even though there is a lot written about judgment and punishment, the Book of Zephaniah ends with a glorious promise for the future (3:17).
ZERAH [ze´-rah] (sprout) — the name of seven men in the Old Testament, but the best known was probably one of the twins born to Judah by Tamar (his daughter-in-law) (Gen. 38:30; 46:12, Zarah, KJV; Matt. 1:3, Zara, KJV). Zerah started a tribal family called the Zarhites (Num. 26:20).
ZERUBBABEL [ze-rub´-ba-bel] (offspring of Babylon) — he led the first group of captives back to Jerusalem and started rebuilding the temple on its old site. For twenty years or so, he worked closely with the prophets, priests, and kings until the new temple was dedicated and the Jewish sacrificial system was reestablished (Ezra 3:2–4:4; 5:2).
ZEUS [zoose] — the main god of the ancient Greeks. They believed that he ruled the heavens and that he was the father of other gods. The temple of Zeus at Athens was the largest temple in Greece and his statue at Olympia was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
ZILPAH [zil´-pah] — a female slave of Laban (the father of Leah and Rachel) and the mother of Gad and Asher (Gen. 30:9–13; 35:26). When Leah married Jacob, Laban gave her Zilpah to serve as her maid (Gen. 29:24; 46:18). Later, Leah gave Zilpah to Jacob as a concubine (Gen. 30:9).
ZION [zi´-un] — the city of David and the city of God.
In the New Testament, Zion is used as a reference to God’s spiritual kingdom, the church of God, and the heavenly Jerusalem (Heb. 12:22; Rev. 14:1).
ZIPPORAH [zip-po´-rah] (female bird) — a daughter of Jethro who was a Midianite priest and Moses’ wife (Exod. 2:21–22; 4:25; 18:2–4). She had two sons named Gershom and Eliezer.