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Dictionary of the Bible

995

 
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ZERUIAH

the rest were carried off to Babylon; this question has an important bearing on the subsequent history of Judaism. W. O. E. Oesterley.

ZERTTIAH. The mother ot David's officers Abiahai, Joab, and Asahel, who are always referred to as ' sons of Zeruiah.' The father's name is never mentioned, and he may have died early; or the mother may have been so remarkable a woman that her husband's name was not preserved; or we have a survival of the ancient custom of tracing kinship through the female line.

In 1 Ch 2" Zeruiah and Abigail are called 'sistera of the sons of Jesse, but in 2 S 17^ Abigail is called the daughter of Nahash. It seems more probable that for Nahash in 2 S IT^ we ought to read Jesse, than that Jesse's wife had previously been married to Nahash the Ammonite. Accord-ing to this view, Zeruiah would be the daughter of Jesse and sister ot David. W. p. Boyd.

ZETHAM. A Gerahonite Levite (1 Ch 23* 26»).

ZETHAN.— A Benjamite (1 Ch 7").

ZETHAR.— A eunuch of king Ahasuerua (Est l'").

ZEUS. See Jdpiter.

ZIA.— A Gadite (1 Ch S").

ZIBA. A servant, probably a freedman, of Saul. He appears before David (2 S S'-"), poasessing 15 aona and 20 servants, and ia consulted as to the existence of any members ot the house of Saul. He informs David of the retreat of Uephibosheth, to whom David restores the lands ot his father and appoints Ziba steward. On David's flight from Jerusalem (2 S 16'-') Ziba followed him with provisions, and accused Mephibosheth ot treachery. He received a grant of his master's lands, but on David's return Mephibosheth was able to clear himself and was allowed to retain a half (2 S 19"-™).

W. F. Boyd.

ZIBEON.— See Anah.

ZIBIA.— A Benjamite (1 Ch 8'). This and the name Zibiah may be connected with zebhl, fem. zeWyyah 'gazelle,' as totem.

ZIBIAH. The mother ot Joaah of Judah (2 K 12' <2) =2 Ch 24'). See alao Zibia.

ZICHRI.— 1. A grandson of Kohath (Ex m, mis-spelt in modern edd. of AV Zithri, although ed. ot 1611 has correctly Zichri). 2. 3. 4. 5. Four Benjamites (1 Ch 8"- a- 27, Neh 11'). 6. An Asaphite (1 Ch 9" || Neh 11" [see Zabdi, No. 4]). 7. A descendant of Ellezer (1 Ch 262=). 8. A Reubenite (1 Ch 27"). 9. A Judabite (2 Ch 17"). 10. Father ot a captain in Jeholada's time (2 Ch 23'). 11. A mighty man of Ephraim (2 Ch 28'). 12. A priest (Neh 12").

ZIDOm.— See Zeh.

ZIDON (NT Sidon). About midway between Bey- rout and Tyre, on the edge ot a fertile strip ot plain stretching from the mountain to the shore, a airiall rocky promontory juts into the sea. Here stood the ancient city of Zidon. The site was chosen doubtless because of the excellent harbour formed by a series of small islets, a short distance from the shore, which protected shipping lying by the city. In old times the islets were joined together by artificial embankments. This harbour lay to the N.; on the S. was a second one, larger but less secure, known as the Egyptian harbour. Zidon appears in Scripture as the chief city of Phoenicia, giving her name to the whole people (On 10", Jg 10'2 etc.). What the title 'Great Zidon' (Jos 11' etc.) signified, as distinguished from 'Little Zidon,' we cannot now say. They are mentioned to-gether in the inscription of Sennacherib at a later period (Schrader, KAT^, 288f.). Zidon's early pre-eminence was due no doubt to her success in commercial enter-prise, the skill and intrepidity ot her mariners and merchants, and the progress ot her sons In arts and manufactures. They excelled In artistic metal work (Homer, II. xxill. 743-748, Od. iv. 613-619, xv. 460)

ZIDON

and in the products ot the loom, the value ot which was enhanced by the famous dye, used first by the Zidonians, but, by a strange fortune, known to the later world as 'Tyrian purple.' The planting ot colonies was a natural, and almost necessary, outcome of her com-mercial enterprise. If she did not found Aradus (Strabo, xvi. ii. 13) and Carthage (Appian, de Rebits Punicis, 1, etc.), she seems to claim on a coin to be the mother-city ot Melita or Malta, aa well as ot Citium and Berytus (Gesenius, Mon. Phoen. 276; Rawlinson, P?uien. 411). Prince Zimrida of Zidon appears in the Amarna tablets aa contesting with Egypt the lordship of the coaat lands. Zidonian ascendancy succeeded the de-cline of the Egyptian power after Rameses n. How long it lasted we do not know. It was marked by an unaucceasful conflict with the Philistines for the poaaession of Dor, which, however, did not necessarily involve her deposition (Rawlinson, op. cit. 417). Israel, who had not diapossesaed the Zidonians (Jg 1"), suffered oppression at their hands (10'^). By the time of Solomon, however. Tyre, had assumed the hegemony (Jos. Ant. vm. v. 3, c. Apion, i. 18). In B.C. 877 Zidon, with other Phoenician cities, submitted to the Assyrian Aahur-nazir-pal and 'aent him presents.' Zidon suffered under Shalmaneser ii., Tiglath-pileser, Shalmaneser iv., and finally was aubdued by Sennach-erib, who made Tubaal, a creature of his own, king. A revolt under Tubaal's successor led to the utter destruction of the city, with circumstances of great severity, by Esarhaddon, who built a new city called by his own name. The native lips probably preserved the ancient name. ' Zidon ' persists, ' Ir Esarhaddon ' is heard of no more. The decline and fall of Assyria brought a period ot reat to Phoenicia, and recuperation to her cities. The attempt to gain Judah tor the league against the growing power ot Babylon brought an embaaay to Jerusalem, in which the king of Zidon was represented (Jer 27'). A revolt, apparently In b.c. 598, joined in by Judah, was stamped out by Nebuchad-rezzar. Zidon's swift submission was due to devasta^ ting pestilence (Ezk 282'«-). The long resistance of Tyre led to her destruction and humiliation (Ezk ZC"), Zidon once more assuming the leadership.

In the beginning of the Persian period the PhcBnician cities enjoyed practical autonomy, and a time ot great material prosperity. A friendly arrangement with Cambyaes perpetuated this state of things, and in the Greek wars most valuable assistance was given by the Phoenicians to the Persians. The revolt of the Phoenicians, headed by Zidon, about b.c. 351, was remorselessly crushed by Artaxerxes Ochus. Zidon was betrayed into his hands by the despairing king, Tennes. To escape the cruelties of Ochus, the inhabit-ants burned the city, more than 40,000 perishing in the flames. The treachery of Tennes was matched by that of Ochus, who, having no further use for him, put him to death (Diod. Sic. xvl. passim). The city roae again from its aahea, and regained something of its former prosperity. The son of Tennes became king, and retained the sceptre till the advent ot Alexander. While Phoenicia then lost her predominance in the trade of the Mediterranean, Zidon retained considerable Importance as the possessor of an excellent harbour, and as a seat ot Phoenician industry. Lying in the territory often in dispute between Syria and Egypt, in the following centuriea Zidon several times changed hands. Under the Romans ahe enjoyed the privileges of a tree city. Zidon figures in the Gospel narratives (Mt 112"- 15", Mk etc.). Jesus poaaibly visited the city (Mk 7"). It appears in Ac IZS", and was touched at by St. Paul in his voyage to Rome (Ac 27'). It became the seat of a bishop. Zidon suffered heavily during the Crusades. Under the Druse prince; Fakhreddin (1595-1634), its prosperity revived; but, in order to prevent the approach of the Turkish fleet, he caused the entrance to the harbour to be filled up, thus making it com-

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