was through childbearing, she gave Zilpah to Jacob as a secondary wife. Zilpah then bore Gad and Asher, who, in turn, had many sons. (30:9-13; 35:26; 37:2; 46:16-18) Zilpah remained with Jacob’s household through their many travels.—32:22; 33:1, 2.

ZIMMAH

(Zimʹmah) [loose conduct].

A Gershonite Levite. (1 Chron. 6:20) He is possibly the same Zimmah who is mentioned in verse 42. If this genealogy skips many names (as these lists commonly do), he may also be the one referred to at 2 Chronicles 29:12, whose descendant Joah helped to cleanse the temple in Hezekiah’s day.

ZIMRAN

(Zimʹran).

First named of the six sons Keturah bore to Abraham. Zimran and his five full brothers were given gifts and sent into “the land of the East.” (Gen. 25:1, 2, 6; 1 Chron. 1:32) The conjecture of some is that Zimran’s descendants were associated either with Zabram, a town situated W of Mecca on the Arabian shore of the Red Sea, or with Zimri, mentioned in Jeremiah 25:25.

ZIMRI

(Zimʹri).

1. A son of Zerah and grandson of Judah.—1 Chron. 2:4, 6.

2. The Simeonite chieftain, son of Salu, who brought Cozbi the Midianitess into the camp of Israel, committing fornication with her in his own tent. For this, Zimri and Cozbi were slain by Phinehas, with Jehovah’s approval. This quick action put an end to the scourge that had already executed thousands of guilty Israelites.—Num. 25:6-8, 14-18.

3. Fifth king of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel. Zimri ruled in Tirzah for seven days in about 951 B.C.E. He had previously been chief of half the chariots under King Elah, but when the army was away at Gibbethon, and King Elah had remained behind, Zimri killed him and all the rest of Baasha’s house, and made himself king. His rule was very short because the army made Omri king and immediately returned to besiege Tirzah, whereupon Zimri burned the king’s house down over himself. Zimri is noted for doing what was bad in Jehovah’s eyes. (1 Ki. 16:3, 4, 9-20) Jezebel’s last words recalled the consequences that befell Zimri. As Jehu triumphantly rode into Jezreel, she taunted from the window: “Did it go all right with Zimri the killer of his lord?”—2 Ki. 9:30, 31.

4. A descendant of Saul and Jonathan. (1 Chron. 8:33-36; 9:42) It has been suggested that he may be the same as No. 3 above; the reason adduced is that there is a possibility that this Zimri (No. 3) was trying to recover the kingship as a member of Saul’s household.

5. An apparent geographic location that is unknown; sometimes, but without good authority, connected with Abrabam’s son Zimran.—Jer. 25:25; Gen. 25:1, 2.

ZIN

1. A wilderness through which the Israelites traveled en route to Canaan, but not synonymous with the wilderness of Sin. (Num. 33:11, 36) In the second year after Israel’s leaving Egypt, twelve spies reconnoitered the Promised Land, starting out from the wilderness of Zin. At that time the Israelites were encamped at Kadesh. (Num. 13:21, 26) Later, after having wandered in the wilderness for years, the Israelites arrived at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin the second time. This area of the wilderness of Zin was desolate, unsown, lacking figs, vines, pomegrantes and water. (Num. 20:1-5; compare Numbers 20:28; 33:38; Deuteronomy 1:3.) It was in connection with the waters of Meribah at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin that Moses and Aaron failed to sanctify Jehovah before the people and lost the privilege of entering the Promised Land.—Num. 27:12-14; Deut. 32:50, 51.

The wilderness of Zin was “alongside Edom” (being immediately W of Edom) and at the SE extremity of Judah’s assigned territory. (Num. 34:3; Josh. 15:1) Since Kadesh was located in both the wildernesses of Zin and Paran (Num. 13:26; 20:1), possibly these were adjoining wilderness regions, or that of Zin may have been part of the more extensive wilderness of Paran.

2. Twice “Zin” appears without the term “wilderness.” In these cases, it may designate a presently unidentified town in S Judah between the ascent of Akrabbim and Kadesh-barnea and from which the surrounding wilderness drew its name. Or, it may mean the wilderness of Zin itself.—Num. 34:4; Josh. 15:3.

ZINA

(Ziʹna).

A descendant of Gershon through Shimei. (1 Chron. 23:6, 7, 10) He is called Zizah in verse 11.—See ZIZAH.

ZION

(Ziʹon).

Originally the Jebusite stronghold that came to be called the “city of David.” (1 Ki. 8:1; 1 Chron. 11:5) After capturing Mount Zion, David established his royal residence there. (2 Sam. 5:6, 7, 9; see DAVID, CITY OF.) Alluding to David’s ruling from Zion as God’s anointed one are Jehovah’s words: “I, even I, have installed my king upon Zion, my holy mountain.” (Ps. 2:6) Zion became a mountain especially holy to Jehovah when David had the sacred Ark transferred there. (2 Sam. 6:17) Later, the designation “Zion” embraced the temple area on Mount Moriah (where the Ark was moved during Solomon’s reign) and the term was, in fact, applied to the entire city of Jerusalem. (Compare Isaiah 1:8; 8:18; see MOUNTAIN OF MEETING.) Since the Ark represented Jehovah’s presence (Ex. 25:22; Lev. 16:2), Zion was referred to as the place of God’s dwelling (Ps. 9:11; 74:2; 76:2; 78:68; 132:13, 14; 135:21) and the place from which help, blessing and salvation would come.—Ps. 14:7; 20:2; 50:2; 53:6; 134:3.

For unfaithfulness to him, Jehovah allowed the Babylonians to desolate Zion or Jerusalem. (Lam. 2:1, 4, 6, 8, 10, 13) Later, in fulfillment of prophecy, Jehovah restored a remnant of his repentant people to Zion or Jerusalem. (Isa. 35:10; 51:3; 52:1-8; Jer. 50:4, 5, 28; 51:10, 24, 35) This made it possible for Jesus Christ to ride into Jerusalem on the colt of an ass and present himself to Zion as king, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah. (Zech. 9:9; Matt. 21:5; John 12:15) Only a remnant responded favorably, whereas the religious leaders rejected Jesus as king and sought his death. This pointed to calamity for earthly Jerusalem or Zion and its casting off by God.—Matt. 21:33-46.

As Jesus had been rejected in earthly Jerusalem, it could not have been there that Jehovah laid his Son as “a tried stone, the precious corner of a sure foundation.” (Isa. 28:16; Rom. 9:32, 33; 1 Pet. 2:6) Rather, it must have been in the Zion concerning which Hebrew Christians were told: “But you have approached a Mount Zion and a city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem, and myriads of angels, in general assembly, and the congregation of the first-born who have been enrolled in the heavens, and God the Judge of all, and the spiritual lives of righteous ones who have been made perfect, and Jesus the mediator of a new covenant.” (Heb. 12:22-24) It is evidently on this heavenly Mount Zion that the Lamb, Christ Jesus, stands with the 144,000 who have been purchased from the earth.—Rev. 14:1-3; see JERUSALEM; NEW JERUSALEM.

ZIOR

(Ziʹor) [smallness].

A city in the mountainous region of Judah. (Josh. 15:20, 48, 54) It is often identified with Siʽir (or, Saʽir), some five miles (c. 8 kilometers) N-NE of Hebron. Ruins there, however, are believed to date only from the Byzantine period.