Easton's Bible Dictionary

Zephathah A valley in the west of Judah, near Mareshah; the scene of Asa's conflict with Zerah the Ethiopian (Ch2 14:9). Identified with the Wady Safieh.

Zerah Sunrise. (1.) An "Ethiopian," probably Osorkon II., the successor of Shishak on the throne of Egypt. With an enormous army, the largest we read of in Scripture, he invaded the kingdom of Judah in the days of Asa (Ch2 14:9). He reached Zephathah, and there encountered the army of Asa. This is the only instance "in all the annals of Judah of a victorious encounter in the field with a first-class heathen power in full force." The Egyptian host was utterly routed, and the Hebrews gathered "exceeding much spoil." Three hundred years elapsed before another Egyptian army, that of Necho (609 B.C.), came up against Jerusalem. (2.) A son of Tamar (Gen 38:30); called also Zara (Mat 1:3). (3.) A Gershonite Levite (Ch1 6:21, Ch1 6:41).

Zered =Zared, luxuriance; willow bush, a brook or valley communicating with the Dead Sea near its southern extremity (Num 21:12; Deu 2:14). It is called the "brook of the willows" (Isa 15:7) and the "river of the wilderness" (Amo 6:14). It has been identified with the Wady el-Aksy.

Zereda The fortress, a city on the north of Mount Ephraim; the birthplace of Jeroboam (Kg1 11:26). It is probably the same as Zaretan (Jos 3:16), Zererath (Jdg 7:22), Zartanah (Kg1 4:12), or the following.

Zeredathah A place in the plain of Jordan; the same as Zarthan (Ch2 4:17; Kg1 7:46). Here Solomon erected the foundries in which Hiram made the great castings of bronze for the temple.

Zererath (Jdg 7:22), perhaps identical with Zereda or Zeredathah. Some identify it with Zahrah, a place about 3 miles west of Beth-shean.

Zeresh Star of Venus, the wife of Haman, whom she instigated to prepare a gallows for Mordecai (Est 5:10).

Zeruah Stricken, mother of Jeroboam, the first king of the ten tribes (Kg1 11:26).

Zerubbabel The seed of Babylon, the son of Salathiel or Shealtiel (Hag 1:1; Zorobabel, Mat 1:12); called also the son of Pedaiah (Ch1 3:17), i.e., according to a frequent usage of the word "son;" the grandson or the nephew of Salathiel. He is also known by the Persian name of Sheshbazzar (Ezr 1:8, Ezr 1:11). In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, he led the first band of Jews, numbering 42,360 (Ezr 2:64), exclusive of a large number of servants, who returned from captivity at the close of the seventy years. In the second year after the Return, he erected an altar and laid the foundation of the temple on the ruins of that which had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar (Ezr 3:8; Ezra 4 - 6). All through the work he occupied a prominent place, inasmuch as he was a descendant of the royal line of David.

Zeruiah Stricken of the Lord, David's sister, and the mother of Abishai, Joab, and Asahel (Ch1 2:16), who were the three leading heroes of David's army, and being his nephews, they were admitted to the closest companionship with him.