Who was Zizah in the Bible?

Zizah, also called Zina, was a Gershonite Levite, one of the clans responsible for the service of the tabernacle. He is listed as the second son of Shimei in the genealogical records of 1 Chronicles 23:10-11.

What was the significance of Zizah as a Gershonite Levite?

As a Gershonite, Zizah belonged to a clan with specific duties for the tabernacle, primarily handling its curtains, coverings, and hangings (Numbers 3:25-26). His inclusion in the chronicler's list confirms his family's lineage and their role in Israel's worship system.

Are there any key events in the life of Zizah?

The Bible does not record specific events in Zizah's life. His significance comes solely from his genealogical listing, which established the legitimate priestly lines for temple service during King David's reorganization (1 Chronicles 23).

Zizah

Old TestamentEgypt & WildernessMaleLeviteSon

Zizah (or Zina), a Gershonite Levite, was the second son of Shimei (1Ch.23.11,10).

Zizah

Biography

Zizah, also called Zina in some textual traditions, was a Levite of the Gershonite clan, recorded in 1 Chronicles 23:10–11 as the second son of Shimei. He lived during the era of the wilderness wanderings, when the Levites were organized for the service of the tabernacle. According to the census of the Levites under Moses, the sons of Shimei, Jahath, Zizah, Jeush, and Beriah, were counted among the clans responsible for the care and transport of the tabernacle's sacred furnishings. The text notes that because Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, they were counted as a single family unit, while Jahath and Zizah were registered separately, suggesting their branches were more numerous.

Significance

Zizah's place in the Levitical genealogy of 1 Chronicles reflects the Chronicler's meticulous attention to the proper ordering of priestly and Levitical service within Israel's worship life. The detailed enumeration of Gershonite clans underscores the biblical principle that every Levite, however obscure, had a designated role in maintaining the holiness of Israel's sanctuary. Zizah's lineage within the clan of Shimei represents one thread in the larger tapestry of Levitical organization that made Israel's tabernacle worship possible. For later readers, this careful record-keeping signals that God's worship is never accidental or disorderly, but structured and intentional, and that every servant of the sanctuary matters.

Verse Appearances (2)

1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 23:10 1 Chronicles 23:11

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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