Bible Word Study
זָזָא
zâzâʼ · Zaza, an Israelite
זָזָא
Zaza, an Israelite
Definition
Zaza is a proper name of a minor figure in the Old Testament, appearing only once as a descendant of Judah. He is listed as a son of Jonathan, who was the son of Jerahmeel, within the extensive genealogical records of 1 Chronicles 2:33. The name itself likely carries a positive connotation, meaning 'prominent' or 'shining.' As a proper noun, it refers exclusively to this specific individual within the biblical narrative, with no other attested meanings or senses.
Biblical Usage
This word is used a single time in the entire Old Testament, in the genealogical list of 1 Chronicles 2:33. Its usage is purely onomastic (name-giving) within a chronicle of the tribe of Judah's lineage. There are no patterns of usage beyond this one occurrence in a historical record.
Etymology
The name Zaza (זָזָא) is likely derived from the Hebrew root זִיז (zîyz, H2123), which conveys the idea of something that is prominent, moving, or sparkling. This root is seen in words referring to abundance or something that stands out. The name's formation suggests a meaning like 'the prominent one' or 'the shining one,' a common type of meaningful name-giving in Hebrew culture.
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite culture, names were often significant and descriptive. A name like Zaza, implying prominence, may have reflected parental hopes for the child's character or destiny. Its inclusion in the detailed genealogy of 1 Chronicles underscores the importance of family lineage and tribal identity for the post-exilic community, preserving the memory of even minor individuals within God's covenant people. As a unique proper name, Zaza has no direct synonyms. It is one among many Hebrew personal names recorded in genealogies.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]