Zizah זִיזָה
Gershonite Levite, son of Shimei
Who is Zizah in the Bible?
Zizah, also known as Zina, was a Gershonite Levite and the second son of Shimei, mentioned in 1 Chronicles 23:11 during the genealogical records of King David's reign. He was part of the Levitical line descended from Gershon, one of the three major divisions of the Levites, and held the second rank among his brothers Jahath, Jeush, and Beriah. As a Levite in this period, Zizah would have been responsible for duties related to the tabernacle and temple services, though his specific role is not detailed in Scripture. His inclusion in the genealogical records demonstrates the careful organization of Levitical families based on their size and lineage, reflecting the importance of maintaining proper priestly succession during David's preparation for the temple worship.
Biography
Zizah, also known as Zina, was a Gershonite Levite mentioned in the genealogy of the Levites during the reign of King David. He was the second son of Shimei, who was a descendant of Gershon, one of the three main divisions of the Levites. In 1 Chronicles 23, Zizah is listed among the sons of Shimei, along with his brothers Jahath, Jeush, and Beriah. The passage notes that Jahath was the chief and Zizah was second in rank. However, it also mentions that Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they were counted as a single family. This suggests that the Gershonite families were organized based on the number of male descendants they had. As a Levite, Zizah would have had responsibilities related to the tabernacle and later the temple services, although his specific role is not mentioned in the text.
Family
In Scripture
1 biblical book1 Chronicles 2 verses
- 1 Chronicles 23:11
"Jahath was the first and Zizah was the second; but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they were counted as one family and received a single assignment."
- 1 Chronicles 23:10
"And the sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These were the sons of Shimei—four in all."
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | זִיזָה |
| Named | Hebrew | זִינָא |
Encyclopedia Article
ISBE 1915 (Public Domain) Zizah
(Ziza) in both verses, and one Hebrew manuscript has ziza' in 1Ch 23:10. We should then probably read ziza' in both verses, i.e. "Ziza."
zo'-an (tso`an; Tanis):