twenty years old upward numbered 57,400. (Num. 1:1-3, 30, 31) A second census taken at the close of Israel’s forty years’ wandering in the wilderness revealed an increase of 3,100 registered males.—Num. 26:26, 27.

In the wilderness, the tribe of Zebulun, alongside the tribes of Judah and Issachar, camped on the E side of the tabernacle. This three-tribe division was first in the order of march. Eliab the son of Helon served as the chieftain of the Zebulunite army.—Num. 1:9; 2:3-7; 7:24; 10:14-16.

TRIBAL INHERITANCE

Regarding the inheritance of the tribe of Zebulun, the dying patriarch Jacob stated: “Zebulun will reside by the seashore, and he will be by the shore where the ships lie anchored; and his remote side will be toward Sidon.” (Gen. 49:13) Since Sidon was to the N of Israel and since Zebulun’s territory was to be toward Sidon, the location of Zebulun’s territory was to be a northern one. While not bordering directly on the sea, the area assigned to Zebulun was situated between the Sea of Galilee on the E and the Mediterranean on the W and thus gave the Zebulunites easy access to both bodies of water. Hence, the could easily engage in commercial trade, which may be alluded to by Moses’ words of blessing: “Rejoice O Zebulun, in your going out.”—Deut. 33:18.

At the time the distribution of the Promised Land continued from Shiloh the third lot was drawn for Zebulun. (Josh. 18:8; 19:10-16) Elizaphan the son of Parnach, the divinely appointed representative of the tribe of Zebulun, assisted in the division of the land. (Num. 34:17, 25) When the territorial boundaries were established, Zebulun was surrounded by Asher (Josh. 19:24, 27), Naphtali (Josh. 19:32-34) and Issachar.

Several Levite cities were situated in the territory of Zebulun. (Josh. 21:7, 34, 35; 1 Chron. 6:63, 77) From one of these, Nahalol (Nahalal), the Zebulunites failed to drive out the Canaanites, as was also true of the city of Kitron.—Judg. 1:30.

OUTSTANDING WARRIORS

The tribe of Zebulun produced courageous warriors. Ten thousand men from Naphtali and Zebulun responded to Barak’s call to fight against the forces under the command of Sisera. (Judg. 4:6, 10) Following the victory, Barak and Deborah sang: “Zebulun was a people that scorned their souls to the point of death.” (Judg. 5:18) Among those supporting Barak were Zebulunites “handling the equipment of a scribe,” evidently men in charge of numbering and enrolling the warriors. (Judg. 5:14; compare 2 Kings 25:19; 2 Chronicles 26:11.) Zebulunites also came to Judge Gideon in response to his call for warriors. (Judg. 6:34, 35) Among David’s supporters were 50,000 Zebulunites, loyal men not having a “double heart.” (1 Chron. 12:33, 38-40) During David’s reign Zebulunites evidently had a notable share in subduing the enemies of Israel.—Ps. 68:27.

ATTITUDE TOWARD TRUE WORSHIP

In the latter half of the eighth century B.C.E. individuals from the tribe of Zebulun humbled themselves and responded to Judean King Hezekiah’s invitation to attend the Passover celebration at Jerusalem. (2 Chron. 30:1, 10, 11, 18, 19) Centuries later, in fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy (Isa. 9:1, 2), Christ Jesus preached in the territory of ancient Zebulun and apparently found hearing ears there.—Matt. 4:13-16.

REFERRED TO IN VISIONS

In Ezekiel’s vision, Zebulun’s land assignment was situated between Issachar and Gad (Ezek. 48:26, 27), and one of the gates of the city “Jehovah Himself Is There” bears the name Zebulun. (Ezek. 48:33, 35) The apostle John, in vision, heard that 12,000 had been sealed out of the (spiritual) tribe of Zebulun.—Rev. 7:4, 8.

ZEBULUNITE

(Zebʹu·lun·ite).

A member of the tribe of Zebulun. (Num. 26:26, 27) Judge Elon was a Zebulunite.—Judg. 12:11, 12.

ZECHARIAH

(Zech·a·riʹah) [Jehovah has remembered].

1. One of the ten sons of Jeiel in the tribe of Benjamin. (1 Chron. 9:35-37) His name is abbreviated as Zecher in the parallel list at 1 Chronicles 8:31.

2. A Reubenite who possibly warred against the Hagrites in the days of Saul.—1 Chron. 5:6, 7, 10.

3. A Levitical gatekeeper also commended as “a counselor with discretion.” He had been a gatekeeper at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and when David reorganized the Levitical services for the future temple, Zechariah’s lot fell to the north. He was the firstborn son of Meshelemiah, a Korahite, in the Kohathite family of Levites.—1 Chron. 9:21, 22; 26:1, 2, 14.

4. A Levite assigned to play a stringed instrument with other Levites in the procession that brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. Zechariah thereafter played in front of the tent that housed the Ark.—1 Chron. 15:18, 20; 16:1, 4, 5.

5. A priestly trumpeter in the procession accompanying the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem.—1 Chron. 15:24.

6. A Levite of the family of Uzziel who was involved in the reorganization of service for the house of Jehovah.—1 Chron. 24:24, 25.

7. A Merarite Levite, son of Hosah, appointed to the corps of gatekeepers during David’s reign.—1 Chron. 26:1, 10, 11.

8. A Manassite whose son Iddo was tribal chieftain in Gilead during David’s reign.—1 Chron. 27:16, 21.

9. A Levite whose son Jahaziel assured Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah that Jehovah would fight their war for them.—2 Chron. 20:13-17; compare 1 Chronicles 6:39, 43.

10. One of the princes of the people whom Jehoshaphat, in 934 B.C.E., charged to teach Jehovah’s law throughout the cities of Judah.—2 Chron. 17:7, 9.

11. Son of King Jehoshaphat. Zechariah and his brothers had all received generous gifts from Jehoshaphat, but the kingship passed to the firstborn Jehoram; in order to make his position strong, Jehoram, after his enthronement, killed Zechariah and his brothers and other princes.—2 Chron. 21:1-4.

12. Son of High Priest Jehoiada. After Jehoiada’s death, King Jehoash turned away from true worship, listening to wrong counsel rather than to Jehovah’s prophets. Zechariah, Jehoash’s cousin (2 Chron. 22:11), sternly warned the people about this, but, instead of repenting, they stoned him in the temple courtyard. Zechariah’s dying words were: “Let Jehovah see to it and ask it back.” This prophetic request was granted, for not only did Syria do great damage to Judah, but also Jehoash was killed by two of his servants “because of the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest.” The Septuagint and Vulgate say that Jehoash was killed to avenge the blood of the “son” of Jehoiada. The Masoretic and Syriac Peshitta, however, read “sons” possibly using the plural number to denote the excellence and worth of Jehoiada’s son Zechariah the prophet-priest.—2 Chron. 24:17-22, 25.

Zechariah the son of Jehoiada is most likely the one whom Jesus had in mind when prophesying that “the blood of all the prophets spilled from the founding of the world” will be required “from this generation [the Jews of the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry], from the blood of Abel down to the blood of Zechariah, who was slain between the altar and the house.” (Luke 11:50, 51) The places mentioned as the site of the slaying correspond. In