← G2196 G2198 →

Ζαχαρίας

Zacharías

G2197 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A male personal name: Zacharias; referring specifically in the New Testament to (1) the father of John the Baptist, a priest from the division of Abijah, and (2) a prophet referenced by Jesus. The primary sense is a masculine proper noun, indicating individuals with this Hebrew-derived name. The semantic range does not extend beyond its use as a personal name.

Semantic Range

male given name referring to Zacharias (father of John the Baptist), name of other Israelite or Judean figures; corresponding Hebrew name Zechariah; personal name only

Root / Etymology

From Hebrew זְכַרְיָה (Zəkharyāh), meaning 'Yahweh has remembered' (from זָכַר, 'to remember' + יָה, a theophoric element referring to the Israelite deity). The Greek form Ζαχαρίας transliterates the Hebrew name for use in Greek-speaking contexts; no additional Greek derivation beyond the transliteration from Hebrew.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the New Testament, Ζαχαρίας most commonly refers to the father of John the Baptist (see Luke 1), described as a priest of the division of Abijah, emphasizing his role within the priestly order among the Israelites of that period. The name also appears in a reference by Jesus (Matt 23:35; Luke 11:51) to 'Zechariah son of Barachiah.' The usage in the Septuagint aligns with naming conventions for ancient Israelite figures, and the Greek form is used consistently for the Hebrew זְכַרְיָה in the translation of prophetic and historical books. The term does not denote a group identity or convey religious or ethnic status—it uniquely identifies individuals by name. English translations render the name as 'Zacharias' in the New Testament to distinguish from the Old Testament 'Zechariah,' but this is a translational convention rather than a reflection of Greek nuance. The distinction helps readers separate figures of the Second Temple period from earlier Israelite prophets or priests with the same name.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of Hebrew origin (זְכַרְיָה); Zacharias (i.e. Zechariah), the name of two Israelites:--Zacharias.

Root Family

Ζαχαρίας (Zacharias) — personal name, Yahweh has remembered, remembrance

Root Ζαχαρι- name, to remember, Yahweh has remembered

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G2197-04 Ζαχαρίου zachariou N GEN M SG Zechariah of Zacharias Zacharias 4
G2197-03 Ζαχαρίας zacharias N NOM M SG Zacharias Zacharias Zacharias 4
G2197-02 Ζαχαρίαν zacharian N ACC M SG Zacharias Zacharias Zacharias 2
G2197-01 Ζαχαρία zacharia N VOC M SG Zechariah Zacharias! Zacharias 1

Occurrences in Scripture

11 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G2197-04 Matthew 23:35 Ζαχαρίου zachariou N GEN M SG Zechariah of Zacharias Zacharias
G2197-03 Luke 1:5 Ζαχαρίας zacharias N NOM M SG Zacharias Zacharias Zacharias
G2197-03 Luke 1:12 Ζαχαρίας zacharias N NOM M SG Zacharias Zacharias Zacharias
G2197-01 Luke 1:13 Ζαχαρία zacharia N VOC M SG Zechariah Zacharias! Zacharias
G2197-03 Luke 1:18 Ζαχαρίας zacharias N NOM M SG Zechariah Zacharias Zacharias
G2197-02 Luke 1:21 Ζαχαρίαν zacharian N ACC M SG Zechariah Zacharias Zacharias
G2197-04 Luke 1:40 Ζαχαρίου zachariou N GEN M SG of Zacharias of Zacharias Zacharias
G2197-02 Luke 1:59 Ζαχαρίαν zacharian N ACC M SG Zacharias Zacharias Zacharias
G2197-03 Luke 1:67 Ζαχαρίας zacharias N NOM M SG Zechariah Zacharias Zacharias
G2197-04 Luke 3:2 Ζαχαρίου zachariou N GEN M SG of Zechariah of Zacharias Zacharias
← G2196 Greek Lexicon G2198 →