Ζοροβάβελ
Zorobábel
G2216 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Zorobabel (a personal name, transliteration of Hebrew Zerubbabel), denoting a specific Israelite leader of the post-exilic era; refers to Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah in early Persian period after the Babylonian exile. The term itself functions as a proper noun, bearing only the sense of a distinct individual's name within biblical texts. Contextually, this name identifies the figure associated with the restoration of the Second Temple in Jerusalem.
Semantic Range
Zorobabel/Zerubbabel (personal name; post-exilic Israelite leader), governor of Judah during Persian period, descendant of David, no broader lexical usage
Root / Etymology
From Hebrew זְרֻבָּבֶל (Zĕrubābel), possibly meaning 'descendant/seed of Babylon' or 'scion born in Babylon' (from זֶרַע 'seed/offspring' and בָּבֶל 'Babylon'), but the exact original meaning remains debated.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Ζοροβάβελ appears in the Septuagint and New Testament as a formal transliteration of the Hebrew name Zerubbabel, who appears in post-exilic biblical literature (Haggai, Zechariah, Ezra, Ezra/Nehemiah, and genealogies in Matthew/Luke). He is recognized as an Israelite of Davidic descent and a governor under the Persian empire, key to the rebuilding efforts in Jerusalem. The Greek spelling is a direct phonetic rendering of the Hebrew, with no inherent semantic meaning for Greek speakers; its contextual significance entirely derives from the Hebrew narrative. In biblical Greek, Ζοροβάβελ is used strictly as a personal name and not subject to the semantic extension or abstraction found in common nouns. English translations typically render the name simply as 'Zerubbabel,' occasionally leaving the historical context unexplained. The name's meaning as 'seed of Babylon' reflects the exile context but is not explained in Greek sources.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Hebrew origin (זְרֻבָּבֶל); Zorobabel (i.e. Zerubbabel), an Israelite:--Zorobabel.
Root Family
Ζοροβάβελ (Zorobabel) — Zorobabel, proper name, post-exilic Israelite leader
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2216-01 |
Ζοροβαβέλ | zorobabel | N ACC M SG |
Zerubbabel | Zorobabel | Zorobabel | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2216-01 |
Matthew 1:12 | Ζοροβαβέλ | zorobabel | N ACC M SG |
Zerubbabel | Zorobabel | Zorobabel |
G2216-01 |
Matthew 1:13 | Ζοροβαβὲλ | zorobabel | N NOM M SG |
Zerubbabel | Zorobabel | Zorobabel |
G2216-01 |
Luke 3:27 | Ζοροβαβὲλ | zorobabel | N GEN M SG |
Zerubbabel | Zorobabel | Zorobabel |