ZEDEKIAH (zed'e-krah), (Heb. isid kee-yaw', justice of Jehovah).
1. Son of Josiah, the twentieth and last king of Judah, was, in place of his brother, Jehoiakini, set on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar, who changed his name from Mattaniali to that by which he is ordinarily spoken of (2 Kings xxiv: 17, 18; 2 Chron. xxxvi:ti ), B. C. 598-588.
(1) Reign. As the vassal of the Babylonian monarch, he was compelled to take an oath of allegiance to him, which, however, he observed only till an opportunity offered for throwing off his yoke. Success in such an undertaking was not likely to attend his efforts. By his folly and wickedness he brought the state to the brink of ruin. Yet the danger did not open his eyes. In stead of looking to Jehovah, he threw himself for support on Egypt, when the Chablean came into the land and laid siege to his capital (Jer. xxxvii: 3 ; xxxiv :21 ; Ezek. xvii :15-2o). The siege was begun on the tenth day of the tenth month in the ninth year of his reign. For a year and a half did Jerusalem effectually withstand Nebuchad nezzar. At the end of that time, however, the city was stormed and taken (B. C. 588), when Zedekiah, who had fled, was captured on the road to Jericho. Judgment was speedily executed: his sons were slain before his eyes, and he himself was deprived of sight and sent in chains to Baby lon, where he died in prison (2 Kings xxiv sq.; xxv :1, sq.; 2 Chron. xxxvi:io, sq.; Jer. xxviii, xxxiv, xxxvii, xxxviii, xxxix, lii; Ezek. xvii :15). J. R. B.
(2) Character. His heart was not right be fore God, and therefore was he left without di vine succor. Corrupt and weak, he gave himself up into the hands of his nobles, and lent an ear to false prophets; while the faithful lessons of Jere miah were unwelcome, and repaid by incar ceration. Like all of his class, he was unable to follow good, and became the slave of wicked men, afraid alike of his own nobility and of his foreign enemies.
2. Son of Chenaanah, a false prophet of Sa maria (I Kings who put iron horns on his head, and sent to Ahab, king of Israel, saying, "Thus saith the Lord, You shall beat Syria, and toss it up into the air with these horns." The prophet Micaiah, son of linlah, being sent for. and pronouncing the direct contrary, Zedekiah came near him, and giving him a blow on the face, said to him, "Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me, to do thus to you?" Mi caiah answered, "You will see that, when you shall be obliged to hide yourself in an inward chamber." It is not said what became of Zede kiah; but all the prophecies of Micaiah proved true (2 Chron. xviii:lo). (B. C. 3. Son of Maaseiah, a false prophet, who al ways opposed Jeremiah (1 Chron.iii :16). Against him. and Ahab. son of Kolaialt, the prophet pro nounced a terrible curse (Jer. xxix :21. 22) : "Of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah which are in Babylon, saying. The Lord make thee like Zedekiah, and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire." (B. C. 586.) 4. Son of Jeconiah, the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah (1 Chron. :16). (B. C. 598.) 5. Son of Hananiah, a prince of Judah who with others was in the scribe's chamber when the announcement came that Baruch had delivered the words of Jeremiah to the people ( Jer. xxxvi: 12). (B. C. 605.) 6. One of the officials who sealed the covenant immediately after Nehemiah (Neh. x :I). Called in A. V. Zidkijah.
ZEEB (ze'eb), (Heb. ;11, zeh-abe' , wolf), one of the two "princes" of Midian in the great invasion of Israel who was defeated by Gideon. Zeeb was slain in a winepress, which later bore his name. He is always named with OREB (Judg.
viii:3; Ps. lxxxiii:t t), B. C. about Itoo.