Ζαρά
Zará
G2196 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A personal name referring to Zerach, an Israelite ancestor, specifically the son of Judah and Tamar mentioned in genealogical contexts. The term functions as a proper noun in Greek texts, identifying an individual in ancestral lists rather than carrying intrinsic descriptive meaning.
Semantic Range
personal name, ancestral figure, genealogical referent
Root / Etymology
Borrowed from the Hebrew זֶרַח (Zéraḥ), meaning 'rising' or 'shining.' The Greek form Ζαρά is a transliteration into Greek script, following the practice of rendering Hebrew names phonetically in the Septuagint and New Testament genealogies.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Ζαρά appears in Greek texts (notably the genealogies in the Septuagint and the Gospel of Matthew) as a direct transliteration of the Hebrew name זֶרַח. This individual is named among the sons of Judah, with relevance for tribal and ancestral identity among Israelites. In earlier biblical texts, Zerach's birth is narrated with emphasis on the circumstances of his twin birth with Perez (Pharez), but in Greek sources, the name is used solely for genealogical identification. The Greek form does not impart any additional lexical or semantic value beyond representing the Hebrew proper name. English translations often render this name as 'Zarah' or 'Zerah,' but the underlying function remains as a genealogical marker rather than a term with broader meaning. As with most personal names transliterated from Hebrew in Greek sources, Ζαρά does not acquire independent connotative meaning in the Hellenistic-Judean period.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Hebrew origin (זֶרַח); Zara, (i.e. Zerach), an Israelite:--Zara.
Root Family
Ζαρά (Zara) — proper name, personal name, ancestral identity
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2196-01 |
Ζάρα | zara | N ACC M SG |
Zara | Zara | Zara | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2196-01 |
Matthew 1:3 | Ζάρα | zara | N ACC M SG |
Zara | Zara | Zara |