Zibia is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Zibia is a minor figure in the Old Testament, appearing only once in the King James Bible, in the genealogy of the tribe of Benjamin. According to 1 Chronicles 8:9, he was one of the sons born to a man named Shaharaim and his wife Hodesh: “And he begat of Hodesh his wife, Jobab, and Zibia, and Mesha, and Malcham.” The passage is part of a larger record tracing the descendants of Benjamin, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, and it preserves the names of families and clans within that tribe after the return from exile.
The source note accompanying this entry identifies Zibia as the mother of King Joash of Judah, mentioned in 2 Kings. However, the Scripture reference provided for Zibia—1 Chronicles 8:9—presents Zibia as a male, a son of Shaharaim and Hodesh. The name Zibia appears only once in the KJV, and that single occurrence is in the Benjamite genealogy, where Zibia is listed among the sons. The reference to Joash’s mother in 2 Kings concerns a different name entirely (Zibiah of Beersheba), and no verse in the provided text connects Zibia to Joash or to the throne of Judah.
What Scripture says of Zibia is therefore very little: he is named as a descendant of Benjamin, born to Shaharaim and Hodesh, and counted among the sons of that household. No actions, words, or events are recorded of him. He belongs to the quiet background of Scripture—one name in a long list—yet he is remembered as part of the lineage of a tribe that played a significant role in Israel’s history.
The Name
The name Zibia is a Hebrew name, and its meaning is not clearly recoverable from the text itself. It appears to be related to a root associated with “gazelle” or “roe,” a common motif in Hebrew personal names, though the exact sense is uncertain. Because the name occurs only once in the KJV and is not glossed by the biblical text, no definitive meaning can be stated. What can be said plainly is that the name is Hebrew in origin and belongs to the onomastic world of ancient Israel, but its precise signification remains obscure and should not be asserted with confidence.
A Closing Thought
Zibia’s life is a reminder that most of God’s people are known not for great deeds but for simply belonging to His family. One verse, one name in a genealogy—yet he was part of the tribe of Benjamin, part of the story of Israel, part of the line that God was preserving through generations. Not everyone is called to prominence; many are called to be faithful links in a chain they cannot see the end of. If your name is written only in quiet places, take heart: God does not forget the hidden ones, and He is building His kingdom through lives that seem small.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 8:9 — And he begat of Hodesh his wife, Jobab, and Zibia, and Mesha, and Malcham,