Zaza is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Zaza was a descendant of Judah, belonging to the clan of the Jerahmeelites. He appears only once in Scripture, in the genealogical record of 1 Chronicles 2, where he is listed among the sons of Jonathan: “And the sons of Jonathan; Peleth, and Zaza. These were the sons of Jerahmeel” (1 Chronicles 2:33). This single verse is the whole of what the Bible records about him.
The setting of this mention is the great tribal genealogy of Judah, compiled to document the families and lines of descent that made up the southern kingdom. Within that record, the Chronicler traces the line of Jerahmeel, a descendant of Judah through Hezron. Jonathan, Zaza’s father, was a son of Jerahmeel, making Zaza part of the third generation in this branch of the family. His brother, named alongside him, was Peleth.
Scripture tells us nothing of Zaza’s life, character, or deeds. He is not credited with any act of faith, courage, or failure. He simply appears as a name in a family line, one link in the chain of Judah’s descendants. Yet his inclusion in the inspired record shows that he belonged to the covenant people and to the heritage of Judah, the tribe from which the promised King would later come. His mention, brief as it is, is a reminder that every ordinary member of God’s people is known and remembered by Him, even when no story is told.
The Name
The name Zaza is a Hebrew personal name, but its meaning is not clearly recoverable. Unlike many biblical names that carry an obvious root or verbal sense—such as names built on *yah* (the LORD) or on words like *melek* (king)—Zaza does not yield a well-established meaning. Some have suggested possible connections to roots implying “brightness” or “abundance,” but these are conjectural and not firmly grounded. It is best to say plainly that the meaning of this name is uncertain, and no reliable definition can be given from the text itself.
A Closing Thought
Most of us will never be famous. Our lives may never be written into a story that others tell. Zaza’s entire legacy in Scripture is one line in a long list of names—and yet he was part of the family of Judah, part of the people through whom God worked His purposes. There is quiet comfort in this. God does not measure our worth by how much is said about us, but by whether we belong to Him. The names He remembers are not only the great ones. A single verse is enough to show that Zaza was known, counted, and never forgotten by the God who keeps His covenant.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 2:33 — And the sons of Jonathan; Peleth, and Zaza. These were the sons of Jerahmeel.