What is "zacchaeus"

masc. proper name, from Late Latin Zacchaeus, from Greek Zakkhaios, from Hebrew zakkay, literally "pure, innocent," from zakhah "was clean, was pure."

n. (alternative form of Zaccheus English)

Zacchaeus (, ; , "pure", "innocent") was a chief tax-collector at Jericho, mentioned only in the Gospel of Luke. A descendant of Abraham, he was an example of Jesus' personal, earthly mission to bring salvation to the lost. Tax collectors were despised as traitors (working for the Roman Empire, not for their Jewish community), and as being corrupt.

Because the lucrative production and export of balsam was centered in Jericho, his position would have carried both importance and wealth. In the account, he arrived before the crowd who were later to meet with Jesus, who was passing through Jericho on his way to Jerusalem. Described as a short man, Zacchaeus climbed up a sycamore fig tree so that he might be able to see Jesus. When Jesus reached the spot he looked up into the branches, addressed Zacchaeus by name, and told him to come down, for he intended to visit his house. The crowd was shocked that Jesus, a Jew, would sully himself by being a guest of a tax collector.

Zacchaeus, sometimes Zaccheus, or Zacchaeus Was a Wee Little Man, or other variations, is a traditional Christian children's song. The song recounts the story of Zacchaeus as reported in Luke 19:1–10. As the song tells of Zacchaeus's attempts to see Jesus by climbing a sycamore tree, there are a series of hand motions that accompany the song. The song is one of the more popular children's Bible songs, and has been featured on numerous Christian children's music collections.

Zacchaeus may refer to

Zacchaeus, a person in the New Testament