Zechariah, a post-exilic prophet and priest who wrote the book bearing his name.
Zechariah was a prophet and priest who lived in Judah after the Babylonian exile. He was the son of Berechiah and grandson of Iddo, a priest who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel. Zechariah began his prophetic ministry in the second year of Darius, king of Persia, delivering messages to encourage the people to rebuild the temple. His prophecies, recorded in the biblical book bearing his name, are known for their rich use of visions and symbolism, similar to the books of Daniel and Revelation. Zechariah's ministry likely extended into the reign of Xerxes I, the king who made Esther queen of Persia. As both a prophet and priest, Zechariah would have had intimate knowledge of Jewish religious practices.
Haggai and Zechariah: prophets of the second temple
WorkStated in the textIn 520 BC Haggai and Zechariah urged Zerubbabel and Joshua to resume building the temple, which had stalled for sixteen years. Haggai speaks first (month 6), Zechariah two months later. Ezra 6:14 says the elders prospered by their prophesying.
Where the text shows it: Ezra 5:1-2 — Haggai and Zechariah prophesy; work resumesHag 1:1-14 — Haggai's call to buildZech 1:1 — Zechariah's first oracleEzra 6:14 — Completion attributed to elders and prophets Sources: Ezra 5:1-2 · Hag 1:1-14 · Zech 1:1 · Ezra 6:14
Zechariah: son of Berechiah, or of Iddo?
FamilyDebatedZechariah 1:1 calls the prophet son of Berechiah, son of Iddo; Ezra 5:1 and 6:14 say "Zechariah the son of Iddo". The usual explanation is that Iddo was the more prominent grandfather and "son" means descendant; another view is that Berechiah is a scribal insertion.
Where the text shows it: Zech 1:1 — Son of Berechiah, son of IddoEzra 5:1 — "Zechariah the son of Iddo"Neh 12:16 — Zechariah of the house of Iddo, priest Ways people read this (3)
- Grandson view: Berechiah may have died young, so Iddo is named in Ezra as family head.
- Corruption view: Berechiah entered Zech 1:1 under the influence of Isa 8:2.
- Matthew 23:35 also mentions a Zechariah son of Berechiah, feeding a separate discussion about whom Jesus means.
Sources: Zech 1:1 · Ezra 5:1 · Neh 12:16
6 verses in 2 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H2148