Governor living at the time of Exile and Return
Zerubbabel (or Sheshbazzar), a descendant of David, led the first group of Jewish exiles back to Jerusalem from Babylon and oversaw the rebuilding of the temple.
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Also known as Sheshbazzar · Zorobabel
Zerubbabel, also known as Sheshbazzar, was a descendant of King David who played a crucial role in the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon and the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. He is mentioned in various books of the Old Testament, including 1 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, and Zechariah. Zerubbabel led the first group of exiles back to Jerusalem under the decree of Cyrus, king of Persia. He is listed among the leaders who returned and is credited with laying the foundation of the temple. Despite facing opposition from the Samaritans and others, Zerubbabel, along with the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, encouraged the people to complete the rebuilding of the temple. He is also mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Matthew, emphasizing his importance in the messianic lineage. Zerubbabel's leadership and dedication were instrumental in reestablishing Jewish worship in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile.
Part of: Persian era: Esther and the return · The royal line: Judah to David to Jesus
Cyrus issued a decree in his first year permitting exiles to return and rebuild the temple, and returned the temple vessels. Zerubbabel, a Davidic descendant, and the priest Joshua led the first group.
Sources: Ezra 1:1-4 · Ezra 1:7-8 · Ezra 2:2
Zerubbabel, governor, and Joshua (Jeshua) son of Jehozadak, high priest, rebuilt the altar and started the temple foundation, then led the work after opposition halted it. Zechariah 3-4 pairs them as the two "anointed ones".
Sources: Ezra 3:2 · Ezra 5:2 · Zech 3:1-7 · Zech 4:6-10
In 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.
Sources: Ezra 5:1-2 · Hag 1:1-14 · Zech 1:1 · Ezra 6:14
Ezra, Haggai and Matthew call Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, while 1 Chronicles 3:19 calls him son of Shealtiel's brother Pedaiah. The common solutions are a levirate arrangement or a legal versus biological sonship.
Sources: Ezra 3:2 · Hag 1:1 · 1 Chr 3:19 · Matt 1:12
Shealtiel is called Jehoiachin's son in 1 Chronicles 3:17 and Matthew 1:12. Zerubbabel, governor under Persia, became the focus of hope for the Davidic line, and Haggai calls him the LORD's "signet ring", reversing the Jeremiah 22:24 sentence on Jehoiachin's signet.
Sources: 1 Chr 3:17 · Jer 22:24 · Hag 2:23
Matthew traces the royal line from David through Solomon and the kings of Judah to Jehoiachin, then through Shealtiel and Zerubbabel to Joseph, husband of Mary. It lists fourteen generations in each of three groups, selectively.
Sources: Matt 1:6-11 · Matt 1:12-16 · Matt 1:17
Luke's genealogy runs from David through his son Nathan, not Solomon, and also includes Shealtiel and Zerubbabel. Views differ whether Luke gives Mary's line or Joseph's legal line, with the two crossing at Shealtiel.
Sources: Luke 3:23-31 · 2 Sam 5:14 · Zech 12:12
More background: search Wikipedia ↗
ZERUB'BABEL (begotten in Babylon), 1 Chr 3:19, or ZOROB'ABEL, Matt 1:12, was the leader of the first colony of Jews that returned from the captivity in Babylon, Ezr 2:2, and was of the family of David, a son of Salathiel or Shealtiel, Hag 1:1; Matt 1:12, but called a son of Pedaiah, the brother or son of Salathiel, in 1 Chr 3:17-19. To him Cyrus committed the sacred vessels that were returned to Jerusalem. He laid the foundations of the temple, Zech 4:6-10, and was chiefly instrumental in restoring the religious rites of the nation. The advances of the mixed population of Samaria, who wished to participate in the building of the temple, he refused, and their intrigues at the Persian court caused the work to be stopped, but only for a short time; finally, he succeeded in completing the building. Ezr 5:2; Hag 1:12, 2 Kgs 22:14; Gen 2:2, Hab 2:4; Zech 4:6, 1 Kgs 16:10. He was the governor of Judaea. Neh 12:47.
ZERUB'BABEL (begotten in Babylon), 1 Chr 3:19, or ZOROB'ABEL, Matt 1:12, was the leader of the first colony of Jews that returned from the captivity in Babylon, Ezr 2:2, and was of the family of David, a son of Salathiel or Shealtiel, Hag 1:1; Matt 1:12, but called a son of Pedaiah, the brother or son of Salathiel, in 1 Chr 3:17-19. To him Cyrus committed the sacred vessels that were returned to Jerusalem. He laid the foundations of the temple, Zech 4:6-10, and was chiefly instrumental in restoring the religious rites of the nation. The advances of the mixed population of Samaria, who wished to participate in the building of the temple, he refused, and their intrigues at the Persian court caused the work to be stopped, but only for a short time; finally, he succeeded in completing the building. Ezr 5:2; Hag 1:12, 2 Kgs 22:14; Gen 2:2, Hab 2:4; Zech 4:6, 1 Kgs 16:10. He was the governor of Judaea. Neh 12:47.
Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.
27 verses in 6 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H2216
The sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel and Shimei. The children of Zerubbabel: Meshullam and Hananiah, their sister Shelomith,
Cyrus king of Persia had them brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.
In all, there were 5,400 gold and silver articles. Sheshbazzar brought all these along when the exiles went up from Babylon to Jerusalem.
accompanied by Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. This is the count of the men of Israel:
Then Jeshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests, along with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates, began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God.
In the second month of the second year after they had arrived at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak, and the rest of their associates including the priests, the Levites, and all who had returned to Jerusalem from the captivity, began the work. They appointed Levites twenty years of age or older to supervise the construction of the house of the LORD.
they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the families, saying, “Let us build with you because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to Him since the time of King Esar-haddon of Assyria, who brought us here.”
But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of the families of Israel replied, “You have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone must build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as Cyrus king of Persia has commanded us.”
Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak rose up and began to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, helping them.
He also removed from the temple of Babylon the gold and silver articles belonging to the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken and carried there from the temple in Jerusalem. King Cyrus gave these articles to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he appointed governor
So this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of the house of God in Jerusalem, and from that time until now it has been under construction, but it has not yet been completed.”
accompanied by Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. This is the count of the men of Israel:
Now these are the priests and Levites who went up with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
So in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah, all Israel contributed the daily portions for the singers and gatekeepers. They also set aside daily portions for the Levites, and the Levites set aside daily portions for the descendants of Aaron.
In the second year of the reign of Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came through Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, stating
Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, as well as all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the words of the prophet Haggai, because the LORD their God had sent him. So the people feared the LORD.
So the LORD stirred the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, as well as the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and began the work on the house of the LORD of Hosts, their God,
“Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and also to the remnant of the people. Ask them,
But now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the LORD. Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. And be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD. Work! For I am with you, declares the LORD of Hosts.
“Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I am about to shake the heavens and the earth:
On that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, I will take you, My servant, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, declares the LORD, and I will make you like My signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the LORD of Hosts.”
So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts.
What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain. Then he will bring forth the capstone accompanied by shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”
“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of Hosts has sent me to you.
For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven eyes of the LORD, which scan the whole earth, will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.”
After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor.
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.