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ZechariahAid to Bible Understanding
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the first century C.E., Chronicles was the last book in the canon of the Hebrew Scriptures. So Jesus’ words, “from Abel . . . to Zechariah,” was similar to our expression, “from Genesis to Revelation.” In the parallel account at Matthew 23:35, Zechariah is called the son of Barachiah, possibly another name for Jehoiada, unless, by chance, it indicates a generation between Jehoiada and Zechariah, or is the name of an earlier ancestor.—See BARACHIAH.
13. An adviser of King Uzziah, who reigned from 829 to 777 B.C.E. Zechariah is described as an “instructor in the fear of the true God.”—2 Chron. 26:5.
14. King of Israel. Zechariah was a son of Jeroboam II and the last of Jehu’s dynasty to rule. His recorded reign of six months was terminated when he was murdered by Shallum. (2 Ki. 15:8-12) Zechariah’s father died in 803 B.C.E., in the 27th year of Uzziah’s reign (2 Ki. 14:29), but some eleven years passed before his stated rule of six months’ duration occurred in Uzziah’s 38th and 39th years (792/791 B.C.E.). (2 Ki. 15:8, 13) This may have been due to his being very young when his father died, or it may have been due to considerable opposition (typical of the northern kingdom of Israel) that had to be overcome before he was firmly established in the kingdom.
15. A witness to Isaiah’s writing the name of his son on a tablet; son of Jeberechiah.—Isa. 8:1, 2.
16. Maternal grandfather of King Hezekiah.—2 Ki. 18:1, 2; 2 Chron. 29:1.
17. One of the Levites of the sons of Asaph who helped to dispose of the unclean objects removed from the temple at the beginning of Hezekiah’s reign.—2 Chron. 29:13, 15-17.
18. A Kohathite Levite appointed to help oversee the temple repairs sponsored by King Josiah.—2 Chron. 34:8, 12.
19. One of three leading priests who made generous contributions of animal victims for the great Passover celebration arranged by Josiah.—2 Chron. 35:1, 8.
20. A postexilic prophet and writer of the book bearing his name. Zechariah calls himself “the son of Berechiah the son of Iddo” (Zech. 1:1, 7) but in other references made to him, this middle linkage is omitted. (Ezra 5:1; 6:14; Neh. 12:4, 16) Zechariah was probably born somewhere in Babylon, for his prophetic activity began only sixteen years after the return from exile and reasonably he was at that time older than sixteen, though still called a “young man.”—Zech. 2:4.
Zechariah and Haggai were used by Jehovah to stimulate Zerubbabel, High Priest Jeshua and the returned exiles to finish rebuilding Jehovah’s temple even though a Persian government ban was still in effect. (Ezra 5:1, 2; 6:14, 15) Zechariah’s prophecy contains messages that he delivered to that end over a period of two years and a month. (Zech. 1:1, 7; 7:1, 8) Any other prophetic activity he performed is not recorded.—See ZECHARIAH, BOOK OF.
Though this Zechariah’s father’s name was Berechiah, Jesus’ reference to “Zechariah the son of Barachiah” (Matt. 23:35; note the difference in spelling) more likely refers to a high priest who lived at an earlier time.—See No. 12 above.
21. One of the “head ones” whom Ezra sent to gather some ministers for the house of God at the time of the journey to Jerusalem in 468 B.C.E. (Ezra 8:15-17) He is possibly the same as No. 22 or 23 below.
22. Head of the paternal house of Parosh. Zechariah and 150 males of that paternal house came to Jerusalem with Ezra. (Ezra 8:1, 3) Possibly the same as No. 21 above.
23. Head of the paternal house of Bebai who led twenty-eight males of his family on the return with Ezra. (Ezra 8:1, 11) Possibly the same as No. 21 above.
24. One of those sons of Elam who dissolved their foreign marriage alliances, upon the advice of Ezra.—Ezra 10:10, 11, 26, 44.
25. An associate of Ezra when he read and expounded the Law to the people. Zechariah, probably a priest, stood on Ezra’s left.—Neh. 8:1, 2, 4.
26, 27. Two men of Judah, the son of Amariah and of the Shelanite respectively, whose descendants lived in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile.—Neh. 11:4, 5.
28. A priest, the son of one named Pashhur, whose descendants lived in postexilic Jerusalem.—Neh. 11:10, 12.
29. A priestly trumpeter in the procession at the inauguration of Jerusalem’s rebuilt wall; son of Jonathan.—Neh. 12:27, 31, 35.
30. Another trumpeter, also a priest, at the same inauguration attended by No. 29 above.—Neh. 12:40, 41.
31. Priestly father of John the Baptist. (Luke 3:2) He and his wife Elizabeth, a relative of Jesus’ mother Mary, lived in the Judean hills. They both feared God and obeyed his commandments. Though advanced in years, they had no children.—Luke 1:5-7, 36.
When it was Zechariah’s turn to offer incense during “the division of Abijah,” probably around late spring or early summer of 3 B.C.E., he entered the sanctuary as usual. On this occasion Jehovah’s angel Gabriel appeared to him, informing him that his prayers for a son were to be answered. Gabriel also said that the boy was to be called John, and he instructed as to how he should be raised and what this son was to accomplish. (Luke 1:5-17) Zechariah asked the angel for a sign as a further assurance. Because of his weakness as to believing the angel, he was informed that he would be struck with dumbness until after John’s birth. (Luke 1:18-23) On the eighth day after the baby was born, Elizabeth rejected suggestions from neighbors and relatives and insisted that her son be named John. Upon their appealing to the father, Zechariah took a tablet and wrote on it: “John is its name.” Instantly his speech was restored and he uttered a prophecy concerning the work of his son and that of the Messiah.—Luke 1:13, 57-79.
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Zechariah, Book ofAid to Bible Understanding
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ZECHARIAH, BOOK OF
This book of the Hebrew Scriptures identifies its writer as “Zechariah the son of Berechiah the son of Iddo the prophet.” (Zech. 1:1) It also provides a basis for establishing the time period covered and an approximate date for the composition. The last time indicator found in the book of Zechariah is the fourth day of Chislev in the fourth year of Darius’ reign (about November 29, 518 B.C.E.). (Zech. 7:1) Accordingly, this book could not have been committed to writing before the close of 518 B.C.E. Since it was in the “eighth month in the second year of Darius” (October/November 520 B.C.E.) that the “word of Jehovah occurred to Zechariah” (Zech. 1:1), the book covers a period of at least two years.
From chapter nine onward the subject matter found in the book of Zechariah appears to differ considerably from the earlier section. No further reference is made to angels and visions nor to Governor Zerubbabel and High Priest Joshua. There is no mention of the temple rebuilding work, and not even the name of Zechariah appears. In view of this and the nature of the prophecies contained in the latter chapters of the book, a number of critics maintain that this section could not have been written by Zechariah. However, it should be noted that Zechariah, like other prophets, wrote according to divine inspiration and did not receive all revelations at the same time nor in the same manner. (2 Pet. 1:20, 21) Also, prophecies did not have to fit within a particular framework of existing circumstances and incorporate the name of the prophet or of some of his contemporaries for an entire book to be the work of the prophet. That
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