Zechariah (Hebrew prophet)
Zechariah | |
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| File:Zacharias (Michelangelo).jpg Zechariah as depicted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel | |
| Died | c. 6th century BCE |
| Occupation | Prophet |
| Known for | Author of the Book of Zechariah |
| Parent(s) |
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This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points. (September 2025) |
Zechariah (/zɛkəˈraɪ.ə/; Script error: The function "langx" does not exist.; Script error: The function "langx" does not exist.; Script error: The function "langx" does not exist. Script error: The function "langx" does not exist.) was a person in the Hebrew Bible traditionally considered the author of the Book of Zechariah, the eleventh of the Twelve Minor Prophets.
Zechariah 1:1 depicts the eponymous character as the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo. The Book of Ezra instead names Zechariah as the son of Iddo,[1] Targum Lamentations 2:20 names this Zechariah as a son of Iddo, as does the book of Matthew 23:35. This is not the same person as Iddo the Seer, who lived during the reigns of Solomon, Rehoboam, and Abijah,[2] and is most likely the Iddo mentioned in Ezra 8:17.[3]
Zechariah's prophetical career probably began in the second regnal year of Darius the Great, king of the Achaemenid Empire (520 BCE).[4] Zechariah's greatest concern appears to have been with the building of the Second Temple.[4] He features in chapters 1–8 of the book of Zechariah but he does not appear in the remaining chapters of the book (chapters 9–14).[5]
Prophet
The Book of Zechariah introduces him as the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo.[6] The Book of Nehemiah identifies him as a Levitical priest.[7] The Book of Ezra names Zechariah as the son of Iddo,[8] but it is likely that Berechiah was Zechariah's father and Iddo his grandfather, a common use of "son" in biblical texts.[4] Targum Lamentations 2:20 also names this Zechariah "son of Iddo".[citation needed] This Iddo is not the same person as Iddo the Seer, who lived during the reigns of Solomon, Rehoboam, and Abijah,[9] but is the Iddo mentioned in Nehemiah 12:4,16, a priest who returned from the Exile with Zerubbabel and Joshua.[7] Zechariah's name means "Yah remembers".[10]
Zechariah's prophetical career probably began in the second year of Darius the Great, king of the Achaemenid Empire (520 BCE).[4] His greatest concern appears to have been with the building of the Second Temple.[4] He features in chapters 1–8 of the book of Zechariah but he does not appear in the remaining chapters of the book (chapters 9–14).[11]
Liturgical commemoration
On the Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar, his feast day is 8 February. He is commemorated in the calendar of saints of the Armenian Apostolic Church on the Tuesday after the fifth Sunday of Pentecost[12] and, with the other Minor Prophets, on 31 July. The Catholic Church honors him with a feast day assigned to 6 September.
See also
- Tomb of the Prophets
- Zechariah (given name) for the derivation and translations of his name
- Zechariah, father of John the Baptist, in the New Testament
Notes
References
Footnotes
- ↑ Ezra 5:1 and Ezra 6:14
- ↑ 2nd Chronicles 9:29, 12:15, and 13:22
- ↑ Ezra 8:17
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Hirsch, Emil G. (1906). "Zechariah". In Cyrus Adler; et al. (eds.). The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls Co. Archived from the original on 29 May 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ↑ Jerusalem Bible (1966), Introduction to the Prophets: Zechariah, p. 1139, London: Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday and Co. Inc.
- ↑ Zechariah 1:1
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Nehemiah 12:1–21
- ↑ Ezra 5:1 and Ezra 6:14
- ↑ 2nd Chronicles 9:29, 12:15, and 13:22
- ↑ Strong's Lexicon: 2148. Zechariah, accessed on 9 January 2025
- ↑ Jerusalem Bible (1966), Introduction to the Prophets: Zechariah, p. 1139, London: Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday and Co. Inc.
- ↑ Domar: the calendrical and liturgical cycle of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church, Armenian Orthodox Theological Research Institute, 2003
Bibliography
- Public Domain This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Easton, Matthew George (1897). Easton's Bible Dictionary (New and revised ed.). T. Nelson and Sons. Missing or empty
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External links
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