Topical Encyclopedia
Introduction:Zerubbabel, a significant figure in the post-exilic period of Israel's history, played a crucial role in the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. He is recognized as a leader who guided the first group of Jewish exiles back from Babylonian captivity and is often associated with the restoration of Jewish worship and community life.
Lineage and Background:Zerubbabel was a descendant of the Davidic line, being the grandson of Jehoiachin (also known as Jeconiah), the king of Judah who was taken into Babylonian exile. His father was Shealtiel, making Zerubbabel a legitimate heir to the throne of David, although he never reigned as king. His lineage is confirmed in the genealogies found in
1 Chronicles 3:17-19 and
Matthew 1:12.
Role in the Return from Exile:Zerubbabel's leadership is prominently featured in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Under the decree of Cyrus the Great, king of Persia, Zerubbabel led the first wave of Jewish exiles back to Jerusalem around 538 B.C. This return is documented in
Ezra 2:1-2, where Zerubbabel is listed as the leader of the group.
Rebuilding the Temple:One of Zerubbabel's most notable achievements was the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem, often referred to as the Second Temple. The foundation of the Temple was laid in the second year after their return, as recorded in
Ezra 3:8-10. Despite opposition from surrounding peoples and a period of halted construction, the work resumed under the prophetic encouragement of Haggai and Zechariah.
Haggai 1:1-2 records the word of the LORD coming to Zerubbabel, urging him to prioritize the rebuilding of the Temple.
Prophetic Encouragement:The prophets Haggai and Zechariah provided divine encouragement to Zerubbabel during the rebuilding process.
Haggai 2:23 declares, "On that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, My servant, declares the LORD, and I will make you like My signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the LORD of Hosts." This passage highlights Zerubbabel's chosen status and the divine favor upon his leadership.
Zechariah 4:6-7 further emphasizes the spiritual empowerment behind Zerubbabel's mission: "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!'"
Completion of the Temple:The Temple was completed in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the Great, as noted in
Ezra 6:15. This completion marked a significant moment in Jewish history, symbolizing the restoration of worship and the reestablishment of the Jewish community in their ancestral land.
Legacy:Zerubbabel's legacy is one of faithfulness and perseverance in the face of adversity. His leadership in the rebuilding of the Temple and the reestablishment of Jewish life in Jerusalem is a testament to his commitment to God's purposes. As a descendant of David, Zerubbabel also holds a place in the Messianic lineage, as noted in the genealogies of Jesus Christ in the New Testament.
Conclusion:Zerubbabel remains a figure of hope and restoration, embodying the fulfillment of God's promises to His people. His life and work continue to inspire those who seek to rebuild and restore in accordance with divine will.
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary
Zerubbabela stranger at Babylon; dispersion of confusion
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Zerubbabel(born at Babel , i.e.Babylon), the head of the tribe of Judah at the time of the return from the Babylonish captivity in the first year of Cyrus. The history of Zerabbabel in the Scriptures is as follows: In the first year of Cyrus he was living at Babylon, and was the recognized prince of Judah in the captivity, --what in later times was called "the prince of the captivity," or "the prince." On the issuing of Cyrus' decree he immediately availed himself of it, and placed himself at the head of those of his countrymen "whose spirit God had raised to go up to build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem." It is probable that he was in the king of Babylon's service, both from his having, like Daniel and the three children, received a Chaldee name, Sheshbazzar, and from the fact that he was appointed by the Persian king to the office of governor of Judea. On arriving at Jerusalem, Zerubbabel's great work, which he set about immediately, was the rebuilding of the temple. In the second month of the second year of the return the foundation was laid with all the pomp which could be commanded. The efforts of the Samaritans were successful in putting a stop to the work during the seven remaining years of the reign of Cyrus and through the eight years of Cambyses and Smerdis. Nor does Zerubbabel appear quite blameless for this long delay. The difficulties in the way of building the temple were not such as need have stopped the work and during this long suspension of sixteen years Zerubbabel and the rest of the people had been busy in building costly houses for themselves. But in the second year of Darius, light dawned upon the darkness of the colony from Babylon. In that year --it was the most memorable event in Zerabbabel's life --the spirit of prophecy suddenly blazed up with a most brilliant light among the returned captives. Their words fell like sparks upon tinder. In a moment Zerubbabel roused from his apathy, threw his whole strength into the work. After much opposition [seeNEHEMIAH, THE BOOK OF] and many hindrances find delays, the temple was at length finished, in the sixth pear of Darius, and was dedicated with much pomp and rejoicing. [TEMPLE] The only other works of Zerubbabel of which we learn from Scripture are the restoration of the courses of priests and Levites and of the provision for their maintenance, according to the institution of David (Ezra 6:18;Nehemiah 12:47) the registering the returned captives according to their genealogies, (Nehemiah 7:5) and the keeping of a Passover in the seventh year of Darius, with which last event ends all that we know of the life of Zerubbabel, His apocryphal history is told in 1 Esdr. 3-7. The exact parentage of Zerubbabel is a little obscure, from his being always called the son of Shealtiel, (Ezra 3:2,8;5:2) etc.; (Haggai 1:1,12,14) etc., end appearing as such in the genealogies of Christ (Matthew 1:12;Luke 3:27) whereas in (1 Chronicles 3:19) he is represented as the son of Pedaiah, Shealtiel or Salathiel's brother, and consequently as Salathiel's nephew. Zerubbabel was the legal successor and heir of Jeconiah's royal estate, the grandson of Neri and the lineal descendant of Nathan the son of David. In the New Testament the name appears in the Greek form of Zorobabel.
Easton's Bible Dictionary
The seed of Babylon, the son of Salathiel or Shealtiel (
Haggai 1:1; Zorobabel,
Matthew 1:12); called also the son of Pedaiah (
1 Chronicles 3:17-19), i.e., according to a frequent usage of the word "son;" the grandson or the nephew of Salathiel. He is also known by the Persian name of Sheshbazzar (
Ezra 1:8, 11). In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, he led the first band of Jews, numbering 42,360 (
Ezra 2:64), exclusive of a large number of servants, who returned from captivity at the close of the seventy years. In the second year after the Return, he erected an altar and laid the foundation of the temple on the ruins of that which had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar (
3:8-13; ch. 4-6). All through the work he occupied a prominent place, inasmuch as he was a descendant of the royal line of David.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
ZERUBBABELze-rub'-a-bel (zerubbabhel, probably a transliteration of the Babylonian name Zeru-Babili, "seed of Babylon"; Zorobabel):
1. Name:
Is commonly called the son of Shealtiel (Ezra 3:2, 8;Ezra 5:2Nehemiah 12:1Haggai 1:1, 12, 14Matthew 1:12Luke 3:27); but in1 Chronicles 3:19 he is called the son of Pedaiah, the brother apparently of Shealtiel (Salathiel) and the son or grandson of Jeconiah. It is probable that Shealtiel had no children and adopted Zerubbabel; or that Zerubbabel was his levirate son; or that, Shealtiel being childless, Zerubbabel succeeded to the rights of sonship as being the next of kin.
2. Family:
Whatever may have been his blood relationship to Jeconiah, the Scriptures teach that Zerubbabel was his legal successor, of the 3rd or 4th generation. According to1 Chronicles 3:19, he had one daughter, Shelomith, and seven sons, Meshullam, Hananiah, Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah and Jushab-hesed. InMatthew 1:13 he is said to have been the father of Abiud (i.e. Abi-hud). As it is the custom in Arabia today to give a man a new name when his first son is born, so it may have been, in this case, that Meshullam was the father of Hud, and that his name was changed to Abiud as soon as his son was named Hud. InLuke 3:27, the son of Zerubbabel is called Rhesa. This is doubtless the title of the head of the captivity, the resh gelutha', and would be appropriate as a title of Meshullam in his capacity as the official representative of the captive Jews. That Zerubbabel is said in the New Testament to be the son of Shealtiel the son of Neri instead of Jeconiah may be accounted for on the supposition that Shealtiel was the legal heir or adopted son of Jeconiah, who according toJeremiah 36:30 was apparently to die childless.
3. Relation to Sheshbazzar:
It has been shown in the article on Sheshbazzar that he and Zerubbabel may possibly have been the same person and that the name may have been Shamash-ban (or bun)-zer-Babili-usur. It seems more probable, however, that Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah, was governor under Cyrus and that Zerubbabel was governor under Darius. The former, according toEzra 1:8 and 5:14-16, laid the foundations, and the latter completed the building of the temple (Ezra 2:2, 68;Ezra 4:2Haggai 1:14Zechariah 4:9).
4. History:
All that is known certainly about Zerubbabel is found in the canonical books of Zechariah, Haggai and Ezra-Nehemiah. According to these he and Jeshua, the high priest, led up a band of captives from Babylon to Jerusalem and began rebuilding the temple in the second year of Darius Hystaspis. They first constructed the altar of burnt offerings, and afterward built a temple, usually called the Second Temple, much inferior in beauty to that of Solomon. According to Josephus and the apocryphal Book of Ezra (1 Esdras 3, 4), Zerubbabel was a friend of Darius Hystaspis, having successfully competed before him in a contest whose object was to determine what was the strongest thing in the world-wine, kings, women, or truth. Zerubbabel, having demonstrated that truth was the mightiest of all, was called the king's "cousin," and was granted by him permission to go up to Jerusalem and to build the temple. Zerubbabel was also made a governor of Jerusalem, and performed also the duties of the tirshatha, an official who was probably the Persian collector of taxes.
SeeTIRSHATHA.
R. Dick Wilson
Greek
2216. Zorobabel --Zerubbabel, an Israelite...Zerubbabel, an Israelite. Part of Speech: Proper Noun, Indeclinable Transliteration:
Zorobabel Phonetic Spelling: (dzor-ob-ab'-el) Short Definition:
Zerubbabel...10. Abioud -- Abiud, Abihud, the son ofZerubbabel
... Abiud, Abihud, an Israelite, the son ofZerubbabel. Part of Speech: Proper Noun,
Indeclinable Transliteration: Abioud Phonetic Spelling: (ab-ee-ood') Short...
Strong's Hebrew
2216.Zerubbabel -- "begotten in Babylon," a leader of returning...... 2215, 2216.
Zerubbabel. 2217 .
... exiles. Transliteration:
Zerubbabel Phonetic
Spelling: (zer-oob-baw-bel') Short Definition:
Zerubbabel.
...2217.Zerubbabel -- "begotten in Babylon," leader of returning Isr...
... 2216, 2217.Zerubbabel. 2218 .... exiles. Transliteration:Zerubbabel Phonetic
Spelling: (zer-oob-baw-bel') Short Definition:Zerubbabel....
4782. Mordekay -- a companion ofZerubbabel, also a cousin of...
... Mordekay. 4783 . a companion ofZerubbabel, also a cousin of Esther. Transliteration:
Mordekay Phonetic Spelling: (mor-dek-ah'-ee) Short Definition: Mordecai....
2807. Chashubah -- "consideration," son ofZerubbabel
... 2806, 2807. Chashubah. 2808 . "consideration," son ofZerubbabel. Transliteration:
Chashubah Phonetic Spelling: (khash-oo-baw') Short Definition: Hashubah....
3142. Yushab Chesed -- a son ofZerubbabel
... 3141, 3142. Yushab Chesed. 3143 . a son ofZerubbabel. Transliteration: Yushab
Chesed Phonetic Spelling: (yoo-shab' kheh'-sed) Short Definition: Jushab-hesed...
7480. Reelayah -- companion ofZerubbabel
... 7479, 7480. Reelayah. 7481 . companion ofZerubbabel. Transliteration: Reelayah
Phonetic Spelling: (reh-ay-law-yaw') Short Definition: Reelaiah....
7485. Raamyah -- perhaps "thunder of Yah," an Israelite who...
... perhaps "thunder of Yah," an Israelite who returned withZerubbabel. Transliteration:
Raamyah Phonetic Spelling: (rah-am-yaw') Short Definition: Raamiah....
8032b. Shaltiel -- father ofZerubbabel
... 8032a, 8032b. Shaltiel. 8033 . father ofZerubbabel. Transliteration: Shaltiel
Short Definition: Shealtiel. Word Origin of uncertain...
2619. Chasadyah -- "Yah is kind," a son ofZerubbabel
... 2618, 2619. Chasadyah. 2620 . "Yah is kind," a son ofZerubbabel. Transliteration:
Chasadyah Phonetic Spelling: (khas-ad-yaw') Short Definition: Hasadiah....
2581. Chen -- "favor," a contemporary ofZerubbabel
... 2580, 2581. Chen. 2582 . "favor," a contemporary ofZerubbabel. Transliteration:
Chen Phonetic Spelling: (khane) Short Definition: Hen....
Library
Zechariah
... the city and the people; the next two deal more specifically with the leaders of
the restored community on its civil and religious side,Zerubbabel the prince...
"Not by Might, nor by Power"
... Power". Immediately after Zechariah's vision of Joshua and the Angel, the
prophet received a message regarding the work ofZerubbabel....
The Rebuilding of the Temple.
... They were under the keeping of Joshua the High Priest, and ofZerubbabel, son of
Salathiel, who was either by birth, son of King Jehoiachin, or else had been...
Altar and Temple
... people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.2. Then stood up Jeshua
the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, andZerubbabel the son of...
The Source of Power
... And I said, No, my Lord.6. Then He answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the
word of the Lord untoZerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by...
Brave Encouragements
... 'In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word
of the Lord by the prophet Haggai, saying, 2. Speak now toZerubbabel the son...
Genealogy of Jesus According to Matthew.
... Or Luke's Shealtiel andZerubbabel may have been different persons from the Shealtiel
andZerubbabel of Matthew] ; and Shealtiel begatZerubbabel [the governor...
Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther.
... These two prophets were associated with the first return ofZerubbabel and their
words incited the Jews to complete the temple in spite of opposition....
Building in Troublous Times
... of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple
unto the Lord God of Israel; 2. Then they came toZerubbabel, and to the...
The Founder and Finisher of the Temple
... 'The hands ofZerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands
shall also finish it.'"Zechariah 4:9. I am afraid that...
Thesaurus
Zerubbabel (25 Occurrences)... descendant of the royal line of David. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
ZERUBBABEL.
ze-rub'-a-bel (zerubbabhel, probably a transliteration
...Zerub'babel (23 Occurrences)
...Zerubbabel, Zerub'babel. Zeruiah .... Matthew 1:12 And after the Babylonian removal,
Jeconiah begat Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begatZerubbabel, (See RSV)....
Shealtiel (12 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Asked for of God, father ofZerubbabel (Ezra 3:2, 8;
Nehemiah 12:1). Int.... Shealtiel became the father ofZerubbabel....
She-al'ti-el (10 Occurrences)
... She-al'ti-el (10 Occurrences). Matthew 1:12 And after the Babylonian removal, Jeconiah
begat Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begatZerubbabel, (See RSV)....
Sanabassarus
... time since its destruction (1 Esdras 2:12, 15; 6:18-20) = "SHESHBAZZAR (which see)
the prince of Judah" (Ezra 1:8). Some identify him withZerubbabel as the...
Sanabassar
... time since its destruction (1 Esdras 2:12, 15; 6:18-20) = "SHESHBAZZAR (which see)
the prince of Judah" (Ezra 1:8). Some identify him withZerubbabel as the...
Jehozadak (8 Occurrences)
... He was carried into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar, and probably died in Babylon. He
was the father of Jeshua, or Joshua, who returned withZerubbabel. Int....
Sheshbazzar (4 Occurrences)
... O sun-god, defend the lord! (Ezra 1:8, 11), probably another name forZerubbabel
(qv), Ezra 2:2; Haggai 1:12, 14; Zechariah 4:6, 10. Int....
Pedaiah (8 Occurrences)
... (2.) The father ofZerubbabel (1 Chronicles 3:17-19).... (3) A son of Jeconiah (1
Chronicles 3:18); in 1 Chronicles 3:19 the father ofZerubbabel....
Jeshua (30 Occurrences)
... (5.) The son of Jozadak, and high priest of the Jews underZerubbabel (Nehemiah
7:7; 12:1, 7, 10, 26); called Joshua (Haggai 1:1, 12; 2:2, 4; Zechariah 3:1, 3...
Resources
Who was Zerubbabel in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does it mean that Zerubbabel was the LORD's signet ring (Haggai 2:23)? | GotQuestions.orgWhat was Zerubbabel's temple/the second temple? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
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