Zerubbabel

According to Ezra 3:1 , Zerubbabel and Jeshua (or Joshua, the high priest) rebuilt the altar and in their second year (538?) laid the foundation of the Temple, but their work was halted by opposition from persons who had remained in Palestine during the Exile (Ezra 4:1-6 ,Ezra 4:1-6,4:24 ). Darius (Persian emperor from 522–486 B.C.) granted the Jews permission to continue rebuilding the Temple (Ezra 6:1-12 ). Under the urging of Haggai (Haggai 1:1 ,Haggai 1:1,1:12-15; Haggai 2:1 ,Haggai 2:1,2:20 ) and Zechariah (Zechariah 4:6-10 ), Zerubabel, now governor (Haggai 1:1 ) in place of Sheshbazzar (Ezra 5:14 ), resume the task (Ezra 5:1-2 ), completed in 515 B.C.

Zerubbabel himself, however, disappeared from view. He was a Davidic prince, so it is possible that the Jews tried to crown him king during the civil war surrounding the rise of Darius as emperor (522/21). Zechariah 6:9-14 may reflect the wish to crown Zerubbabel, but his fate remains unknown. See Babylon; Israel; Zechariah .

Paul L. Redditt