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Zerubbabel (Hebrew: זְרֻבָּבֶל, Zərubbāvel; Greek: ζοροβαβελ, Zŏrobabel) the leader of the first group of Jews, numbering 42,360, who returned from the Babylonian Captivity in the first year of Cyrus, King of Persia (Ezra). A descendant of King David and grandson of Jehoiachin, next to last king of Judah, it was Zerubbabel who laid the foundation of the Second Temple in Jerusalem the next year.

Zerubabbel became a figure of messianic hope in the early days of the rebuilding of the Temple of Jerusalem and later became a figure of legend, as recorded in he apocryphal book of 1 Esdras.

The Muslim historian Ya'qubi attributed the recovery of the Torah and the Books of the Prophets to him instead of Ezra.

Name and background

If the name Zerubbabel is Hebrew, it may be a contraction of Zərua‘ Bāvel (Hebrew: זְרוּעַ בָּבֶל), meaning "the one sown of Babylon," referring to a child conceived and born in Babylon. A similar meaning is derived from the name in Assyrian-Babylonian, since Zəru Bābel means "Seed of Babylon" in that language. It could also related to the Nebrew Zərûy Bāvel (Hebrew: זְרוּי בָּבֶל), meaning "the winnowed of Babylon," in the sense of having being exiled in Babylon.

Zerubbabel's grandfather Jehoiachin reigned in Jerusalem for only three months after replacing his father Jehoichim, who had died during the first seiege of Jerusalem. He was removed from office by the Babylonian army of King Nebuchadnezzar II and taken prisoner to Babylon. After 36 years in captivity (562 B.C.E.), he was removed from prison by the Babylonian King Amel-Marduk.

Zerubbabel in the Hebrew Bible

Son of Shealtiel or Pedaiah

The Hebrew Bible lists Shealtiel as the second son of King Jeconiah (1 Chronicles 3:17). The Neo-Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II exiled to Babylon Joconiah and Jeconiah's uncle King Zedekiah the last king of Judah and killed Zedekiah there. Potentially, Shealtiel became the legal heir to the throne, if the Davidic monarchy was restored.

The Hebrew Bible has conflicting texts regarding whether Zerubbabel is the son of Shealtiel or of Pedaiah. Several texts (that are thought to be more-or-less contemporaneous) explicitly call "Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel" (Ezra 3:2,8; 5:2, Nehemiah 12:1, Haggai 1:1,12,14). Surprisingly, one text makes Zerubbabel a nephew of Shealtiel (1 Chronicles 3:17-19): King Jeconiah is the father of Shealtiel and Pedaiah, then Pediah is the father of Zerubbabel.

Various attempts have been made to show how both genealogies could be true. One explanation suggests Shealtiel died childless and therefore Pedaiah, his brother, married his widow according to a Jewish law regarding inheritance (Deuteronomy 25:5-6). If so, Zerubbabel would be the legal son of Shealtiel but the biological son of Pedaiah.

The other speculation suggests the title "son of Shealtiel" does not refer to being a biological son but to being a member in Shealtiel's "household" (Hebrew: בית, bet). The Hebrew term "father" (Hebrew: אב, av) can refer to a father of a household, similar to the Latin term paterfamilias. In this sense, a man who is the "father" of a household can therefore be referred to as the "father" of his own biological siblings, nephews and nieces, or anyone else who cohabitates in his "household." Zerubbabel (and possibly his father Pedaiah) could be called a "son" if they lived in Shealtiel's household.

Perhaps both speculations could be true. Zerubbabel could be the legal son of Shealtiel and therefore also a member of his household. Notably, if Shealtiel had no biological children, Zerubbabel as a legal son would have inherited Shealtiel's household and become its new "father" with authority of over the other members of the household.

Yet another speculation simply suggests that the text which identifies Zerubbabel as a son of Pedaiah could be a scribal error. It occurs in a part of the text where the Hebrew seems discongruent and possibly garbled ((1 Chronicles 3:16-21)).^[1] The expected mention of Shealtiel being a father seems accidentally omitted, and thus his children became confused with Pedaiah's. There may be other problems with these verses as well.

In any case, those texts that call Zerubbabel "son of Shealtiel" have a context that is overtly political and seems to emphasize Zerubbabel's potential royal claim to the throne of the Davidic Dynasty by being Shealtiel's successor. Zerubbabel is understood as the legal successor of Shealtiel, with Zerubbabel's title paralleling the Highpriest Jeshua's title, "son of Jozadak," that emphasizes Jeshua's rightful claim to the dynasty of highpriests, descending from Aaron. Therefore, with one descending from David and the other from Aaron, these two officials have the divine authority to rebuild the Temple.

Sheshbazar?

Whether the identity of Zerubbabel with Sheshbazzar, "the prince of Judah" and leader of the first great band of exiles returning to Jerusalem is correct is discussed in the Jewish Encyclopedia.

Zerubbabel in other texts

He was determined to be among the wisest of men in Persia, following a dissertation on women and truth, which he presented before Cyrus. He was given sanction to rebuild the Temple and return the sacred Temple vessels that Darius had preserved after the conquest of Bablyon. This is explained in detail in the Apocryphal book 1 Esdras.

He achieved legendary status in Post-Exilic times, mentioned in Ecclesiasticus of Sirach (49:11) among the famous men of Israel.

He is the receiver of an apocalypse in the seventh century Apocalypse of Zerubbabel.^[2]

He plays a large role in Sholem Asch's final work The Prophet.^[3] He is announced as the Prince of Judah upon his return to the Holy Land. One of the firm and long-standing followers and friends of the Prophet Isaiah, and descendant of the Davidic Dynasty.

Zerubbabel in the New Testament

In the New Testament, Zerubbabel is mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew's version of the Genealogy of Jesus, as "Zorobabel"); he is there said to be the son of Shealtiel (Greek "Salathiel"). Zerubbabel is again mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus Christ recorded in the Gospel of Luke. Verse 3:27 states that he is the son of Shealtiel.

House of David Cadet Branch of the Tribe of Judah
Preceded by: Shealtiel	Leader of the House of David	Line lost
	Matthew's Ancestry of Jesus - 11th ancestor from Jesus	Succeeded by: Abiud
	Luke's Ancestry of Jesus - 20th ancestor from Jesus	Succeeded by: Rhesa

Notes

↑ "Zerubbabel," Jewish Encyclopedia 1908.
↑ Strack, Hermann Leberecht and Gunter Stemberger (1992). Introduction to the Talmud and Midrash. Fortress Press, 327. ISBN 0800625242.
↑ Asch, Sholem (1955). The Prophet. G.P. Putnam's Sons, 343. ISBN 55-10089.

References
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External links

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[1] "Zerubbabel," Jewish Encyclopedia 1908.

[strack-2] Strack, Hermann Leberecht and Gunter Stemberger (1992). Introduction to the Talmud and Midrash. Fortress Press, 327. ISBN 0800625242.

[Asch-3] Asch, Sholem (1955). The Prophet. G.P. Putnam's Sons, 343. ISBN 55-10089.

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@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 If the name Zerubbabel is Hebrew, it may be a contraction of ''Zərua‘ Bāvel'' ({{lang-he|זְרוּעַ בָּבֶל}}), meaning "the one sown of Babylon," referring to a child conceived and born in Babylon.  A similar meaning is derived from the name in Assyrian-Babylonian, since ''Zəru Bābel'' means "Seed of Babylon" in that language. It could also related to the Nebrew ''Zərûy Bāvel'' ({{lang-he|זְרוּי בָּבֶל}}), meaning "the winnowed of Babylon," in the sense of having being exiled in Babylon.
-Zerubbabel's father Jehoiachin reigned in Jerusalem for only three months after replacing his father Jehoichim, how had died during the first seiege of Babylon. office by the Babylonian army of King Nebuchadnezzar II. Jehoiachin was taken in chains to Babylon and imprisoned, while his household, most of the officials of Judah, and many craftsmen and merchants were forced into exile. His uncle Zedekiah replaced him as king under Babylonian's supervision in Jerusalem.
+Zerubbabel's grandfather Jehoiachin reigned in Jerusalem for only three months after replacing his father Jehoichim, who had died during the first seiege of Jerusalem. He was removed from office by the Babylonian army of King [[Nebuchadnezzar II]] and taken prisoner to Babylon. After 36 years in captivity (562 B.C.E.), he was removed from prison by the Babylonian King Amel-Marduk.
-After 36 years in captivity (562 B.C.E.), he was removed from prison by the Babylonian King Amel-Marduk. Cuneiform records dated to 592 B.C.E. mention Jehoiachin and his five sons as recipients of food rations in Babylon.
-Later rabbinical literature preserves a number of legends about Jeconiah/Jehoiachin, who is seen as repentant while still young, living out his days as a faithful servant of the Jewish law during his imprisonment. In Christian tradition, Jeconiah/Jehoiachin is one of the ancestors of Jesus (Matthew 1:11), and Jewish tradition sees him as one of the ancestors of the future Messiah.
 ==Zerubbabel in the Hebrew Bible==