Zechariah Bible Study Resources

Study questions, maps, charts, outlines, and links to help you study the Old Testament book of Zechariah.

Jump to: Background; Maps; Key Words; Encyclopedias; Commentaries; Articles; GotQuestions Next

Basics

Author: Zechariah was both priest and prophet (Nehemiah 12:12-16).
Zechariah was born in Babylon and returned to Jerusalem in the first group under Zerubbabel.
Zechariah was a contemporary of Haggai.
Chapters 1-8 are dated 520-518 BC.
Scholars think chapters 9-14 were written at a later date, c. 480-470 BC after the reign of Dairus I (521-486 BC) and during Xerxes reign (485-464 BC). Xerxes married Esther.
According to Jewish tradition, Zechariah was a member of the Great Synagogue (a predecessor of the Sanhedrin).
Zechariah was murdered between the temple and the altar (Matthew 23:35).

Chronology

538 – Zerubbabel and first return of the exiles (Ezra 1-6).
536 BC – Work on the temple begins (Ezra 3:8).
530-520 BC – Work on the temple stops (Ezra 4:24).
520 BC – Work on the temple resumes (Ezra 5:2).
520 BC – Events of the book of Haggai
520-518 BC – Events of Zechariah 1-8.
516 BC – Work on the temple is completed.

References to the Messiah in Zechariah

The Branch or Sprout: Zec 3:8; Zec 6:12; Heb 6:20-7:1
Entry of Zion’s Lowly King: Zec 9:9-17; Mat 21:4-5; Joh 12:13-16
Sale of Jesus by Judas: Zec 11:4-14; Mt 27:9.
Mourning over the Pierced One: Zec 12:10; Joh 19:37
Fountain opened for sin: Zec 13:1
The Smitten Servant: Zec 13:7-9
Glory of Jerusalem the Center of World Worship: Zec 2:10-11; Zec 14:8; Zec 14:20;
At His Second Coming He will be crowned King: Zec 14:5, 9; Rev. 11:15; 21:27

Background

Introduction to the Prophets

Introduction to the Exile & Return

Chart: Bible History at a glance

Chronology Ezra-Nehemiah

Blue Letter Bible: Old Testament Timeline

Jensen’s Survey of the Old Testament

Bible Atlas: Persia

Bible Atlas: Babylon

Bible Atlas: Babylonia

Bible Atlas: Jerusalem

Hebrew Calendar

Timeline of the Babylonian Captivity

Minor Prophets Quotes in the NT

BibleHistory.com: List of the Kings of Persia

Ray C Stedman: Overview of the Book

John MacArthur: Author, Date, Background

ESV: Introduction to Zechariah

ESV: The Global Message of Zechariah

NIV: Introduction to the Minor Prophets

NIV: Introduction to Zechariah

James van Dine: Analysis of Zechariah

David Malick (Bible.org): An Introduction to the Book of Zechariah

David Malick: An Argument of the Book of Zechariah

JVernon McGee: Zechariah – Introductory Notes, Outlines

Charles Swindoll: Book of Zechariah Overview

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Section 2: Maps

Maps from Holman Bible Atlas

Key Words

Lord (110x)

Jerusalem (37x) – Strong’s H3389 in Zec 1:12; Zec 1:14; Zec 1:16; Zec 1:17; Zec 1:19; Zec 2:2; Zec 2:4; Zec 2:12; Zec 3:2; Zec 7:7; Zec 8:3; Zec 8:4; Zec 8:8; Zec 8:15; Zec 8:22; Zec 9:9; Zec 9:10; Zec 12:2; Zec 12:3; Zec 12:5; Zec 12:6; Zec 12:7; Zec 12:8; Zec 12:9; Zec 12:10; Zec 12:11; Zec 13:1; Zec 14:2; Zec 14:4; Zec 14:8; Zec 14:10; Zec 14:11; Zec 14:12; Zec 14:14; Zec 14:16; Zec 14:17; Zec 14:21.

king (9x) – Strong’s H4428 in Zec 7:1; Zec 9:5; Zec 9:9; Zec 11:6; Zec 14:5; Zec 14:9; Zec 14:10; Zec 14:16; Zec 14:17.

shepherd (5x) – Strong’s H7462a in Zec 10:2; Zec 11:15; Zec 11:16; Zec 11:17; Zec 13:7.

word (13x; word of the LORD) – Strong’s H1697 in Zec 1:1; Zec 1:7; Zec 4:6; Zec 4:8; Zec 6:9; Zec 7:1; Zec 7:4; Zec 7:8; Zec 8:1; Zec 8:18; Zec 9:1; Zec 11:11; Zec 12:1.

branch (3x/2v) – Strong’s H6780 in Zec 3:8; Zec 6:12.

jealous (3x/2v) – Strong’s H7065 in Zec 1:14; Zec 8:2.

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Section 4: Encyclopedias