Who was Zechariah in the Bible?
Lived in the New Testament era
Zechariah was a priest who served in the temple during the reign of Herod the Great. He belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also a descendant of Aaron. Zechariah and Elizabeth are described as righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. Zechariah appears in 20 verses across 4 books of the Bible.
The Bible uses the name Zechariah for 3 different people. All 3 are below, each with its own passages.
Zechariah in Luke
Zechariah was a priest who served in the temple during the reign of Herod the Great. He belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also a descendant of Aaron. Zechariah and Elizabeth are described as righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. Despite their righteousness, Zechariah and Elizabeth were childless, and both were advanced in years. While performing his priestly duties in the temple, Zechariah was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary and burn incense. During this time, an angel of the Lord appeared to him and announced that his prayer had been heard, and that Elizabeth would bear a son named John. Zechariah doubted the message due to their old age, and as a result, he was struck mute until the birth of his son. When Elizabeth gave birth, Zechariah confirmed that the child's name should be John, as the angel had instructed. Upon doing so, his speech was restored, and he was filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesying about the role his son would play in preparing the way for the Messiah. Zechariah's prophecy, known as the Benedictus, speaks of God's mercy and the coming of the Messiah, who would bring salvation and deliverance to His people. He also foretold that his son, John, would be called the prophet of the Most High and would go before the Lord to prepare His ways.
Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.
Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.
Zechariah
Zechariah was a prophet and priest who lived in Judah after the Babylonian exile. He was the son of Berechiah and grandson of Iddo, a priest who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel. Zechariah began his prophetic ministry in the second year of Darius, king of Persia, delivering messages to encourage the people to rebuild the temple. His prophecies, recorded in the biblical book bearing his name, are known for their rich use of visions and symbolism, similar to the books of Daniel and Revelation. Zechariah's ministry likely extended into the reign of Xerxes I, the king who made Esther queen of Persia. As both a prophet and priest, Zechariah would have had intimate knowledge of Jewish religious practices.
6 verses: Ezra 5:1, Ezra 6:14, Zechariah 1:1, Zechariah 1:7, Zechariah 7:1, Zechariah 7:8
Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.
Zechariah in 1 Chronicles
Zechariah was a Levite who lived during the reign of King David. He held various responsibilities related to the tabernacle and its service. Zechariah is mentioned as one of the gatekeepers who guarded the entrance to the tabernacle. He was also a skilled musician and was appointed by David to play the lyre and harp during the transportation of the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. Zechariah's musical abilities were recognized, and he was among the Levites chosen to lead the music and singing when the ark was brought into the tent David had pitched for it. He also participated in the musical celebration when the ark was finally brought into the temple built by Solomon. In addition to his musical duties, Zechariah was entrusted with the responsibility of distributing the offerings and tithes among his fellow Levites. He was known for his integrity and fairness in this role. Zechariah's descendants continued to serve as gatekeepers in the temple, with his son Meshelemiah being appointed as the chief gatekeeper during David's reign. The faithful service of Zechariah and his family in the tabernacle and temple highlights the important role the Levites played in maintaining the worship and service of God.
6 verses: 1 Chronicles 9:21, 1 Chronicles 15:18, 1 Chronicles 15:20, 1 Chronicles 16:5, 1 Chronicles 26:2, 1 Chronicles 26:14
Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.
Where does Zechariah appear in the Bible?
Zechariah is referenced in 20 verses across 4 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.
- Luke 1:5
- Luke 1:12
- Luke 1:13
- Luke 1:18
- Luke 1:21
- Luke 1:40
- Luke 1:59
- Luke 1:67
Showing the first 8 of 20.
Open all 20 references in ProtosWhat else appears in these passages?
These turn up in the same passages as Zechariah.
Common questions
How many people in the Bible are called Zechariah?
Zechariah refers to 3 different people in the Bible: Zechariah in Luke; Zechariah; Zechariah in 1 Chronicles.
How many times does the Bible mention Zechariah?
Zechariah appears in 20 verses across 4 books, most often in Luke, which accounts for 8 of them.
Which books of the Bible mention Zechariah?
Luke, 1 Chronicles, Zechariah, Ezra.
Where can I read every verse about Zechariah?
This page lists 8 of them. Protos carries all 20, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.
