ZERUBBABEL, ze-rub's-bel: Very little is known of the history of Zerubbabel. As Persian governor in the poatexilic Jewish community, influenced by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, he laid the corner-atone of the second Temple in Jerusalem, in the second year of King Darius (520), and in conjunction with the high-priest Joshua promoted energetically its erection (Hag. i. 12, 14; Zech. iv. 9-10, 14, viii. 9; Ezra v. 2). The undertaking was favored by the difficulties of the Persian kingdom at this time and by the messianic hopes centering in Zerubbabel's person. The work was also furthered by the attempted interference of the Satrap Tatnai, who under Samaritan influence tried to arrest its progress, but instead brought about acknowledgment by Darius of the legitimacy of the Jewish claims as based on the privileges which were accorded by Cyrus to the Temple at Jerusalem (Ezra v. 3-&, 14).

The meagerness of the sources raises several questions in connections with Zerubbabel: (1) Was he a native of Israel, or did he belong to the exiled Jews in Babylon? His name (" branch of Babylon ") suggests that he was born in Babylon. The messianic expectations centering about him testifies to membership in the family of David. The Chronicler (L, iii. 19) calls him the son of Pedaiah, while Haggai (i. 1, 12, 14, etc.) and Ezra (v. 2) call him the son of Shealtiel. This question is complicated by the difficulty as to the exact condition of the text of Haggai, and the reliability of the genealogical table in the Book of Chronicles. (2) What was the relation between Zerubbabel and Sheahbazzar (Ezra i. 8, el. ii. 2)? Older authorities identify the two, but it is not likely that a Jew would bear two Baby-

Ionian names of the character of these. Besides, although both are mentioned as laying the corner stone (Ezra v. 18, Sheshbazzar; Zeeh. iv. 9, Zerub babel), it is probable that the one belonged to the second year of Cyrus and the other to the second year of Darius. Allowing that they were two dif ferent persons, when did Zerubbabel return home? Not much reliance can be placed in the list of Ezra ii., since it is evidently artificial in its construction. Note the number twelve. Probabilities point to the fact that in the year 519 this young member of the house of David, then in his twentieth year, returned to his fatherland. Confirmation (not proof) of this is found in III Eedras v. 1 sqq. (3) What was Zerubbabefa career? The rest of his life, after the completion and consecration of the Temple in 516, lies in obscurity. This is all the more remarkable because the books of Haggai and Zechariah leave the impression that Zerubbabel was about to be elevated to the throne. Possibly there was a re bellion (or attempt to set up an independent king dom) against the "great king" (of Persia) which ended in a catastrophe. Such an ending to a sa trapy was common in the Persian empire. It is likely that Zerubbabel was put to death, and possibly this event is alluded to in Pa. Lxxxix. 39-52. Yet the mention in I Chron. iii. 21 of a Hattush belonging to the family of David allows the hypothesis that Zerubbabel was not executed but rather recalled to Babylon.

(Ernst Sellin.)

Bibliography: Of high value are the later commentaries on the books of Ezra-Nehemiah, Haggai, and Zechariah. Consult further: A. van Hoonacker, Zorobabel et Is aeoand temple, Ghent, 1891; idem, Nouoellea Etudes sur la reatauration joins apr2a 1'ezil de Babydone, ib. 1896; idem, in Expository Times, viii (1897),361 sqq.; W H Kostere, list Sersted van Israel, Leyden, 1893 (epoch-making); F. de Sauley, etude chronologique des divres d'Eadras et Naimie, Pane, 1868; J. Imbert, Le Temple recouatruit par Zorobabel, Louvain, 1888; P. H. Hunter, After the Exile, London, 1890; A. Kuenen, Geaammelte Abhandfuagen, pp. 212 sqq., Freiburg, 1894; A. H. Sayce, Higher Criticism and the Monuments, pp. 639 sqq., London, 1894; E. Meyer, Entatehuug des Judentums, Halle, 1896; T. K. Cheyne, Jewish Religious Life Alter the Exile, New York, 1898. cf. his Introduction to Isaiah, pp. aaaiii.-sasia., London, 1896; C. C. Torrey, The Composition and Historical Value of Ezra-Nehemiah, Giessen, 1896; E. Sellin, Serubbabei, Leipsic, 1598; idem, Studien our Entatehungageschichte der jüdischen Gemeinde n4ch do= babylonischen Exit, part ii., ib. 1901; J. Nikel, Die Wiederherstellung des jüdiscken Gemeinmesena reach do= babyionischen Exit, Freiburg, 1900; J. W. Rothstein, Die Genealogie des Honiga Jojachin und seiner Nachkommern in geschichtlicher Bekuchtung, Berlin, 1902; . J. Fischer, Die ehronologischen Fragen in den Bücheru Earo-Nehemia, Freiburg, 1905; DB, iv. 978-979; EB, iv. 6411-14; JE, aii. 662-668; and the works on the history of Israel dealing with the period, cited under Arab, and IsansL, HlsToxr or.