Zechariah, << zehk uh RY uh, >> Book of, is a book of the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible. It is named for a prophet who lived in Jerusalem and prophesied from 520 to 518 B.C. Chapters 1-8 are usually attributed to Zechariah himself. Chapters 9-14 are considered a slightly later collection written anonymously.
The Book of Zechariah elaborates on a plan to rebuild a temple and reestablish a community for the Israelites returning from exile. In the first section (1:1-8:23), a series of visions and oracles help the Israelites understand and accept the new form of government by high priest and governor that the Persian authorities had permitted. Central to the plan was the recently refounded Temple of Yahweh that dominates all the visions and oracles.
The second section (9:1-14:21) focuses on the struggle in the Jewish community that emerged after the Persian Empire experienced rebellions in Babylon and Egypt by 450 B.C.
