When was Zechariah written?

Zechariah’s first prophecy (Zech. 1:1) was uttered two months later than Haggai’s first message in the second year of Darius I (522 – 485 BC), which would have been 521/520 BC. A further date is found in chapter 7:1 where king Darius’ fourth year is mentioned (519/18 BC). Zechariah probably wrote the undated part of his book (chap. 9 – 14) only around 480 BC. He then is likely to have been killed by his own compatriots (see 3. Peculiarities).

The critics have not to criticize much in the first part of the book (chap. 1 – 8) whereas the second part (chap. 9 – 14) is much attacked. But the critics are not unanimous among themselves. The gospels repeatedly mention the second messianic part of Zechariah in connection with the Lord Jesus:

Zechariah is the great prophet of the restoration, and, as stated in the introduction to Haggai, was contemporary with him. The prophecies in both books are dated. These are as follows:

In the sixth month of Darius's second year: Haggai 1 In the seventh month of the same year: Haggai 2 In the eighth month, the same year: Zechariah 1 In the ninth month, the same year: Haggai 2 In the eleventh month, the same year: Zechariah 1-6 In the fourth year of Darius, ninth month: Zechariah 7-14

The remnant that returned to Jerusalem by permission of Cyrus, King of Persia (Ezra 1:1-4), had at first begun to build, but this was hindered until the reign of Darius. In the sixth month of the second year of his reign Haggai prophesied (Haggai 1:1). Zechariah wrote in the eighth month of the same year.

Zechariah prophesied during a period of two years or more. He prefixes dates to most of his separate communications, but it will be noted that he uses Gentile, not Jewish chronology (Zech. 1:1; Zech. 1:7, etc.).

The book contains four messages, termed in each case, "the word of the Lord" delivered in Jerusalem in the second year of Darius Hystaspes, 522 B.C., and within a period of about three months.

Zechariah (whom the Lord remembered). This prophet commenced his prophetic service two months later than his contemporary and colleague Haggai (compare Zech. 1:1 with Haggai 1:1). The latter is simply termed "Haggai the prophet," whereas the father and grandfather of our prophet are expressly named. We gather from a comparison of the first verse with Neh. 12:4, and Ezra 5:1, that Zechariah was of priestly descent, as were Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Ezra, and perhaps Habakkuk. We would direct special attention to the minute accuracy of the dates in the books of Zechariah and Haggai. They conclusively mark God's recognition of the sovereign power granted to the Gentiles, and under which His people were placed till the government of the world shall be once again exercised through the Jew, and from Jerusalem, the city of the Great King.

The prophecies contained in this book are mainly respecting Judah as a people, and Jerusalem as a city in their judgment, as also in their blessed future, but in special relation to the Gentiles. The eight visions seen in one night (chaps 1-6) from the Persian power, under Cyrus (the rider among the myrtle trees, but figuring Christ, Zech. 1:8) till the temple and throne are set up in Jerusalem in millennial glory, present the great facts connected with Israel and her relation to the imperial powers. In the rest of the book numerous details of a deeply interesting kind, bearing upon the millennial future, are given; moral truths, prophecies of and about the Messiah, and physical facts accompanying the Lord's descent to Mount Olivet for Jewish deliverance, make up a record of undying interest to prophetic students (Zech. 14).

Nothing personal is revealed concerning the prophet except that he was the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet. The dates mentioned are the eighth and eleventh months of the second year, and the ninth month of the fourth year of Darius, answering to 519 and 517 B.C., Zech. 1:1, 7; Zech. 7:1. Haggai's prophecy was in the second year of the same Persian king, so the two prophets were contemporary, and, according to Ezra 5:1; Ezra 6:14, they both roused and encouraged the Jews to go on with the building of the temple. Zechariah's prophecy is much occupied with the great Gentile kingdoms under which the Jews were placed: there is also much respecting Jerusalem, and it reaches on to the time of the Messiah and His rejection, and to the last days when Israel and Judah shall be blessed in the land.

Zechariah was a post-captivity prophet, and contemporary with Haggai. They both prophesied in the second year of Darius, that is to say, in the days of the second of the four world-empires foretold in Scripture.

The date of Zechariah's prophecy is nearly the same as that of the prophecies of Haggai. There are two in Zechariah, besides that of the introduction; in Haggai, four. The first date in Zechariah is only a month or two before the last two in Haggai, which were given on the same day. At the date of the second prophecy in Zechariah (Zech. 7) the temple was not finished as a whole, but sufficiently so to serve as a place of worship, although the dedication had not yet been celebrated.

Except for the introductory verses (1:1-6), the prophecy of Zechariah is divided into two parts. Better put: two books. The first one starts with chapter 1:7 and ends with chapter 6. The second book is found in chapters 7 to 14. Each of these two books is specially dated.

The first book starts with: “Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of Jehovah to Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying, I saw by night [or: this night].” Important to note is that Zechariah apparently had all eight visions described in Chapters 1:7 to Chapter 6 in a single night. Each heart that thoughtfully considers the prophecies will find itself in the same circumstances as the prophet. To understand the future events, we must be well aware that the world in which we live is covered with deepest darkness. Yet God does not leave us in it without help: the lamp of “the prophetic word” is leading us. True, this lamp does not give us the brightest light God’s Word offers us, for that same Word brings us into the full light of His presence. If, however, we want to learn about the future of the world, we cannot do without prophecy.

The visions and prophecies of the first six chapters are connected with the eighth month of the second year of the reign of Darius (Zech. 1:1). It is two years later when the question of Zechariah 7:3 arises. In this chapter the Lord answers the question negatively, and gives the positive answer in Zechariah 8.