Aramaic word · H2217

זְרֻבָּבֶ֫ל

zerubavel

Zerubbabel

Zerubbabel: probably Babylonian Zēr-Bābili, "offspring of Babylon" (later Hebrew wordplay read it as "sown in Babylon"). Jeshua: the late form of Yehoshua, "YHWH saves."

A Biblical Aramaic word, from the parts of the Old Testament written in Aramaic. Why Aramaic?

Appears once in the Aramaic of the Old Testament. ·

What it means

A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at 1Ch.3.19;

son of: Pedaiah (H6305H);

brother of: Shimei (H8096J);

father of: Meshullam (H4918H), Hananiah (H2608L), Shelomith (H8019I), Hashubah (H2807), Ohel (H0169), Berechiah (H1296), Hasadiah (H2619), Jushab-hesed (H3142) and Abiud (G0010); also called Sheshbazzar at Ezr.1.8,11; 5.14,16; KJV: Zorobabel at Mat.1.12,13;

Aramaic of ze.rub.ba.vel (זְרֻבָּבֶ֫ל "Zerubbabel" H2216)

§ Zerubbabel = "sown in Babylon"

the grandson of king Jehoiachin and leader of the first group of returning exiles from Babylon

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Ezra 5:2

Range of meaning

Zerubbabel: probably Babylonian Zēr-Bābili, "offspring of Babylon" (later Hebrew wordplay read it as "sown in Babylon"). Jeshua: the late form of Yehoshua, "YHWH saves."

Against the English

English versions differ on the priest's name. Most follow Ezra's "Jeshua," but some modern versions use "Joshua" so that he matches Haggai and Zechariah. It is the same man either way.

Used elsewhere in the period

Haggai 1:1 gives their offices: Zerubbabel "governor of Judah," Joshua "the high priest." Zechariah 4:14 calls the pair "the two anointed ones" (literally "sons of oil"). Zechariah 6:11–13 pictures a priest and a ruler working in harmony.

Where it appears

Ezra · 1

  1. Ezra 5:2 זְרֻבָּבֶ֤ל Zerubbabel

    Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak rose up and began to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, helping them.

    Here: The Davidic heir and Persian-appointed governor of Judah (Haggai 1:1). His name is most likely Babylonian, Zēr-Bābili, "offspring of Babylon": a man born in exile, now leading the rebuilding in Jerusalem.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.