Born in Babylon (the name is Assyrian).

Grandson of Jehoiachin, king of Judah, and son of Pedaiah (1 Chr. 3: 16-19); in Ezra 3: 2 and elsewhere he is called “son of Shealtiel,” i.e., probably his nephew or legal heir. Zerubbabel was also known by the Persian name Sheshbazzar (Ezra 1: 8, etc.). When Cyrus gave permission to the Jews to return to Palestine, Zerubbabel was appointed “pekhah” or governor, as the representative of the Jewish royal house (Ezra 1: 8). He set up an altar in Jerusalem and rebuilt the temple (see Temple of Zerubbabel) (Ezra 3: 2, 8; Ezra 4: 2-3; Ezra 5: 2); being helped by Haggai (Hag. 1: 1-14; Hag. 2: 1-23) and Zechariah (Zech. 4: 6-10). In the N.T. he is called Zorobabel.