Who was Jedaiah in the Bible?

Jedaiah was a man who returned to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon. He is noted for contributing silver and gold to make the crowns placed on the head of Joshua the high priest, as recorded in Zechariah 6:10-11.

What did Jedaiah do in the book of Zechariah?

Jedaiah's key action was providing precious metals for the ceremonial crowns. This act was part of a symbolic prophecy where the high priest Joshua was crowned, foreshadowing the future Messiah who would be both priest and king (Zechariah 6:9-15).

Why is Jedaiah's contribution significant?

His contribution helped fulfill a prophetic act that symbolized the coming Branch (the Messiah). It demonstrated the community's participation in restoring worship and pointed to Jesus Christ, who unites the offices of priest and king.

Jedaiah

Old TestamentExile & ReturnMale

Jedaiah was a returned exile who provided silver and gold for the crowns placed on Joshua's head.

Jedaiah

Biography

Jedaiah was one of a small group of Babylonian exiles, along with Heldai, Tobijah, and Josiah son of Zephaniah, who brought silver and gold from Babylon to Jerusalem, which the prophet Zechariah was instructed to fashion into crowns for the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak (Zechariah 6:10–14). This symbolic act, enacted around 519 BC, was a dramatic prophetic sign of the coming Messianic king-priest who would unite royal and priestly offices. The crowns were to be kept in the temple as a memorial of the donors, including Jedaiah, ensuring that his contribution to this prophetic ceremony would be permanently commemorated in the house of God.

Significance

Jedaiah's role in the crown-making ceremony of Zechariah 6 places him at the center of one of the most explicitly Messianic prophetic acts in the Old Testament. The crowning of Joshua the high priest with both royal and priestly crowns symbolized the coming "Branch" (Zechariah 6:12), a figure who would bear both offices and build the true temple of the Lord. This passage is widely recognized as a direct foreshadowing of Jesus Christ, who unites the roles of eternal king and high priest. Jedaiah's financial generosity enabled the physical enactment of this prophetic sign, illustrating how ordinary acts of giving can become instruments of profound theological proclamation in the hands of a sovereign God.

Verse Appearances (2)

Zech

Zech 6:10 Zech 6:14

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

View all sources & licensing →

See our editorial standards →

Content compiled from public domain scholarship, academic sources, and verified references. Editorial standards · View all sources