Zechariah
Zechariah, a descendant of Perez, who lived in Jerusalem after the exile (Neh.11.4).
Biography
Zechariah, son of Amariah and a descendant of Perez, the son of Judah and Tamar, was among the post-exilic settlers who took up residence in Jerusalem following the Babylonian captivity (Neh. 11:4). The genealogical register in Nehemiah 11 identifies him as belonging to the sons of Judah who voluntarily inhabited the restored city. His Perezite ancestry was distinguished, as the Perez line was the principal branch of Judah's descendants, from which the line of David himself descended. Zechariah's resettlement in Jerusalem as a member of this ancient lineage connected the restored Judahite community to its deepest Davidic and Judahite roots.
Significance
Zechariah's identification as a descendant of Perez carries quiet but potent theological significance. The Perezite line was the dynastic backbone of the tribe of Judah, the line through which God had promised an everlasting throne to David and, ultimately, the Messiah. His resettlement in Jerusalem as a Perezite son of Judah reinforced the continuity between the pre-exilic Davidic heritage and the restored post-exilic community. Nehemiah's careful recording of such genealogical details underscores the conviction that God's covenant promises did not expire in exile, that the return was itself a pledge of the even greater restoration to come through David's ultimate heir.
Verse Appearances (1)
Nehemiah
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]