Several of Zechariah’s prophecies are dated to the second and fourth years of the reign of Darius (520 and 518 BCE), at the time when the construction of the second Temple had begun in earnest under the Persian-appointed governor Zerubbabel. Like Ezekiel and Jeremiah, he was a priest, and his grandfather, Iddo, is mentioned among the priests in Ezra chapter 5 and Nehemiah chapter 12. His contemporaries include the prophet Haggai, who began prophesying two months before him, and the high priest Joshua. He encouraged the people to repent, emphasized that God’s rule stands in contrast to military might – “Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit” (4:6) – and stressed that ritual fast days have no value unless accompanied by spiritual improvement.
