This book investigates the nature of the hope for the house of David in the final form of the book of "Zechariah". It focuses particularly on the following themes: the roles of Joshua and Zerubbabel; the nature and identity of the Shoot; the coming King; the Shepherd; and, the Pierced One. It challenges the scholarly consensus, going back to the thesis of Julius Wellhausen, which the high priest took over the role and prerogatives of the pre-exilic monarch in the early post-exilic period. Instead, "Zechariah" merely envisages Joshua the high priest being reinstated to the temple duties that were undertaken before the exile. Furthermore, Zechariah does not identify Zerubbable as the promised future Davidic king ('Shoot'). Rather, "Zechariah" demonstrates a hope for the restoration of a Davidic king who will have a key role in temple building after the time of Zerubbabel. Over the last 30 years this pioneering series has established an unrivaled reputation for cutting-edge international scholarship in Biblical Studies and has attracted leading authors and editors in the field. The series takes many original and creative approaches to its subjects, including innovative work from historical and theological perspectives, social-scientific and literary theory, and more recent developments in cultural studies and reception history.
