1:1 second year of Darius. Compare Haggai 1:1. Zechariah began his written prophetic ministry just two months after Haggai, although Haggai was much older and continued writing less than four months altogether (Haggai 2:10).

1:1 Zechariah. Zechariah, meaning “Jehovah remembers,” was the most prolific writer among the “minor prophets.” He is mentioned along with Haggai in Ezra 5:1 and 6:14. He is also mentioned by Nehemiah as coming to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel (Nehemiah 12:16; 11:4), except that Nehemiah calls him the son of Iddo instead of the grandson, as does Ezra. Evidently Berechiah died early, leaving Zechariah to be raised and trained by Iddo. Both Iddo and Zechariah were priests as well as prophets (Nehemiah 12:1,16).