OT in Context Logo
OT in ContextLearn
Interactive App
Learn Home
Back to Learn Section
SheshbazzarEzraJeremiahExile Return

Who Was Sheshbazzar—and Why Doesn't He Appear in Jeremiah?

Compare Jeremiah's and Ezra's exile leaders—see what archaeology and timeline comparison reveals.

Timeline Focus: 538 BCE

✨The Surprising Reality

Ezra credits Sheshbazzar with leading the first return, but Jeremiah never mentions him—only Zedekiah and Jehoiachin.

🤔The Context Question

But here's what most people don't realize: Sheshbazzar may be a title or another name for a known biblical figure.

📚What We Know

Some scholars equate Sheshbazzar with Zerubbabel or a Persian-appointed official. Timeline and name concordances help track these overlapping identities and periods. Explore these in the app's return-from-exile overlay.

Explore the Full Context

Jump to 538 BC and see exactly who Sheshbazzar might have been—discover how biblical silence doesn't mean historical absence.

Explore Interactive Timeline & Map

See the complete historical context with our interactive map and timeline

🔗Related Topics

person

Sheshbazzar

Explore in interactive app →

person

Zerubbabel

Explore in interactive app →

📖Biblical References

📜Ezra 1:8📜Jeremiah 52:1–34

Scripture references supporting this historical context

More Context Questions

Continue exploring the fascinating intersections between biblical events and world history

?

How Close Was Assyria to Jerusalem During the Siege?

Explore how Assyria's 701 BC invasion nearly reached Jerusalem—see the destruction path and what stopped the conquest.

Explore this question
?

Was Abraham's Journey Before or After the Great Pyramid?

Abraham's journey occurred when the Great Pyramid was already ancient history—revealing a sophisticated world he left behind.

Explore this question
?

What Was Greece Doing While Israel Was in Exile?

During the Babylonian exile, Greece developed ideas that would later carry Jewish monotheism across empires. Explore the timeline.

Explore this question
?

What Does the Cyrus Cylinder Reveal About Babylon's Fall?

Explore how the Cyrus Cylinder confirms biblical accounts of Babylon's fall and Jewish return.

Explore this question