Their story
The New Testament Zacharias (the Grecized form the KJV uses) was an elderly priest of the division of Abia who was serving in the temple when Gabriel announced that his wife Elizabeth would bear a son (Luke 1:5-25). Both Zacharias and Elizabeth were righteous, walking in all the commandments of the Lord, but they had no child and were both well advanced in years. When Gabriel appeared and announced that Elizabeth would bear a son to be named John, Zacharias asked how this could be given their age. Gabriel identified himself as the one who stands in the presence of God and told Zacharias he would be struck mute until the child was born because he had not believed. When the boy was named eight days after birth, Elizabeth insisted on the name John despite family pressure to name him after his father. Zacharias, still mute, asked for a writing tablet and wrote "his name is John" (Luke 1:63), and his tongue was immediately loosed. He then delivered the Benedictus, the great canticle of Luke 1:68-79 that has been chanted in Christian liturgy ever since. The Old Testament Zechariah is a distinct figure, active around 520 BC as one of the post-exilic prophets alongside Haggai and Malachi. His book contains major messianic prophecies including 9:9 ("thy King cometh unto thee... riding upon an ass") applied to Jesus's triumphal entry (Matthew 21:5) and 12:10 ("they shall look upon me whom they have pierced") applied to the crucifixion in John 19:37.
Why they matter
The New Testament Zechariah matters as the father of John the Baptist and the priest whose annunciation opens the gospel narrative. The Luke 1 pattern of a barren couple receiving a promised son, followed by the son's naming, echoes the Old Testament Hannah-and-Samuel pattern and connects the New Testament infancy narratives to the broader biblical theology of God remembering his people. The Old Testament prophet Zechariah's messianic prophecies are among the most heavily cited in the New Testament gospels, making his voice active in the Christian theological memory even though he is the secondary figure carrying the name.
Key Bible passages
What people often get wrong
The two biblical Zechariahs are distinct figures. The Old Testament prophet (around 520 BC) and the New Testament priest (around 6 BC) are separated by roughly five centuries and unrelated except by shared Hebrew name.
Zacharias in the KJV is not a separate figure from Zechariah. Zacharias is the Grecized form the KJV uses for the New Testament priest; the name is the same in Hebrew.
Zechariah's silence during Elizabeth's pregnancy was not a curse but a sign, as Gabriel says in Luke 1:20: "thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak... because thou believest not my words."
Common questions
Who was Zechariah in the Bible?
The primary biblical Zechariah is the New Testament priest father of John the Baptist whose annunciation in Luke 1 opens the gospel infancy narratives. A separate Old Testament prophet Zechariah wrote a prophetic book around 520 BC with major messianic prophecies.
What is Zechariah best known for?
The New Testament Zechariah is best known for being struck mute for doubting Gabriel's announcement, then restored to speech at the naming of John (Luke 1:63) when he wrote "his name is John," followed by delivering the Benedictus (Luke 1:68-79).
Are there two Zechariahs in the Bible?
Yes. The Old Testament prophet Zechariah (around 520 BC) wrote the Book of Zechariah with major messianic prophecies. The New Testament priest Zechariah (around 6 BC) is the father of John the Baptist in Luke 1. They are distinct figures separated by roughly five centuries.
Why does Zechariah matter to Christians?
The New Testament Zechariah's Luke 1 narrative opens the gospel infancy sequence and delivers the Benedictus canticle chanted in Christian liturgy. The Old Testament prophet Zechariah's messianic prophecies are among the most heavily cited in the New Testament gospels.