Bible Study

Just for your thoughts.

The Book of Ezra – Bible Study 2
Who is Sheshbazzar?
In the Bible, there are some individuals who carried out very important tasks, yet we often pass over them without much reflection. Sheshbazzar is one such person.
Who was Sheshbazzar?
He was an important Jewish leader who lived during the time of the Persian king Cyrus. After the Babylonian exile, the Bible identifies him as the leader of the first group of Jews who returned to Jerusalem.
The verses that mention Sheshbazzar directly are:
Ezra 1:8–11
Ezra 5:14–16
Apart from these passages, there are no other direct references to him in Scripture.
Sheshbazzar was appointed as a governor by King Cyrus. In the Bible he is called:
“Prince of Judah” (Ezra 1:8)
“Governor” (Ezra 5:14)
The gold and silver articles that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem to Babylon were handed over to Sheshbazzar by King Cyrus. Sheshbazzar brought these items back to Jerusalem.
According to Ezra 5:16, Sheshbazzar played an important role in the restoration work of the Temple in Jerusalem.
Some biblical scholars believe that Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel were the same person. Many scholars suggest that:
Sheshbazzar was his Persian/Babylonian name
Zerubbabel was his Hebrew name
However, this view cannot be confirmed with certainty.
How should we understand the significance of his work?
God stirred the heart of the Persian king Cyrus to rebuild the Temple of God (Ezra 1:1). This was God’s work. Yet, even though God initiates His work, He still needs leaders to carry it out. Sheshbazzar was the man God chose for this purpose.
He was the first to accept the responsibility of rebuilding God’s Temple and to return freely to Jerusalem. King Cyrus entrusted him with the gold and silver articles that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem to Babylon.
The list of these items is as follows:
30 gold dishes
1,000 silver dishes
29 silver bowls
30 gold bowls
410 silver bowls
1,000 other vessels
In total, there were 5,400 gold and silver articles. Sheshbazzar was the one who safely brought this great wealth to Jerusalem (Ezra 1:8–11).
Sheshbazzar was a forerunner to the ministries of Ezra and Zerubbabel. The courage he showed in receiving God’s burden to restore the ruined Temple and in boldly coming to Jerusalem with a large group of people is truly commendable. He was the one who took the very first step.
With nearly 50,000 people, he went to Jerusalem and became a pioneer in the work of restoring the Temple. Just as the ministries of Ezra, Zerubbabel, Joshua, and Nehemiah were important, the work of Sheshbazzar—who took the first step—was equally significant.
In brief, Sheshbazzar’s role can be understood as primarily administrative in nature, while the ministries of Ezra, Zerubbabel, and Joshua were more focused on spiritual matters.
God knows whom to use and how to use them. No one is greater than another. Therefore, while we meditate on Ezra, we should not forget Sheshbazzar.