Zechariah was written in the late 6th century BCE , with chapters 1–8 usually dated to about 520–518 BCE and chapters 9–14 often dated later, possibly around 480–470 BCE or even later depending on the scholar.

Quick scoop

The simplest answer is: the book of Zechariah began around 520 BCE.

If you mean the whole book, many scholars think it was written in more than one stage because the style and dating differ between the early and later chapters.

What that means

  • Zechariah 1:1 gives a clear date marker tied to the reign of Darius I , which points to 520 BCE for the opening section.
  • Chapters 1–8 are commonly linked to Zechariah’s own ministry in the period after the Babylonian exile.
  • Chapters 9–14 are more debated and are often placed later than the first section.

Bottom line

If you want one date, use around 520 BCE.

If you want the fuller scholarly picture, say the book was written in stages, starting around 520 BCE and likely extending into the later Persian period.