The book names Zechariah
The opening verse gives the clearest answer. The word of the Lord came through Zechariah, identifying him as the son of Berechiah and grandson of Iddo. So, in the straightforward biblical sense, Zechariah was the prophet through whom this book was given (Zechariah 1:1).
The book is not presented as Zechariah's private reflections. Again and again, he delivers God's message to a real community at a hard moment in its history. He calls the people to turn back to the Lord rather than repeat the unfaithfulness of earlier generations (Zechariah 1:3-4).
In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,
A prophet after the exile
Zechariah ministered after many Jewish people had returned from Babylon to Jerusalem. Ezra places him alongside the prophet Haggai, speaking God's word to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem (Ezra 5:1). Their ministry brought courage when rebuilding the temple had stalled.
Ezra says the elders continued building and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai and Zechariah. That means Zechariah's message was closely tied to the renewed worship of God in Jerusalem, not just predictions about the distant future (Ezra 6:14).
Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them.
What did Zechariah write about?
The early chapters record dated visions and messages given during the reign of Darius, including a message two years after the opening date (Zechariah 1:1; Zechariah 7:1). Zechariah speaks about Jerusalem, the temple, repentance, God's cleansing of his people, and hope for their future.
He also points beyond his own day. His visions look towards God's reign and a coming king, which is why Christians have long read Zechariah as an important book for understanding Jesus. Yet its first listeners needed its hope right where they were, among unfinished walls, difficult neighbours, and a rebuilt life that still felt fragile.
What about the later chapters?
Chapters 9 to 14 begin with new prophetic headings, but they do not repeat Zechariah's name (Zechariah 9:1; Zechariah 12:1). Because of differences in style and setting, some modern scholars have suggested that more than one writer may stand behind those chapters.
Many Jewish and Christian readers, however, have traditionally received the whole book as Zechariah's prophecy. Scripture itself clearly identifies Zechariah as the prophet behind the book's opening messages and as a key voice in Jerusalem's restoration (Zechariah 1:1; Ezra 6:14). Whatever questions remain about composition, the book invites readers to hear God's call to return to him and trust his future.