The Davidic line from Jeconiah had been cursed by Jeremiah, saying that no offspring of “Coniah” would sit on the throne (Jeremiah 22:30). However, Zerubbabel was of the main Davidic line through Solomon and Jeconiah. The prophets Zechariah and Haggai both give unclear statements regarding Zerubbabel’s authority in their oracles, in which Zerubbabel was either the subject of a false prophecy or the receiver of a divine promotion to kingship.
He could also be viewed as a governor of a state within another nation and thus technically “not on the throne” of a nation. Either way, he was given the task of rebuilding the Temple in the second year of the reign of Darius I, along with the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak.
Meshullam, the son of Zerubbabel, succeeded him as Exilarch and was followed by another son Hananiah. His other sons were Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab-Hesed (1 Chronicles 3:20). He also had a daughter called Shelomith (1 Chronicles 3:19). Zerubbabel may have had a Babylonian-style name because of his interaction with the Babylonian court.
Sheshbazzar; The book of Ezra begins with Cyrus the Great entrusting the Temple vessels to Sheshbazzar; this apparently important figure disappears from the story entirely after being named in Ezra 1:8 and Ezra 5:14, and Zerubbabel is abruptly introduced as the main figure. Both are called governors of Judah and are both credited with laying the foundation of the Temple.