דברי הימים א, פרק ג׳, פסוק י״ט

Tracing the family lineage of Zerubbabel, the prominent leader who guided the returnees back to Zion, reveals a fascinating historical puzzle regarding his parentage. While he is widely known throughout biblical history as the son of Shealtiel, the genealogical records also identify him as the son of Pedaiah.

To resolve this apparent contradiction, two main perspectives are offered. One approach suggests a direct line where Pedaiah was actually the son of Shealtiel. In this scenario, Zerubbabel was Shealtiel's grandson, a relationship often described in biblical records simply as a father-son connection [רד״ק, מצודת דוד].

A contrasting perspective points to a deeper family drama involving the laws of levirate marriage. According to this view, Shealtiel and Pedaiah were brothers. When Shealtiel passed away without leaving any children, Pedaiah stepped in to marry his brother's widow. The child born from this union was Zerubbabel. He was considered the son of Shealtiel in order to carry on the deceased brother's legacy and preserve his family line [מלבי ם בשם ראב״ע].

As the family tree continues, it lists Zerubbabel's own children, Meshullam and Hananiah, followed by their sister, Shelomith. The specific inclusion of their sister at the end of this family group is not a random detail. It serves to highlight a close family bond, indicating that these two brothers and their sister were all born to Zerubbabel from the same mother [מלבי״ם].