Joel and Zechariah are two of the twelve minor prophets in the Old Testament. These prophets are ‘minor’ not in importance, but in length, compared to the major prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. There is some question as to when Joel was written, as the short book gives few historical markers. Some suggest it to have been written early in the reign of Joash (836-796 BC), who was just a boy when he became king. Zechariah, on the other hand, was written after the return from Babylonian exile, around 521 BC. Although possibly separated by centuries, the two prophets sound many similar themes.