JEHOIACHIN, the son of Jehoiakim King of Judah, and grandson of Josiah, 2 Kings xxiv. 8. 2 Chron. xxxvi. 9.reigned but three months over the house of Judah. Some believe, that he was born about the time of the first Babylonish Captivity, in the year of the World 3398, when Jehoiakim or Eliakim his father, was taken captive and carried to Babylon. Jehoiakim returned from Babylon, and reigned till 3405, when he was killed by the Chaldeans in the eleventh year of his reign. Jehoiachin, otherwise Joachin or Coniah succeeded him, and reigned alone but three months and ten days: but he reigned ten years in conjunction with his father. Thus the 2 Kings xxiv. 8. is reconciled with 2 Chron. xxxvi. 9. In the second book of Kings it is said, that he was eighteen years of age when he began to reign; and in the Chronicles that he was but eight: that is to say, he was but eight years old when he began to reign with his father, and was eighteen when he began to reign alone.
2 Kings xxiv. 8, 9, &c. 2 Chron. xxxvi. 9, 10. Joseph. Antiq. l. 10. c. 9.The Books of Kings and Chronicles intimate, that the people set up Jehoiachin, at least that they acknowledged him for King, in his father’s room. But Josephus says, it was Nebuchadnezzar who gave him the Kingdom; and that some months after, fearing he might be inclined to some revolt, in order to revenge the death of his father Jehoiakim, he repented giving him the title of King, and sent an army against him, which besieged him in Jerusalem. But Jehoiachin, who was good and just, would not expose the town on his account to danger: he sent his mother and his nearest relations as hostages to those who commanded the siege, having first received a promise and an oath from the Generals above mentioned, that they would do no harm to the town or hostages; but they did not keep their word, and before the year’s end, Nebuchadnezzar sent orders to his Generals to take Jehoiachin and send him to Babylon, together with his mother, his friends, and all the youth and trading part of the City; which accordingly was done. Ten thousand eight hundred and thirty two men were carried to Babylon, of which number were King Jehoiachin, his mother Nehushta, and his principal Counsellors, whom Nebuchadnezzar confined in prison. This is what Josephus says.
The Text of the books of Kings is shorter, and differs in some things from Josephus. It says, that Jehoiachin did evil in the sight of the Lord; that the King of Babylon first sent his army under the command of his Generals to open the siege of Jerusalem, and afterwards was himself present at it: that King Jehoiachin went out of the City with his mother, his princes, servants, and officers, and surrendred himself to Nebuchadnezzar; that this Prince carried away all the Treasures of the Temple, and those of the King’s Palace, and cut in pieces all the golden Vessels which Solomon had made for the use of the Temple, and ordered all to be conveyed to Babylon: that he took away with him all the best inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Princes, and mighty Men of valour, to the number of ten thousand men, and all the good Artificers in the country, leaving none there but the poorest of the people. He transplanted the King thither also, the Queen his Mother, the King’s Wives, his Eunuchs, and the Judges of the land, seven thousand men of war, a thousand good artificers, and all that he found capable of bearing arms.
Whether in this number of ten thousand first mentioned, the eight thousand afterwards spoken of, are to be comprehended, we cannot tell. It is very credible, that the earnestness remarkable here in Nebuchadnezzar, to transport to Babylon, omnem artificem & clusorem, all the good workmen in iron, gold, silver, wood, &c. was with an intent to people and fill the City of Babylon, which he had embellished and enlarged; this likewise was the aim of his bringing whole nations out of their own country to settle them at Babylon, or in Babylonia, which he had a mind to make the most beautiful and flourishing country in the world.
2 Kings xxv. 27. Jerem. lii. 31. Jerem. xxii. 24.Jeremiah mentions Jehoiachin as a bad Prince, who by his sins had incurr’d the indignation of God. As I live, saith the Lord, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence. And I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life, and into the hand of them whose face thou fearest, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans. And I will cast thee out, and thy mother that bare thee, into another country where ye were not born, and there shall ye die.——Is this man Coniah a despised broken Idol? is he a vessel wherein is no pleasure? Wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into a land which they know not? O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah. All this was literally executed. Jehoiachin succeeded in none of his designs. He was taken and carried captive to Babylon, where he died. But it is believed that he repented, and that God treated him with mercy; for we read that King Evilmerodach, Nebuchadnezzar’s successor, used him in an honourable manner, took him out of prison, spoke kindly to him, and placed his Throne above the Thrones of the other Princes, who were at his court.
1 Chron. iii. 17, 18. and Matth. i. 12.As to these words, Write this man childless, they cannot be taken literally, since we know that Jehoiachin was the father of Salathiel, and many other children, an enumeration whereof we see in the Chro nicles. But the Hebrew word which is translated childless, is placed likewise for one who has lost his children, who has no succession, or heirs. In this sense, Jehoiachin son of a King, and King himself, was looked upon as a man without issue, since he had no son who succeeded him in his kingdom, as in reality he had none; for neither Salathiel, who was born and died in captivity, nor Zerubbabel, who returned from Babylon, nor any of Jehoiachin’s descendants, as far down as Jesus Christ, bore the Scepter, or were seated on the Throne of Judah. Jesus Christ, according to the idea which mankind had of him, was not king. We do not know the year of Jehoiachin’s death.