Jehoiakim

JEHOIAKIM, or Eliakim, the brother and successor of Jehoahaz King of Judah, of whom we have been speaking, was made King by Necho King of Egypt at his return from an expedition against the City of Carchemish2 Kings xxiii. 34, 35, 36., in the year of the World 3395, before Jesus Christ 605, before the Vulgar Æra 609. Necho changed his name from Eliakim to Jehoiakim, and set a ransom upon him of an hundred talents of silver, and ten talents of gold. To raise this money, Jehoiakim was forced to lay heavy taxes upon his people, exacting of every man something in proportion to his fortune. Jehoiakim was five and twenty years of age when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years at Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zebudah, the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and Jeremiah reproaches him with building his house by unrighteousness, with oppressing unjustly his Subjects, with keeping back the wages of those, whom he employ’d in his service; with having his heart and eyes turned to avarice and inhumanity, and following his inclination, which led him to commit all sort of barbarities and wicked actions. This is the portraiture of Jehoiakim. The same Prophet informs us, that he sent men to bring the Prophet Urijah out of Egypt, whither he had fled for safety; that he put him to the sword, and left him without giving him a suitable burial.

Wherefore the Lord threatens him with Jer. xxii. 18, 19.an unhappy end. He shall die, says Jeremiah, and shall be neither mourned for nor regretted. He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem. Jehoiakim, after he had continued about four years subject to the King of Egypt, fell under the dominion of Nebuchadnezzar King of the Chaldeans. This Prince having recovered what Necho had taken upon the Euphrates, came into Phœnicia, and Judæa, subdued the City of Jerusalem, and subjected it to the same burdens of the World 2399, before J. C. 601, before the Vulgar Æra 605, and in the fourth year of Jehoiakim.and conditions which it was liable to under the King of Egypt¹. Jehoiakim was taken in Jerusalem, and Nebuchadnezzar put him in fetters, intending to carry him to Baa 2 Kings xxiv. 1, 2. bylon: but he restored him to liberty, and left him in the country, upon condition that he would pay him a large tribute.

Thus Daniel and Jeremiah are reconciled with the Kings and Chronicles. The Chronicles, according to the Hebrew, say, that Nebuchadnezzar bound Jehoiakim in chains to carry him to Babylon; and Daniel relates, that the Lord delivered Jehoiakim into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar; that this Prince carried great part of the Vessels belonging to the House of God to Babylon, and some captives, among whom were Daniel and his companions; but he does not say that Jehoiakim was carried thither. The books of Kings and Chronicles tell us, that Jehoiakim reigned eleven years at xxiii. 36.Jerusalem. Jeremiah says, that Nebuchadnezzar retook Carchemish from Necho King of Egypt in the fourth year of Jehoiakim; and elsewhere, that the first year of Nebuchadnezzar agreed with the fourth of Jehoiakim.

All these Chronological marks evidence to us, that Nebuchadnezzar did not come into Judæa till the year of the World 3399, which is the fourth year of Jehoiakim; that Jehoiakim was not carried to Babylon, but only put in chains in order to be removed thither, and that afterwards he was set at liberty, and left at Jerusalem; lastly, that Jehoiakim was four years subject to Necho, before he became tributary to Nebuchadnezzar.

In this fourth year of Jehoiakim, Jeremiah having dictated to Baruch all the Prophecies, which he had pronounced till that time, Baruch read them the year following before all the people assembled in the Temple. Jehoiakim was informed of it, and ordering this book to be brought to him, it was read to him, and to all the great men who were about him. The King was in his winter-apartment in the ninth month, which answers to our November, and there Æra 605.was a fire on the hearth burning before him. After three or four pages had been read to him, Jehoiakim cut the book with the Secretary’s penknife, and threw the rest into the fire, till it was consumed, without hearkening to the remonstrances of Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah, who opposed this action. The reading of this book did not affect either Jehoiakim, or his people; and instead of being converted, he gave orders for seizing Jeremiah and Baruch: but the Lord concealed them, and did not permit him to discover where they were.

Then the Lord commanded Jeremiah to have his prophecies again written down, and he pronounced terrible menaces against Jehoiakim to this purpose; There shall be no Prince descended from him to sit upon the Throne of David. His body shall be cast out and exposed to the heat by day, and to the frost by night. I will rise up against him, his family, and servants, and I will bring upon him, Jerusalem, and all Judah, all the evils wherewith I have threatned them. Jehoiakim soon experienced the truth of Jeremiah’s predictions. In the year of the World 3401, before J. C. 599, before the Vulgar Æra 603. 2 Kings xxiv. 1,2. 2 Kings xxiv. 2, 3, &c.Three years after he rebell’d against Nebuchadnezzar; and Nebuchadnezzar, who was taken up with other affairs, not being then able, or not condescending to go in person into Judæa, sent troops thither consisting of Chaldæans, Syrians, Moabites and Ammonites, who ravaged all the country, and carried three thousand and three and twenty Jews away with them to Babylon, in the seventh year of Jehoiakim, of the World 3401; and four years after, Jehoiakim himself was taken, put to death, and thrown into the common sewer, according to the prediction of Jeremiah. He Jer. xxii. 18. and xxxv. 30.was succeeded by his son Jehoiakin in the year of the World 3405, before Jesus Christ 595, before the Vulgar Æra 599.

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