Monday, June 19, 2023

The Kings Of Israel And Judah. Day 131, Jehoiachin King Of Judah, Part One

Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim is now king of Judah. But the Bible didn't tell us any details about the death of Jehoiakim. The last thing we read about him in 2 Chronicles was that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon. Does this mean that Jehoiakim was deposed by Nebuchadnezzar and taken captive to Babylon in a similar manner to how Jehoahaz was deposed by Pharaoh Necho and taken to Egypt until his death? The author of 2 Kings simply says, "Jehoiakim rested with his ancestors. And Jehoichin his son succeeded him as king." (2 Kings 24:6) 

The way this is worded indicates that Jehoiakim's death and his son's ascension to the throne happened at the same time, so we don't know whether Nebuchadnezzar ever followed through on his intention to take Jehoiakim captive to Babylon or whether Jehoiakim died as a result of something that happened during the Babylonian army's siege of Jerusalem. The ancient historian Flavius Josephus says that the king was killed during the siege of Jerusalem and that his body was thrown over the wall. Does this mean that the soldiers of Babylon killed him for some reason after putting shackles on him as ordered by Nebuchadnezzar? Does this mean he was housed inside Jerusalem until his planned deportation to Babylon but was killed by Babylonian soldiers or even by his own people and thrown outside the gates? 

In the book of Jeremiah there is a prophecy that Jehoiakim's body would be treated dishonorably: "He will have the burial of a donkey---dragged away and thrown outside the gates of Jerusalem". (Jeremiah 22:19) Although we don't know the exact time and manner and place of the king's death, it seems clear that he did die---that he was not merely deposed and taken to a foreign land where he lived for a number of years in captivity. Some scholars believe that Jeremiah's prophecy means that Jehoiakim's body wasn't retrieved for a proper burial but the author of 2 Kings says, "Jehoiakim rested with his ancestors", which is a common Old Testament way of telling us someone died and in most cases it means they were buried or placed inside a tomb. Sometimes the location of a king's interment is given to us and sometimes it is not. This could mean he was buried at the same location as many of the other kings of Judah but it may be he was never buried at all. I can only assume that these details were likely included in the books of the annals of the kings---the book that is frequently referenced in the Bible but that has disappeared over the ages---and that the authors of 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles didn't include that information here. 

Jehoiakim's rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar has been a mistake. He thought it was proof of weakness when the Babylonian forces failed in their attempt to invade Egypt and he transferred his allegiance back to Pharaoh, thinking Pharaoh would come out fighting and be victorious in pushing the Babylonians back. But although the border of Egypt remains secure at this time, the king of Egypt is pretty much encapsulated there, having lost a large swath of his territory outside the nation to Nebuchadnezzar. "The king of Egypt did not march out from his own country again, because the king of Babylon had taken all his territory, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Euphrates River." (2 Kings 24:7) 

The new king of Judah is a young king. He is also a wicked king, like his father, and his reign will be short. "Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother's name was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan; she was from Jerusalem. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father had done." (2 Kings 24:8-9) The author of 2 Chronicles is more precise about the length of his reign and states that he was king of Judah for three months and ten days. He, like the author of 2 Kings, makes it known to us that Jehoachin was evil but does not provide any examples of the evil acts he committed. (2 Chronicles 36:9) Since we know his father sinned in the same manner as his predecessors (meaning he was an idolater), I believe Jehoiachin rejected the Lord and served idolas.

A very harsh prophecy will be pronounced against Jehoiachin in the book of Jeremiah and in that prophecy the Lord says that both King Jehoiachin and his mother, Nehushta, will be taken prisoner to Babylon. This will indeed happen as we continue on in our study of this king tomorrow. 






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