Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:6–9; 2 Kings 24:10–17; 2 Kings 25:27–30; 1 Chronicles 3:16–19; 2 Chronicles 36:8–10; Esther 2:6; Jeremiah 22:24–30; Jeremiah 24:1–10; Jeremiah 27:20; Jeremiah 28:4; Jeremiah 29:2; Jeremiah 37:1; Jeremiah 52:31–34; Ezekiel 1:2; Matthew 1:11–12)

King of Judah who went out to Babylon; also called Jeconiah and Coniah

The son of Jehoiakim, who reigned three months in Jerusalem, went out to the king of Babylon, was carried to Babylon, was spoken of by the LORD as Coniah, and in the thirty-seventh year of his captivity was lifted out of prison by Evil-merodach.

Kings, 2 Chronicles and Ezekiel name him Jehoiachin; 1 Chronicles, Esther and Jeremiah also call him Jeconiah; Jeremiah, in three places, Coniah; and Matthew writes Jechoniah. “So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers; and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead” (2 Kings 24:6). 2 Kings says he “was eighteen years old when he began to reign; and he reigned in Jerusalem three months” (2 Kings 24:8); 2 Chronicles says he “was eight years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem” (2 Chronicles 36:9). Both say he “did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah” (2 Kings 24:9).

While the servants of Nebuchadnezzar besieged the city, “Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers” (2 Kings 24:12), and he was carried to Babylon with the treasures of the house of the LORD and ten thousand captives (2 Kings 24:13-16). Through Jeremiah the LORD said of Coniah, “Write ye this man childless” (Jeremiah 22:30). Yet 1 Chronicles lists “the sons of Jeconiah, the captive: Shealtiel his son” (1 Chronicles 3:17), and Matthew writes, “Jechoniah begat Shealtiel” (Matthew 1:12). Ezekiel dates his vision by the “fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity” (Ezekiel 1:2).

The record of him ends in Babylon: “in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah … Evil-merodach king of Babylon … did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison” (2 Kings 25:27). The text records no words spoken by him.

Weaknesses

• Did evil according to all that his father had done

Themes

• Exile in Babylon
• Judgment on David's line
• The captives sent out
• Names of one man
• Kindness from a foreign king

Three months on the throne (2 Kings 24:6–9; 2 Chronicles 36:8–9)

Jehoiachin succeeds Jehoiakim his father and reigns three months, doing evil; 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles give different ages for his accession.

Goes out to the king of Babylon (2 Kings 24:10–12)

The servants of Nebuchadnezzar besiege Jerusalem, and Jehoiachin goes out to the king of Babylon with his mother, servants, princes and officers.

Goes out to the king of Babylon

“At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came unto the city, while his servants were besieging it” (2 Kings 24:10-11).

“And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign” (2 Kings 24:12). “And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon” (2 Kings 24:15).

Carried to Babylon with the treasures and captives (2 Kings 24:13–16; Jeremiah 27:20; Jeremiah 29:2)

The treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king's house are carried out, with ten thousand captives; Jehoiachin, the king's mother, wives and officers go to Babylon.

Zedekiah made king in his place (2 Kings 24:17; 2 Chronicles 36:10; Jeremiah 37:1)

The king of Babylon makes Mattaniah king and changes his name to Zedekiah; 2 Kings calls him Jehoiachin's father's brother, 2 Chronicles calls him his brother.

The word of the LORD against Coniah (Jeremiah 22:24–30)

The LORD says that though Coniah were the signet on his right hand he would pluck him thence, cast him out into another country where he shall die, and write him childless.

The word of the LORD against Coniah

“As I live, saith Jehovah, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence” (Jeremiah 22:24). The LORD says he will give him into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon (Jeremiah 22:25).

“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” (Jeremiah 22:26). Then: “Is this man Coniah a despised broken vessel? is he a vessel wherein none delighteth? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into the land which they know not?” (Jeremiah 22:28).

“Thus saith Jehovah, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days; for no more shall a man of his seed prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling in Judah” (Jeremiah 22:30). Elsewhere the same man is listed with a son (1 Chronicles 3:17; Matthew 1:12); the text does not say how the passages relate.

Two baskets of figs (Jeremiah 24:1–10)

After Jeconiah is carried to Babylon, Jeremiah sees two baskets of figs; the LORD regards the captives sent to the land of the Chaldeans as the good figs.

Hananiah's promise to bring him again (Jeremiah 28:1–4)

In the fourth year of Zedekiah the prophet Hananiah says in the house of the LORD that Jeconiah and the captives will be brought again to this place.

Lifted out of prison (2 Kings 25:27–30; Jeremiah 52:31–34)

In the seven and thirtieth year of his captivity Evil-merodach lifts up his head out of prison, speaks kindly to him, changes his prison garments, and gives him a continual allowance.

Lifted out of prison

“And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison” (2 Kings 25:27).

“And he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon, and changed his prison garments. And Jehoiachin did eat bread before him continually all the days of his life” (2 Kings 25:28-29).

“And for his allowance, there was a continual allowance given him by the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life” (Jeremiah 52:34). Scripture gives no account of his death.

Jehoiakim (2 Kings 24:6; Jeremiah 22:24)

His father, after whom Jehoiachin reigned in his stead; Jeremiah calls him Coniah the son of Jehoiakim.

Nehushta (2 Kings 24:8; 2 Kings 24:12; 2 Kings 24:15)

His mother, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem, who went out with him to the king of Babylon.

Zedekiah (2 Kings 24:17; 2 Chronicles 36:10)

Made king in his place; 2 Kings calls Mattaniah, renamed Zedekiah, Jehoiachin's father's brother, and 2 Chronicles says Zedekiah his brother.

Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 24:10–15; Jeremiah 24:1)

The king of Babylon who besieged Jerusalem, took Jehoiachin, and carried him to Babylon.

Evil-merodach (2 Kings 25:27–30; Jeremiah 52:31–34)

The king of Babylon who lifted up Jehoiachin's head out of prison and gave him a continual allowance.

Shealtiel (1 Chronicles 3:17; Matthew 1:12)

Listed as his son in the sons of Jeconiah, the captive, and in Matthew's genealogy.

Zerubbabel (1 Chronicles 3:17–19; Ezra 3:2; Matthew 1:12)

Listed in 1 Chronicles among the sons of Pedaiah, a son of Jeconiah, and called the son of Shealtiel in Ezra and Matthew.

The LORD (Jeremiah 22:24–30; Jeremiah 24:1–7)

Speaks of Coniah as a signet he would pluck thence, and regards the captives sent to the Chaldeans as good figs.

Jeremiah (Jeremiah 22:24–30; Jeremiah 24:1–5)

The prophet through whom the word of the LORD against Coniah came, and who saw the two baskets of figs after Jeconiah was carried away.

Major sections

• 2 Kings 24:6–17
• 2 Kings 25:27–30
• 1 Chronicles 3:16–17
• 2 Chronicles 36:8–10
• Jeremiah 22:24–30
• Jeremiah 24:1–10
• Jeremiah 28:1–4
• Jeremiah 52:31–34
• Matthew 1:11–12

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