Zedekiah (2 Kings 24:17–20; 2 Kings 25:1–7; 1 Chronicles 3:15; 2 Chronicles 36:10–13; Jeremiah 21:1–10; Jeremiah 27:12–15; Jeremiah 32:1–5; Jeremiah 34:1–22; Jeremiah 37:3–21; Jeremiah 38:5–28; Jeremiah 39:1–7; Jeremiah 52:1–11)

Last king of Judah, formerly Mattaniah

Mattaniah, a son of Josiah, made king by the king of Babylon in the place of his brother's son and renamed Zedekiah; he rebelled, asked Jeremiah for a word from the LORD yet would not humble himself before him, was taken in flight from Jerusalem, saw his sons slain, and was blinded and carried to Babylon.

He is first named among the sons of Josiah: “the first-born Johanan, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum” (1 Chronicles 3:15). “The king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin's father's brother, king is his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah” (2 Kings 24:17). He was twenty-one when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem (2 Kings 24:18). Of his reign the text says that “he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah his God; he humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of Jehovah” (2 Chronicles 36:12), and that he “also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God” (2 Chronicles 36:13).

Most of what is told of him comes from the book of Jeremiah, in the years when Babylon besieged the city. He sent to the prophet, “Pray now unto Jehovah our God for us” (Jeremiah 37:3), and fetched him out of prison to ask him secretly, “Is there any word from Jehovah?” (Jeremiah 37:17), yet he shut him up in the court of the guard, saying, “Wherefore dost thou prophesy” (Jeremiah 32:3). He made a covenant with all the people at Jerusalem to proclaim liberty to Hebrew servants, and the people afterwards turned back (Jeremiah 34:8-11). When the princes asked for Jeremiah's death he said, “the king is not he that can do anything against you” (Jeremiah 38:5); then he commanded that Jeremiah be taken up out of the dungeon (Jeremiah 38:10). Told to go out to the king of Babylon's princes, he answered, “I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen away to the Chaldeans” (Jeremiah 38:19).

In the eleventh year of his reign a breach was made in the city; he went out by night toward the Arabah, was overtaken in the plains of Jericho, and was brought to the king of Babylon at Riblah. “And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in fetters, and carried him to Babylon” (2 Kings 25:7). The last word of him is that the king of Babylon “put him in prison till the day of his death” (Jeremiah 52:11).

Weaknesses

• Did evil in the sight of the LORD
• Rebelled against the king who made him swear
• Humbled not himself before Jeremiah
• Stiffened his neck
• Gave way to the princes
• Feared the Jews that were fallen away

Themes

• Last king of Judah
• Word of the LORD refused
• Siege of Jerusalem
• Oath broken
• Secret counsel
• Exile

Made king in Jehoiachin's place (2 Kings 24:17–18; 2 Chronicles 36:10–11; Jeremiah 37:1)

The king of Babylon makes Mattaniah king, changes his name to Zedekiah, and he reigns eleven years in Jerusalem.

The yoke of the king of Babylon (Jeremiah 27:12–15)

Jeremiah speaks to Zedekiah the words of the yoke: bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, serve him and his people, and live, and hearken not to the prophets who say otherwise.

Evil and rebellion (2 Kings 24:19–20; 2 Chronicles 36:12–13)

He does evil as Jehoiakim had done, humbles not himself before Jeremiah, and rebels against the king of Babylon who had made him swear by God.

Evil and rebellion

“And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, according to all that Jehoiakim had done” (2 Kings 24:19). Of the whole matter the text says, “through the anger of Jehovah did it come to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon” (2 Kings 24:20).

The Chronicler adds: “he humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of Jehovah. And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart against turning unto Jehovah, the God of Israel” (2 Chronicles 36:12-13).

Jeremiah says the same of the king, his servants and the people: “neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did hearken unto the words of Jehovah, which he spake by the prophet Jeremiah” (Jeremiah 37:2).

Sends to Jeremiah in the siege (Jeremiah 21:1–10)

As Babylon makes war, the king sends Pashhur and Zephaniah to have Jeremiah inquire of the LORD; the answer is that the LORD will deliver Zedekiah and the city into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar.

The covenant of liberty (Jeremiah 34:1–22)

Zedekiah makes a covenant with all the people at Jerusalem to proclaim liberty to Hebrew servants; the princes and people let them go, then turn back and take them again.

The covenant of liberty

With Nebuchadnezzar's army fighting against Jerusalem, Jeremiah is told to speak to the king: the city will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, “and thou shalt go to Babylon” (Jeremiah 34:3). Then: “Yet hear the word of Jehovah, O Zedekiah king of Judah: thus saith Jehovah concerning thee, Thou shalt not die by the sword; thou shalt die in peace” (Jeremiah 34:4-5).

Next the text tells of the covenant: “the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people that were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty unto them; that every man should let his man-servant, and every man his maid-servant, that is a Hebrew or a Hebrewess, go free” (Jeremiah 34:8-9). “And all the princes and all the people obeyed, that had entered into the covenant … and let them go: but afterwards they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection” (Jeremiah 34:10-11).

The word of the LORD to those who had entered the covenant: “ye were now turned, and had done that which is right in mine eyes, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbor … but ye turned and profaned my name” (Jeremiah 34:15-16). It ends: “And Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes will I give into the hand of their enemies” (Jeremiah 34:21).

Asks Jeremiah secretly (Jeremiah 37:1–21)

The king sends to Jeremiah to pray; Pharaoh's army draws off the Chaldeans for a time; with Jeremiah in prison, Zedekiah fetches him, asks secretly for a word, and commits him to the court of the guard.

Asks Jeremiah secretly

“And Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Pray now unto Jehovah our God for us” (Jeremiah 37:3). Pharaoh's army came out of Egypt and the Chaldeans broke up from Jerusalem (Jeremiah 37:5), but the word came back: “Pharaoh's army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land. And the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city; and they shall take it, and burn it with fire” (Jeremiah 37:7-8).

Jeremiah was seized at the gate of Benjamin and put in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe (Jeremiah 37:13-15). “Then Zedekiah the king sent, and fetched him: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there any word from Jehovah? And Jeremiah said, There is. He said also, Thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon” (Jeremiah 37:17).

Jeremiah asked not to be returned to Jonathan's house, “lest I die there” (Jeremiah 37:20). “Then Zedekiah the king commanded, and they committed Jeremiah into the court of the guard; and they gave him daily a loaf of bread out of the bakers' street, until all the bread in the city was spent” (Jeremiah 37:21).

Shuts Jeremiah in the court of the guard (Jeremiah 32:1–5)

In his tenth year, with Babylon's army besieging Jerusalem, Zedekiah has shut Jeremiah up in the court of the guard for prophesying that the city will be taken and the king brought to Babylon.

Jeremiah in the dungeon (Jeremiah 38:1–13)

The princes ask that Jeremiah be put to death and the king says he cannot act against them; Ebed-melech speaks to the king, who commands that Jeremiah be taken up out of the dungeon.

The second secret audience (Jeremiah 38:14–28)

Zedekiah takes Jeremiah into the house of the LORD, swears secretly not to put him to death, hears that he should go out to the princes of Babylon, and answers that he is afraid.

The second secret audience

“Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into the third entry that is in the house of Jehovah: and the king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me” (Jeremiah 38:14). Jeremiah answered, “If I declare it unto thee, wilt thou not surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, thou wilt not hearken unto me” (Jeremiah 38:15). “So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, As Jehovah liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life” (Jeremiah 38:16).

The word was: “If thou wilt go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire” (Jeremiah 38:17). “And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen away to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me” (Jeremiah 38:19). Jeremiah said, “They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of Jehovah” (Jeremiah 38:20).

“Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die” (Jeremiah 38:24). When the princes came and asked, Jeremiah told them what the king had commanded, “So they left off speaking with him; for the matter was not perceived” (Jeremiah 38:27). “So Jeremiah abode in the court of the guard until the day that Jerusalem was taken” (Jeremiah 38:28).

The breach and the flight (2 Kings 25:1–5; Jeremiah 39:1–4; Jeremiah 52:4–8)

In the eleventh year the famine is sore and a breach is made in the city; the king and the men of war flee by night toward the Arabah.

Taken at Riblah (2 Kings 25:5–7; Jeremiah 39:5–7; Jeremiah 52:8–11)

The Chaldeans overtake Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho and bring him to the king of Babylon at Riblah, where his sons are slain before his eyes, his eyes are put out, and he is taken to Babylon.

Taken at Riblah

“But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him. Then they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him” (2 Kings 25:5-6).

“And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in fetters, and carried him to Babylon” (2 Kings 25:7). Jeremiah gives the place and the actor: “the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes” (Jeremiah 39:6), and he “put him in prison till the day of his death” (Jeremiah 52:11).

Earlier the word to him had been, “thine eyes shall behold the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and thou shalt go to Babylon” (Jeremiah 34:3), and “Thou shalt not die by the sword; thou shalt die in peace” (Jeremiah 34:4-5). Scripture does not record the manner of his death or his burial.

Jeremiah (Jeremiah 37:17; Jeremiah 38:14–16; 2 Chronicles 36:12)

The prophet he sent to for a word from the LORD, shut up in the court of the guard, and had drawn out of the dungeon; he humbled not himself before him.

Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 24:17; 2 Chronicles 36:13; 2 Kings 25:6)

The king of Babylon who made him king, made him swear by God, and gave judgment upon him at Riblah.

Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:17; Jeremiah 37:1)

Zedekiah was Jehoiachin's father's brother, and reigned in his stead.

Jehoiakim (1 Chronicles 3:15; 2 Kings 24:19)

Named with him among the sons of Josiah; Zedekiah did evil according to all that Jehoiakim had done.

Josiah (1 Chronicles 3:15; Jeremiah 37:1)

His father: Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned as king.

Hamutal (2 Kings 24:18; Jeremiah 52:1)

His mother, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

The princes of Judah (Jeremiah 38:4–5)

They asked that Jeremiah be put to death, and the king said he could do nothing against them.

Ebed-melech the Ethiopian (Jeremiah 38:7–13)

A eunuch in the king's house who told the king what had been done to Jeremiah; the king commanded him to take thirty men and draw Jeremiah up.

Major sections

• 2 Kings 24:17–25:7
• 2 Chronicles 36:10–21
• Jeremiah 21:1–10
• Jeremiah 27:12–15
• Jeremiah 32:1–5
• Jeremiah 34:1–22
• Jeremiah 37:1–38:28
• Jeremiah 39:1–7
• Jeremiah 52:1–11

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