Harmony of the Gospels

A Harmony of the Gospels (§ 3. Apparently Joseph’s Genealogies in Matthew and Mary’s in Luke)

11 and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Introduction)

Introduction

Jehoiachin’s reign is mentioned most notably in 2 Kgs 24–25 and 2 Chr 36. Second Chronicles 36:9 records that he reigned for three months and 10 days in Jerusalem. In that short time, he was able to do “evil in the eyes of Yahweh,” just as his father had done. Jeremiah’s words against him in Jer 22 give an indication of the destruction that would come upon him, even suggesting that he ought to be recorded as having no children because none of his children would ever sit on the throne of David (Jer 22:28–30).

The New Revised Standard Version (Judgment on Coniah (Jehoiachin))

28 Is this man Coniah a despised broken pot,

a vessel no one wants?

Why are he and his offspring hurled out

and cast away in a land that they do not know?

29 O land, land, land,

hear the word of the LORD!

30 Thus says the LORD:

Record this man as childless,

a man who shall not succeed in his days;

for none of his offspring shall succeed

in sitting on the throne of David,

and ruling again in Judah.

Biblical Relevance

At the beginning of Jehoiachin’s reign, the city of Jerusalem came under siege; it fell to Babylon in 597 BC. Upon Jehoiachin’s surrender, many from the upper classes and positions of influence were exiled to Babylon. Zedekiah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, was installed by the Babylonians as a vassal king in charge of the territory of Judah.

Jehoiachin was taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar in the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign (2 Kgs 24:12). His mother and his wives accompanied him into exile (2 Kgs 24:12, 15). There is no mention of children being exiled, seeming to confirm Jeremiah’s prediction (Jer 22:28–30). However, 1 Chr 3 and Matt 1 record that he had several sons: Shealtiel, Malkiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah.

The prophet Ezekiel began his ministry in the fifth year of Jehoiachin’s exile. The idea that Jehoiachin was considered the true king of Israel is supported by Ezekiel’s dating of events by number of years since the exile of Jehoiachin and not by the regnal years of Zedekiah (e.g., Ezek 1:2). In the 37th year of his exile (562 BC; Jehoiachin would have been around 63 years old), he was released from prison by Evil-merodach, king of Babylon (2 Kgs 25:27). Evil-merodach “spoke kindly” to Jehoiachin and “gave him a seat above the seats of the kings who were with him in Babylon” (2 Kgs 25:28 ESV). Jehoiachin ate his meals in the presence of the king for the rest of his life (2 Kgs 25:29) and was given an allowance (2 Kgs 25:30).

Jehoiachin is called “Jechoniah” in Jesus’ genealogy in Matt 1:11–12.

Textual Issue with Respect to Jehoiachin’s Age and Reign

Second Kings 24:8 specifies that Jehoiachin was 18 years old when he became king, and that he reigned for three months. However, the Masoretic Text of 2 Chr 36:9

indicates that he took the throne when he was just eight years old, and that he reigned for three months and 10 days. The text in Kings is most likely correct, as Jehoiachin had wives and sons when he went into exile. The Chronicles text is unusual in that it measures the length of his reign down to the days. The number 10 in the Chronicles text may be a scribal correction that was moved from his age to his reign.