Who
Son of Jehoiakim, also called Jehoiachin, who reigned three months before Nebuchadnezzar carried him to Babylon with the nobles and craftsmen (2 Kings 24:8–15). Jeremiah said that none of his offspring would prosper “sitting on David’s throne” (Jeremiah 22:30), and none did; Ambrose answers that Christ reigns, but not on that earthly throne (in the Catena Aurea on Matthew 1:12). After thirty-seven years Evil-merodach released him and gave him a place at the king’s table (2 Kings 25:27–30). Matthew counts him at the turn of the Exile (Matthew 1:11–12).
Key verses
- 2 Kings 24:8
Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother’s name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.
- 2 Kings 24:12
and Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon—he, his mother, his servants, his princes, and his officers; and the king of Babylon captured him in the eighth year of his reign.
- 2 Kings 25:27
In the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, Evilmerodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, released Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison,
- 1 Chronicles 3:16
The sons of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, and Zedekiah his son.
- 1 Chronicles 3:17
The sons of Jeconiah, the captive: Shealtiel his son,
- Jeremiah 22:30
The LORD says, “Record this man as childless, a man who will not prosper in his days; for no more will a man of his offspring prosper, sitting on David’s throne and ruling in Judah.”
- Matthew 1:11
Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.
- Matthew 1:12
After the exile to Babylon, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel. Shealtiel became the father of Zerubbabel.
Where the Bible names him
Named 21 times in 7 books.
- ✓ In the deuterocanon, which the verse index does not cover: found in the text and checked by hand.
Verse index: TIPNR, STEPBible.org (Tyndale House), CC BY 4.0.
Family
Notes
Three sets of fourteen
Matthew counts fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the Exile and fourteen from the Exile to the Christ (1:17); the last set names thirteen. Augustine counts Jechoniah in two sets, at the turn of the Exile, and reads the numbers as signs rather than a census.
Discussed by
Comments on the verses that name him (8 of 32).
- Jerome on Matthew 1:8–11Catena Aurea on Matthew
In the fourth book of Kings we read, that Ochozias was the son of Joram. On his death, Josabeth, sister of Ochozias and daughter of Joram, took Joash, her brother’s son, and preserved him from the slaughter of the…
- Hilary of Poitiers on Matthew 1:8–11Catena Aurea on Matthew
Thus the stain of the Gentile alliance being purged, the royal race is again taken up in the fourth following generation.
- Pseudo-Chrysostom on Matthew 1:8–11Catena Aurea on Matthew
What the Holy Spirit testified through the Prophet, saying, that He would cut off every male from the house of Ahab, and Jezebel, that Jehu the son of Nausi fulfilled, and received the promise that his children to…
- Augustine of Hippo on Matthew 1:8–11Catena Aurea on Matthew
Or, Ochozias, Joash, and Amasias, were excluded from the number, because their wickedness was continuous and without interval. For Solomon was suffered to hold the kingdom for his father’s deserts, Roboam for his…
- Glossa Ordinaria on Matthew 1:8–11Catena Aurea on Matthew
This Ezekias was he to whom, when he had no children, it was said, “Set thy house in order, for thou shalt die.” [Isa 38:1] He wept, not from desire of longer life, for he knew that Solomon had thereby pleased God,…
- Pseudo-Chrysostom on Matthew 1:8–11 (2)Catena Aurea on Matthew
But the order in the Book of Kings is different [2 Ki 23], thus namely; Josias begot Eliakim, afterwards called Joakim; Joakim begot Jechonias. But Joakim is not reckoned among the Kings in the genealogy, because…
- Jerome on Matthew 1:8–11 (2)Catena Aurea on Matthew
Otherwise, we may consider the first Jeconias to be the same as Joakim, and the second to be the son not the father, the one being spelt with k and m, the second by ch and n. This distinction has been confounded both…
- Ambrose of Milan on Matthew 1:8–11Catena Aurea on Matthew
That there were two kings of the name of Joakim, is clear from the Book of Kings. “And Joakim slept with his fathers, and Joachim his son reigned in his stead.” [2 Ki 24:6] This son is the same whom Jeremiah calls…