Bible Commentaries
2 Kings 24

Verses 1-20

2 Kings 24:2 Comments - This era in history was a period of international turmoil, with Babylon and Egypt and Assyria struggling for world power. As a result, many regions of the Near East became unstable because of a loss of control in these areas. This produced roving bands of rebels that found opportunities to exploit its weaker neighbours and bring tremendous fear upon the land. God used these disorganized bands of men to punish His people Israel.

2 Kings 24:8-17 The Reign of Jehoiachin Over Judah (598-597 B.C.) 2 Kings 24:8-17 records the account of the reign of Jehoiachin over Judah.

2 Kings 24:8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother's name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.

2 Kings 24:8 “Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign” Word Study on “Jehoiachin” The name “Jehoiachin” is also contracted to Jeconiah (1 Chronicles 3:16) and Coniah (Jeremiah 22:24).

1 Chronicles 3:16, “And the sons of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son.”

Jeremiah 22:24, “As I live, saith the LORD, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence;”

Comments - We are told in 2 Chronicles 36:9 that Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, while 2 Kings 24:8 says he was eighteen at this time.

2 Chronicles 36:9, “Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.”

Note the Hebrew ( בֶּן־שְׁמֹנֶ֨ה עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה שָׁנָה֙ ) son of eighteen years.

Note the Hebrew ( בֶּן־שְׁמוֹנֶ֤ה שָׁנִים֙ ) son of eight years.

There are several ideas that scholars use to justify this difference in age.

1. Jehoiachin Co-Reigned with His Father - It is possible that Jehoiachin began to co-reign with his father at the tender age of eight, and that he took full leadership at the age of eighteen. However, this is only speculation.

2. Jehoiachin’s Reign Began in the Eighth Year of Babylonian Captivity John Gill refers to John Lightfoot, who suggests that he was eighteen years old when he began to reign, which was the eighth year of the Babylonian captivity based on 2 Kings 24:12. [73] However, this is also speculation.

[73] John Gill, 2 Kings, in John Gill’s Expositor, in e-Sword, v. 7.7.7 [CD-ROM] (Franklin, Tennessee: e-Sword, 2000-2005), comments on 2 Kings 24:8.

2 Kings 24:12, “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 .”

3. A Copyist Error - Many scholars believe that this is a copyist error, this idea being supported by the fact that the ancient Syriac and Arabic versions correct both texts to read “eighteen.”

It is not probable that Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign. This is because an eight-year old child would not be considered as doing “that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.” (2 Kings 24:9), and also because he would not have had wives at this early age, as the Scriptures declare in 2 Kings 24:15.

2 Kings 24:15, “And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives , and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.”

2 Kings 24:8 “and he reigned in Jerusalem three months” Comments - We see in 2 Chronicles 36:9 that he reigned in Jerusalem three months and ten days.

2 Chronicles 36:9, “Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem : and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.”

Scholars believe that the author of 2 Kings was simply rounding off this figure.

Verse 18

Comparison of the Text of Kings and Jeremiah - This last section in 2 Kings 24:18 to 2 Kings 25:30 is practically identical to Jeremiah 52:1-34. This account in 2 Kings is almost a word for word copy of the last chapter of Jeremiah.

2 Kings 24:18 to 2 Kings 25:21 The Reign of Zedekiah Over Judah (597-586 B. C.) 2 Kings 24:18 to 2 Kings 25:21 records the account of the reign of Zedekiah over Judah.