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Bible Dictionaries
Zedekiah (2)
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
or ZEDEKIAH , the last king of Judah before its fall at the hands of the Babylonians, is known to us not only from the historical books, but also from references in the Book of Jeremiah. He was the third son of Josiah to assume the royal title. Jehoahaz was deposed by the Pharaoh; Jehoiakim had a troubled reign of eleven years, and escaped the vengeance of Nebuchadrezzar by dying just before the Babylonian reached Jerusalem. The young Jehoiachin suffered for the sin of his father, being carried into captivity after three months of barren kingship. With him were carried away the chief men of Judah to the number of eight thousand, Nebuchadrezzar thinking thus to break the seditious temper of the people. Over the remnant left behind Zedekiah was made king. His earlier name, Mattaniah , was changed to Zedekiah (meaning ‘righteousness of Jahweh’), to indicate that the Babylonian monarch, in punishing the treachery of Jehoiakim, had the God of Judah on his side ( 2 Kings 24:17 ). We are told by Ezekiel ( Ezekiel 17:13; Ezekiel 17:19 ) that Zedekiah took an oath of allegiance to his suzerain. For Zarakes of 1Es 1:38 see Zarakes.
Nebuchadrezzar’s confidence that the people would be submissive after the severe lesson they had received was disappointed. The new men who came to the front were as headstrong as, and even more foolish than, their predecessors. They were blind to the ludicrous Insufficiency of their resources, and determined to play the game of politics against the great nations of the world. The court of Zedekiah was the centre of intrigues against the Babylonian power, and the plotters were fed with promises from Egypt. Zedekiah showed himself a weak man, unable to cope with the situation. In his fourth year ambassadors appeared at Jerusalem from the surrounding nations, to concert common measures against the oppressor. The majority of the prophets encouraged the movement; only Jeremiah saw the madness of the undertaking, and declared against it. His bold declaration of the truth brought upon him the enmity of the courtiers. Zedekiah seems to have been called to account by the great king, to whom he made some explanation which satisfied him, or at least lulled suspicion for a time. The movement itself came to nothing at this time. But in Zedekiah’s ninth year renewed promises from Egypt induced the Jerusalemites to revolt, and Zedekiah was too weak to restrain them. Nebuchadrezzar replied promptly by marching in person against the rebels. Jerusalem was a stronghold in which the people had confidence, and they seem also to have believed fanatically that Jahweh would intervene to protect His Temple. This faith was raised to a high pitch by the approach of an Egyptian army under Pharaoh-hophra; for Nebuchadrezzar was compelled to raise the siege to meet the new enemy. The expression of the people’s confidence that they had got from Jahweh all that they desired is seen in the indecent haste with which they reduced again to slavery the servants whom they had set free in order to obtain His favour (Jeremiah 34:8 ff.).
The joy was short-lived. The Egyptians were hardly a serious problem to Nebuchadrezzar, and soon left him free to resume the siege, which he did with energy. The strongly fortified city was defended by its inhabitants with the courage of despair, and held out a year and a half. During this time they suffered all the horrors of siege, famine, and pestilence. Jeremiah, who still predicted disaster, was arrested, and would have perished in his dungeon had it not been for the compassion of one of the king’s slaves (Jeremiah 38:1-28 ). Zedekiah, who believed in him, consulted him by stealth, but could not nerve himself to follow the advice he received. When at last the wall was breached, the king attempted to escape to the Jordan valley, hoping thus to gain the eastern desert. But he was overtaken and carried to Nebuchadrezzar. The victor, considering that forbearance had ceased to be a virtue, slew the captive king’s children before his eyes, then blinded the king himself and carried him away in chains to Babylon. The kingdom of Judah had come to an end ( 2 Kings 25:4 ff.).
H. P. Smith.
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Hastings, James. Entry for 'Zedekiah (2)'. Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hdb/z/zedekiah-2.html. 1909.
