2 Chronicles 36:9

2Ch 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.

Ver. 9. Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign,] i.e., When his father Jehoiakim began to reign, for when himself began, he was eighteen. {2Ki 24:8} For another solution {See Trapp on "2Ki 24:8"} The like relative sense may that speech admit. {2Ki 16:2}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ch 36:9. Jehoiachin was eight years old — See the note on 2Ki 24:8, in which it is said that he was eighteen years old when he began to reign, which is probably the right reading.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

36:9-10 The Chronicler limits his record of Jehoiachin’s short reign to his exile and payment of tribute from the Temple instruments. The capture of Jehoiachin is described in the Babylonian Chronicle: “In the seventh year (of Nebuchadnezzar), the month of Kislev, the king of Akkad mustered his troops, marched to [the land west of the Jordan], and encamped against the city of Judah, and on the second day of the month of Adar he seized the city and captured the king.” Jehoiachin was thus taken captive on March 16, 597 BC. He was taken to Babylon about a month later. • Jehoiachin remained a captive in Babylon for thirty-seven years (see 2 Kgs 25:27; Jer 52:31).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

That is, he began his reign at eight years old, and reigned ten years when his father was alive, and after his father’s death, which was the eighteenth year of his age, he reigned alone three months and ten days.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Jehoiachin was eight years old--called also Jeconiah or Coniah (Jer 22:24) --"eight" should have been "eighteen," as appears from Kg2 24:8, and also from the full development of his ungodly principles and habits (see Eze 19:5-7). His reign being of so short duration cannot be considered at variance with the prophetic denunciation against his father (Jer 36:30). But his appointment by the people gave umbrage to Nebuchadnezzar, who, "when the year was expired" (Ch2 36:10) --that is, in the spring when campaigns usually began--came in person against Jerusalem, captured the city, and sent Jehoiachin in chains to Babylon, removing at the same time all the nobles and most skilful artisans, and pillaging all the remaining treasures both of the temple and palace (see on Kg2 24:8-17).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 9. Jehoiachin was eight] See on 2Kg 24:6-15.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(9) Jehoiachin was eight years old.—2Ki_24:8 has correctly “eighteen;” and so some MSS., LXX. (Alex.), Syriac, Arabic. What the prophet Ezekiel says of him could not apply to a boy of eight. (The difference turns on the omission of the smallest Hebrew letter, namely, yod, which as a numeral represents ten.)

Three months and ten days.—Kings, “three months;” Syriac and Arabic here have “one hundred days,” i.e., three months and ten days. Thenius thinks the ten days were added, in order that the catastrophe of Jehoiachin’s reign might fall on a tenth day of the month, like the investment of Jerusalem and the fall of the city under Zedekiah (2Ch_25:1; 2Ch_25:8).

He did that which was evil.—2Ki_24:9. (See also the above-cited passages of Jeremiah and Ezekiel.) According to the latter prophet, Jehoiachin “devoured men, and forced widows, and wasted cities.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9. Jehoiachin] Called “Jeconiah,” 1Ch_3:16, where see note.

eight years] So LXX. (B) of Chron. and of Esd., but the number is probably corrupt for eighteen (so LXX. (A) of Chron. and of Esd. and Heb. and LXX. of 2Ki_24:8). It is possible that the clause “and ten days” below is a misplaced fragment of an original reading ben shĕmôneh esreh shanah, i.e. “eighteen years old.”

in Jerusalem] The Chronicler here omits the king’s mother’s name (cp. 2Ch_36:2, note), though she was a person of some influence; cp. 2Ki_24:12; Jer_22:24-26; and perhaps ibid. Jer_13:18 (R.V.).

he did that which was evil] Cp. Jer_22:14; Eze_19:5-9.

9, 10 (= 1Es_1:43-45; cp. 2Ki_24:8-17). The Reign of Jehoiachin

The account given in 2 Kin. contains much that is not given in Chron. and, in particular, many details of the first captivity of Judah.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Eight years old - Rather, eighteen (see the marginal reference). Jehoiachin had several wives and (apparently) at least one child Jer 22:28, when, three months later, he was carried captive to Babylon.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Eight years old. He was associated by his father to the kingdom, when he was but eight years old; but after his father’s death, when he reigned alone, he was eighteen years old, 4 K. xxiv. 8. Ch. --- He only enjoyed the throne three months and ten days. T. --- We must however observe, (H.) that the Alexandrian Sept., the Syriac, and Arabic read here, eighteen. C. --- "It is, in my opinion, a pity that the translators have not mended such apparent errata of the scribe of the present Hebrew out of 2 K. xxiv. 8., or out of Sept., or out of common sense." Wall) Kennicott --- These eight years may be dated from the captivity, and not from the king’s birth. Usher) D.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Jehoiachin was eight years old; of which See Poole "2Ki 24:8", where he is said to be eighteen years old.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Eight years old. Our text, not the writer, is in error, and the parallel furnishes the correction, eighteen years old.

Vers. 9, 10.

Jehoiachin the worthless.

I HIS CORONATION.

1. His title to the throne, He was Jehoiakim"s son, his mother having been Nehushta, "The Brazen," the daughter of El-nathan of Jerusalem (ver. 8; (2Ki_24:6, 2Ki_24:8) one of the princes attached to Jehoiakim"s court. (Jer_26:22 Jer_36:12, Jer_36:25)

2. His regal designation. Jehoiachin, "Jehovah has established," perhaps expressive of the hopes with which he assumed the sceptre. His personal name appears to have been "Couiah", (Jer_22:24, Jer_22:28) or Jeconiah, (1Ch_3:16) also signifying "Jehovah establishes.

1. His age at accession. Eight years (ver. 9), obviously a mistake for eighteen, (2Ki_24:8) since he had wives, (2Ki_24:15) and in Jeremiah is represented as a man, while, if Ezekiel (19:5-9) refers to him rather than Jehoiakim, the language in ver. 7 is hardly suitable as applied to an infant or child of eight.

2. His continuance upon the throne. Three months and ten days ten days longer than his uncle Jehoahaz (ver. 2), and "just as long as Napoleon"s after his landing in March, 1815" (Cheyne). Another illustration of short-lived glory. Vanitas vanitatura!

II HIS CHARACTER.

1. As a man. He was obviously no better than his father, in whose footsteps he walked. His father"s wickedness allured more than his father"s evil fortunes repelled him. Jehovah"s withering scorn of Coniah as "a despised and broken pot," "a vessel wherein is no pleasure", (Jer_22:28; cf. Jer_48:38) significantly intimates the esteem in which he was held by him who tries the hearts and reins alike of kings and common men; while

2. the relentless doom pronounced upon "this man" and "his seed" was a clear certification that the stock from which he sprang was incurably diseased, that the taint of vileness in the family was ineradicable, that he and his descendants were only fit to be cast out and trodden in the mire (Mat_5:13; Luk_14:34)

3. As a king. "He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord" (ver. 9), He had no power, even had he possessed the inclination, to arrest the downward progress of his nation. By personal preference as well as by official position he was bound neck and heels to the heathen party to which his mother Nehushta belonged, and which sought neither the prosperity nor the safety of their land and kingdom in maintaining the pure worship of Jehovah, but in serving Canaanitish, Phoenician, Egyptian, Assyrian, or Babylonian idols, whichever should at any time be thought most likely to serve their turn.

III HIS CAPTIVITY.

1. The reason. Not stated by either the Chronicler or the author of Kings, this may have been suspicion of Jehoiachin"s fidelity (Rawlinson,. Kings of Israel and Judah," p. 231), or knowledge of Egyptian troops advancing to the aid of Jerusalem (Cheyne, "Jeremiah: his Life and Times," p. 162).

2. The time. At the return of the year (ver. 10), i.e. in springtime, when kings were accustomed to go forth to battle. (2Sa_11:1) The year was the eighth of Nebuchadnezzar"s reign, (2Ki_24:12) or B.C. 597.

3. The manner. (2Ki_24:10-15)

(1) Nebuchadnezzar despatched his generals to besiege Jerusalem.

(2) Afterwards Nebuchadnezzar himself appeared in front of the city.

(3) Jehoiachin, accompanied by his mother, his wives, his servants, his princes, his officers, went out to make submission and surrender the city to Nebuchadnezzar, in the hope doubtless of being permitted, like Jehoiakim, to retain his kingdom as a vassal of Babylon. This, however, was not accorded him.

(4) Nebuchadnezzar made him prisoner and carried him off to Babylon, as Jeremiah (Jer_22:25) had some time before predicted he would do.

(5) In addition, Nebuchadnezzar carried off his mother, his wives, his officers, the chief men of the land, amongst whom was Ezekiel, (Eze_1:1, Eze_1:2) even ten thousand captives, with seven thousand men of might, and a thousand craftsmen and smiths sad mitigation of his lot indeed, but one for which Jehoahaz might have envied him. All that was best and worthiest in the old capital city went with Jehoiachin to Babylon" (Cheyne, "Jeremiah," etc., p. 162).

(6) Only the poorest sort of people were left in the land, with the king"s uncle Mattanias, or Zedekiah, as king.

(7) The temple and palace were on this occasion completely plundered. "The goodly vessels of the house of the Lord" (ver. 10), i.e. the larger articles the smaller ones having been previously taken (ver. 7) were transported to Babylon.

4. The duration. Thirty-seven years. Then, on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month of the year, Evil-Merodach (in the inscriptions Avil-Marduk, signifying "Man of Marduk" or "Merodach"), on coming to the throne after Nebuchadnezzar"s death, lifted up his head out of prison. (2Ki_25:27-30)

Learn:

1. The incurable character of sin, at least by any merely human means.

2. The swiftness in some cases of Divine retribution.

3. The misery entailed by sin upon evil-doers and all connected with them.

4. The evil done to religion by the wickedness of those who profess and should adorn it. W.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The reign of Jehoiachin. Cf. Kg2 24:8-17. - Jehoiachin's age at his accession is here given as eight years, while in Kg2 24:8 it is eighteen. It is so also in the lxx and Vulg.; but a few Hebr. codd., Syr., and Arab., and many manuscripts of the lxx, have eighteen years in the Chronicle also. The number eight is clearly an orthographical error, as Thenius also acknowledges. Bertheau, on the contrary, regards the eight of our text as the original, and the number eighteen in 2 Kings as an alteration occasioned by the idea that eighteen years appeared a more fitting age for a king than eight years, and gives as his reason, "that the king's mother is named along with him, and manifestly with design, Kg2 24:12, Kg2 24:15, and Jer 22:26, whence we must conclude that she had the guardianship of the young king." A perfectly worthless reason. In the books of Kings the name of the mother is given in the case of all the kings after their accession has been mentioned, without any reference to the age of the kings, because the queen-mother occupied a conspicuous position in the kingdom. It is so in the case of Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin, Kg2 23:36 and Kg2 24:8. On account of her high position, the queen-mother is mentioned in Kg2 24:12 and Kg2 24:15, and in Jeremiah, among those who submitted to Nebuchadnezzar and were carried away to Babylon. The correctness of the number eighteen is, however, placed beyond doubt by Eze 19:5-9, where the prophet portrays Jehoiachin as a young lion, which devoured men, and knew widows, and wasted cities. The knowing of widows cannot apply to a boy of eight, but might well be said of a young man of eighteen. Jehoiachin ruled only three months and ten days in Jerusalem, and did evil in the eyes of Jahve. At the turn of the year, i.e., in spring, when campaigns were usually opened (cf. Kg1 20:22; Sa2 11:1), Nebuchadnezzar sent his generals (Kg2 24:10), and brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of Jahve, and made his (father's) brother Zedekiah king in Judah. In these few words the end of Jehoiachin's short reign is recorded. From Kg2 24:10-16 we learn more as to this second campaign of Nebuchadnezzar against Jerusalem, and its issues for Judah; see the commentary on that passage. Zidkiyah (Zedekiah) was, according to Kg2 24:17, not a brother, but דּוד, uncle or father's brother, of Jehoiachin, and was called Mattaniah, a son of Josiah and Hamutal, like Jehoahaz (Kg2 24:18, cf. Kg2 23:31), and is consequently his full brother, and a step-brother of Jehoiakim. At his appointment to the kingdom by Nebuchadnezzar he received the name Zidkiyah (Zedekiah). אהיו, in Ch2 36:10, is accordingly to be taken in its wider signification of blood-relation.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

eight years old ... three months and ten days

"8 years old ... 3 months and 10 days" (See: Numbers)

what was evil in the sight of Yahweh

Here "sight" here represents judgment. Yahweh saw and did not approve of Jehoiachin's actions. AT: "what Yahweh judged to be evil" or "what Yahweh considered to be evil" (See: Metaphor)

brought him to Babylon

"brought Jehoiachin to Babylon"

the house of Yahweh

Here "house" represents the temple. AT: "the temple of Yahweh" (See: Metonymy)

his relative

"Jehoiachin's relative"

translationWords

reign

Zedekiah

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.