Jehoiachin, King of Judah, also known as Jeconiah, Coniah, or Jechonias

Go to   People in the Bible   or   Women in the Bible

Jehoiachin, son of Jehoiakim and Nehushta, was also called Jeconiah, and Coniah, became king at age 18, but only reigned for three months. During his reign the armies, of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon besieged the city of Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar himself arrived during the siege, and king Jehoiachin, all of his officials, and the queen mother surrendered to him. The surrender was accepted, and Jehoiachin was imprisoned in Babylon during the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign (2 Kings 24:10-12).

Then the king of Babylon appointed Jehoiachin's uncle, Mattaniah, to be the next king, and changed his name to Zedekiah. While in exile throughout the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Jehoiachin remained in prison, but after Nebuchadnezzar's death, he was brought to the royal palace by the new King Evil-Merodach (2 Kings 25:27-30), and he was treated as a royal hostage receiving daily rations from the king at whose table he dined.

The story of Jehoiachin is found in 2 Kings 24:6-15. The name Jehoiachin means "God will establish."

Next person in the Bible: Jehoiada

Go to   People in the Bible   or   Women in the Bible