2 Kings 24 18

2 Kings 24:18 kjv

Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

2 Kings 24:18 nkjv

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

2 Kings 24:18 niv

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother's name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah.

2 Kings 24:18 esv

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

2 Kings 24:18 nlt

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah from Libnah.

2 Kings 24 verses

2 Kings 24 18 Meaning

2 Kings 24:18 provides essential biographical details about Zedekiah, Judah's last king before the Babylonian exile. It states his age at ascension, the duration of his reign, and the identity of his mother and her father, rooted in a specific Judean town. These facts establish his royal lineage and set the chronological and historical stage for the final, tragic events leading to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian captivity.

2 Kings 24 18 Context

This verse introduces Zedekiah, Judah's final king. He was installed by Nebuchadnezzar after the brief reign of his nephew Jehoiachin, who had surrendered to Babylon and been deported (2 Ki 24:15-17). The narrative in 2 Kings, particularly chapters 24-25, builds toward the complete destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, fulfilling long-standing prophecies of judgment for Judah's persistent idolatry and covenant unfaithfulness. Zedekiah's reign represents the last chance for Judah to turn to God, a chance squandered, leading directly to the ultimate divine punishment through the Babylonian Empire.

2 Kings 24 18 Word analysis

• Zedekiah: In Hebrew, צִדְקִיָּהוּ (Tzidqiyyahu). His name means "My righteousness is Yah" or "Yahweh is righteousness." This name, given by Nebuchadnezzar (initially Mattaniah, see 2 Ki 24:17), stands in stark and tragic contrast to his reign. He proved himself unrighteous in God's eyes, disregarding prophetic warnings from Jeremiah and violating his oath of loyalty to Babylon.

• was twenty and one years old: This precise detail, common in the records of Israelite and Judahite kings, emphasizes his youth at accession.

• when he began to reign: Marks the beginning of his kingship. This appointment was directly by the Babylonian king, signaling Judah's vassal status and loss of sovereignty.

• and he reigned eleven years: This span of time is crucial. It details the length of his rule which concluded with the fall of Jerusalem, demonstrating the fulfillment of divine judgment. The shortness of his reign underscores the rapid decline and ultimate end of the Judahite monarchy.

• in Jerusalem: Confirms his seat of power in the capital, linking his rule directly to the fate of the holy city.

• And his mother's name was Hamutal: Identifying the queen mother was a consistent practice in the records of the kings of Judah. This lineage provided legitimacy and sometimes influence in the royal court. Hamutal was also the mother of Zedekiah's predecessor, Jehoahaz (2 Ki 23:31), meaning she was a queen mother to two different kings.

• the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah: This identifies his maternal grandfather and his hometown. This "Jeremiah" is not the prophet Jeremiah, but a common name. Libnah was a Levitical city (Josh 21:13) and had historically rebelled against Judah's king, Joram, in the past (2 Ki 8:22), indicating potential long-standing disaffection from royal power structures, though this is speculative regarding Zedekiah's character.

• "Zedekiah ... and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem": This phrase marks Zedekiah's entire reign, framing it as the concluding chapter of the Davidic dynasty in Judah before the exile. The focus on Jerusalem highlights the fate of the city and its Temple, central to God's covenant with Israel.

• "And his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah": The consistent pattern of recording the king's mother's name and paternal lineage of the mother speaks to the importance of documenting legitimacy and lineage for the Judean kings. It situates the king within a known social and geographical network.

2 Kings 24 18 Bonus section

The consistent inclusion of the mother's name for Judahite kings (unlike for Israelite kings, where it is often omitted) might reflect the importance of the Queen Mother position in the Judean court or a unique aspect of Judahite dynastic succession records. The emphasis on recording the mother's father and his hometown, Libnah, further grounds the king's lineage within the social fabric of the time. This detail provides a vital link for distinguishing Zedekiah's mother, Hamutal, from other queens, and for distinguishing her father, Jeremiah, from the famed prophet. The detail regarding Libnah is significant because this city had revolted against Judah earlier in its history, subtly foreshadowing the period of intense instability that culminates in Jerusalem's fall during Zedekiah's time.

2 Kings 24 18 Commentary

2 Kings 24:18 provides the concise royal obituary data for Zedekiah, presenting the final Davidic king as introduced by standard formulaic phrases before the narrative of Judah's ultimate collapse unfolds. His given name, Zedekiah, meaning "Yahweh is my righteousness," becomes intensely ironic when viewed against his later actions of unfaithfulness and rebellion against both Babylon and, more importantly, against God's word through the prophet Jeremiah (2 Ki 24:19). His eleven-year reign marked the final descent into divine judgment, leading to the fulfillment of prophecies concerning Jerusalem's destruction and the subsequent exile. This verse is the threshold to the most catastrophic event in Judah's history since the Exodus, marking the end of its independent monarchy and illustrating God's just consequences for persistent disobedience to His covenant.