2 Kings 24 8

2 Kings 24:8 kjv

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 nkjv

Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother's name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.

2 Kings 24:8 niv

Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother's name was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan; she was from Jerusalem.

2 Kings 24:8 esv

Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.

2 Kings 24:8 nlt

Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan from Jerusalem.

2 Kings 24 verses

2 Kings 24 8 Meaning

2 Kings 24:8 marks the critical, tragic beginning of the final phase of Judah's independence before the full Babylonian exile. It introduces Jehoiachin, a Davidic king, whose exceedingly brief reign of three months symbolizes the severe and imminent judgment upon Judah for its long-standing covenant disloyalty. His youth and the specific mention of his mother highlight the vulnerability of the monarchy and the complete breakdown of the nation's divinely promised stability. This verse captures the moment of utter political collapse and the prophetic fulfillment of the end of independent Judahite kingship.

2 Kings 24 8 Context

The context of 2 Kings 24:8 is the very final period of the Kingdom of Judah. It immediately follows the tumultuous eleven-year reign of Jehoiakim, who had been set up as a puppet king by Pharaoh Neco (2 Kgs 23:34) and then later became a vassal of Nebuchadnezzar, only to rebel against Babylon (2 Kgs 24:1). Jehoiakim died unceremoniously, perhaps even buried outside Jerusalem as Jeremiah had prophesied (Jer 22:18-19, though 2 Kgs 24:6 says he "rested with his fathers"). Judah was a spent force, squeezed between the declining power of Egypt and the rising dominance of Babylon. Jehoiachin ascends the throne at a moment of profound national crisis, as Nebuchadnezzar's forces are already besieging or are about to besiege Jerusalem, as mentioned implicitly in 2 Kings 24:10, directly leading to his short reign and subsequent exile. This verse marks the effective end of the independent Davidic monarchy and signals the imminent, foretold destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.

2 Kings 24 8 Word analysis

• Jehoiachin (יְהוֹיָכִין - Yehoyakhin): The name means "Yahweh establishes" or "Yahweh appoints." This meaning creates profound irony given the brevity and tragic end of his reign, serving as a reminder that divine establishment of kingship was conditional upon obedience. He is also known as Jeconiah (יְכָנְיָה - Yekonyah) and Coniah (כָּנְיָהוּ - Konyahu) in other biblical texts, particularly Jeremiah, who curses him, adding to the layers of divine judgment on this specific king and the Davidic line.
• was eighteen years old (בֶּן־שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה): This indicates his relative youth, suggesting perhaps a lack of extensive experience in the high-stakes world of international diplomacy and warfare that characterized Judah's final years. It stands in contrast to 2 Chr 36:9 which states he was "eight years old." While there are various theories, the majority scholarly consensus and internal consistency (e.g., having wives and ruling) favors "eighteen" as the accurate age for assuming an active, responsible kingship, highlighting a mature age even if youthful.
• when he began to reign (בְמַלְכוֹ - bemaleko): "At his becoming king" or "at his ruling." This phrase simply denotes his assumption of the royal office.
• and he reigned (וַיִּמְלֹךְ - vayimlokh): This is a direct statement of his active, albeit short, rule.
• in Jerusalem (בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם): This emphasizes that his kingship, however brief, was over the traditional capital, the City of David and the site of the Temple, making his capture and exile even more poignant and symbolically devastating for the nation's spiritual and political identity.
• three months (שְׁלֹשָׁה חֳדָשִׁים - sheloshah chodeshim): The brevity of his reign is the most striking and significant detail. This incredibly short period immediately communicates divine disapproval and the instability of the kingdom. It is far too short to establish any policies, launch reforms, or mount significant resistance. It portrays Judah as completely incapacitated and under the absolute control of Babylon, highlighting the immediacy and completeness of the impending judgment.
• His mother's name was Nehushta (וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹ נְחוּשְׁתָּא): Standard for the Book of Kings to list the queen mother. Her name "Nehushta" (meaning "bronze" or "brazen") could imply steadfastness or resilience. Her identification "daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem" provides specific lineage and anchors her to the city's influential families, further emphasizing that even the capital's elite were subject to this sweeping judgment (as she, too, was exiled in 2 Kgs 24:15). Her prominent status as Queen Mother meant she held a significant influential position, even if her actions are not detailed here.

2 Kings 24 8 Bonus section

The brevity of Jehoiachin's reign, followed by his exile, served as a crucial dating point for the prophet Ezekiel, who lived among the exiles by the Kebar Canal (Ezek 1:2). This highlights how Jehoiachin's captivity was understood as the pivotal event marking the end of an era and the beginning of the exilic period for a significant portion of the Jewish population, including key figures of faith. The mention of his release from prison and improved status in Babylon decades later (2 Kgs 25:27-30) might signify God's continuing faithfulness to the Davidic line, however diminished, and hints at the eventual restoration of hope and future spiritual fulfillment in the ultimate Davidic King. This serves as an object lesson in God's paradoxical working through both judgment and ultimate preservation.

2 Kings 24 8 Commentary

2 Kings 24:8 succinctly captures a moment of profound national failure and divine judgment for Judah. Jehoiachin, a young king from the revered Davidic lineage, ascends the throne only for his reign to be cut to an unprecedented and symbolic three months. This brief period is a stark indicator of Judah's utterly precarious position, fully at the mercy of Babylonian power and serving as an emphatic fulfillment of the covenant curses pronounced in Deuteronomy and the relentless warnings of the prophets like Jeremiah. His brief reign in Jerusalem, the very heart of the Davidic covenant and the dwelling place of God, underscores that even divine promises could not negate the consequences of persistent national apostasy and rebellion. His rapid downfall and exile set the stage for the definitive destruction of Jerusalem and the beginning of a new phase for God's people: life in exile, confronting the meaning of their covenant and identity without their king or Temple.