III. THE REIGN OF JEHOIACHIN
Second Kings 24:7-16 speaks of the reign of Jehoiachin.
A. Reigning for Three Months
Jehoiachin began to reign in Jerusalem at the age of eighteen and reigned for three months (v. 8).
B. Doing What Was Evil in the Sight of Jehovah
Jehoiachin did what was evil in the sight of Jehovah, according to all that his father had done (v. 9).
C. The King of Egypt
Not Coming out of His Land Again
The king of Egypt did not come out of his land again, for the king of Babylon had taken all that belonged to the king of Egypt up to the river Euphrates (v. 7).
D. Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon Coming
to Take Over Jerusalem
In the eighth year of Jehoiachin, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to take over Jerusalem, and Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his servants, his captains, and his eunuchs surrendered to him. The king of Babylon took all the treasures of the house of Jehovah and the treasures of the king’s house and cut in pieces all the golden vessels which Solomon had made in Jehovah’s temple. Nebuchadnezzar carried away into exile all the people of Jerusalem, all the captains, Jehoiachin the king with his mother, wives, eunuchs, and all the leading men of the land. In addition, he carried away all the seven thousand men of valor, the one thousand craftsmen and smiths, and all the mighty men fit for war (vv. 10-16).
Here we should note that in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin, Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year of his enthronement, released Jehoiachin from prison. He spoke kindly to Jehoiachin and set his throne above the throne of all the kings who were with him in Babylon. Jehoiachin changed his prison clothes and ate his food in the presence of the king of Babylon continually all the days of his life, with a particular portion of allowance for each day (25:27-30).
(Life-Study of 1 & 2 Kings, Chapter 22, by Witness Lee)
