Jehoiakim

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King Jehoiakim ("he whom the LORD has set up", Hebrew language: יהוֹיָקִים) is a biblical character, whose original name was Eliakim. His name is also sometimes spelled Jehoikim. He was the son of Josiah by Zebidah the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah, and king of Judah. He was also the husband of Nehushta and the father of King Jehoiachin. Both William F. Albright and E. R. Thiele agree on dating his reign to 609 BC-598 BC. He is known for burning the manuscript of one of the prophecies of Jeremiah.

[edit] Rise and reign

On the death of his father his younger half-brother Jehoahaz, who favored the Chaldeans against the Egyptians, was made king by the people; but the king of Egypt, Necho II, invaded the land and replaced Jehoahaz (2 Kings 23:33, 34; Jeremiah 22:10-12) with Eliakim, who changed his name to Jehoiakim. After this the king of Egypt took no part in Jewish politics, having been defeated by the Chaldeans in the Battle of Carchemish (2 Kings 24:7; Jer. 46:2). Judah was now invaded and conquered by Nebuchadnezzar, and Jehoiakim was taken prisoner and carried captive to Babylon (2 Chronicles 36:6, 7). It was at this time that Daniel with his three companions were taken captive to Babylon (Daniel 1:1, 2).

Nebuchadnezzar reinstated Jehoiakim on his throne, but treated him as a vassal king. In the year after this, Jeremiah caused his prophecies to be read by Baruch in the court of the Temple. Jehoiakim, hearing of this, had them also read in the royal palace before himself. The words displeased him, and taking the roll from the hands of Baruch he cut it in pieces and threw it into the fire (Jer. 36:23). During his disastrous reign there was a return to the old idolatry and corruption of the days of Manasseh. After three years of subjection to Babylon, Jehoiakim withheld his tribute and revolted (2 Kings 24:1), hoping to make himself independent. Nebuchadnezzar sent bands of Chaldeans, Arameans, Moabites, and Ammonites (2 Kings 24:2) to chastise his rebellious vassal, who pillaged the whole country (compare Jer. 49:1-6).

Jehoiakim came to a violent death, and his body was thrown over the wall of Jerusalem, to convince the besieging army that he was dead. After having been dragged away, his corpse was buried beyond the gates of Jerusalem "with the burial of an ass" (Jer. 22:18, 19; 36:30). Nebuchadnezzar placed Jehoiakim's son Jehoiachin on the throne, wishing still to retain the kingdom of Judah as tributary to him.