Zedekiah, original name Mattaniah, (flourished 6th century bc), king of Judah (597–587/586 bc) whose reign ended in the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and the deportation of most of the Jews to Babylon. Back then, God put kings in charge to lead the people. While none of his sons survived Jerusalem's fall, Zedekiah was survived by at least two daughters. Zedekiah, a false prophet under King Ahab. See more. The examples and perspective in this article, Leslie McFall, "A Translation Guide to the Chronological Data in Kings and Chronicles,", Learn how and when to remove this template message, The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings, List of Jewish leaders in the Land of Israel, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zedekiah&oldid=1005123702, Articles needing more viewpoints from February 2020, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2020, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 6 February 2021, at 02:30. Zedekiah was known to have been preaching as early as 1809 when he wrote to his brother-in-law. In fact, there are *eight* different Jeremiah's mentioned in the Bible. In the ninth year of Zedekiah’s rule a Babylonian army laid siege to Jerusalem after he had conspired to revolt against the Babylonians with Egypt’s help. Jehoiachin’s father, Jehoiakim (formerly named Eliakim), was a son of the good king Josiah. It was during his reign as king that the Babylonians finally took over Jerusalem and destroyed it. Jeconiah was the son of Jehoiakim and Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. (38:6). Zedekiah. 17. Who did the actual burning of the temple? “Mattaniah … Zedekiah”: Mattaniah was a son of Josiah and an uncle of Jehoiachin (1 Chron. They attacked and overthrew the city of Tirzah where … This son of Hananiah was a prince of Judah in the days of Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 36:12). By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. What form of execution did the officials use to punish Jeremiah? In 597 bc the Babylonians under King Nebuchadrezzar besieged and captured Jerusalem. Jeremiah 29:21-22. Jerusalem fell within three months. (Jeremiah 44:1). Solomon's Temple was destroyed. The Babylonian Chronicles give 2 Adar (16 March), 597 BC, as the date that Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem, thus putting an end to the reign of Jehoaichin. All his army was scattered from him. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. He was an idolatrous ruler that led the people astray. Jeremiah in the Cistern (Chapter 38) What accusations were brought against Jeremiah in 38:4? He is a son of Chenaanah. Well, like many kings before him, King Zedekiah didn’t listen to God. Zedekiah was the last king of Judah, who ruled for 11 years in Jerusalem.His mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. In 598 BC, Jehoiakim died during the siege and was succeeded by his son Jeconiah (also known as Jehoiachin). 1 Powerless and without resources — everything of value, and every educated or capable person, having been taken to Babylon — and facing the world-class Babylonian political and military engine, Zedekiah nonetheless prepared his puny rebellion. Updates? But Jehoiakim rebelled against God and Nebuchadnezzar. Josiah's younger son Jehoahaz was chosen to succeed his father to the throne. Jehoiachin was 8 years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem 3 months and 10 days. Mattaniah was the son of Josiah and the uncle of Jehoiachin, the reigning king of Judah. Hezekiah reigned at a time when the Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. After the death of King Josiah, his son Jehoahaz ruled for 3 months and “did evil in the sight of the Lord.” At the time, Egypt had control over the land and Pharaoh Necho exiled Jehoazhaz to Egypt (2 Kings 23:31–33) and appointed his brother Jehoiakim as king instead, and he ruled for 11 years. It had the name of Gemaryahu, son of Shafan, who is also mentioned in the Book of Jeremiah, and who was a top official in the court of King Zedekiah's predecessor, King Yehoyachim. Jehoshaphat began to reign in place of him and to "make his position strong over Israel".This is possible evidence that he did not get 935 due to a dispute. "Then the word of the LORD came to me: 'You must not marry and have sons or daughters in this place.' Jehoahaz son of Josiah was 23 years oldwhen he became king, and he reigned 3 months in Jerusalem. How did Zedekiah try to escape? Zedekiah was known to have been preaching as early as 1809 when he wrote to his brother-in-law. Who brought them up? Zedekiah had been installed as king of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar II, king of Babylon, after a siege of Jerusalem in 597 BC, to succeed his nephew, Jehoiachin, who was overthrown as king after a reign of only three months and ten days. 2 Kings 24:17 "And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father's brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah." His original name was Mattanyahu (Hebrew: מַתַּנְיָהוּ‎, Mattanyāhû, "Gift of God"; Greek: Μαθθανιας; Latin: Matthanias; traditional English: Mattaniah), but when Nebuchadnezzar II placed him on the throne as the successor to Jehoiachin, he changed his name to Zedekiah (2 Kings 24:17). "Then the word of the LORD came to me: 'You must not marry and have sons or daughters in this place.' He was totally apostate. 2 Kings 24, 25; Jeremiah 52:1–11. We only know he had at least one son. Three months later the Egyptian pharaoh Necho, returning from the north, deposed Jehoahaz in favor of his older brother, Jehoiakim. Zedekiah’s situation quickly went from bad to worse. Zedekiah 's Rebellion. He encamped against the city of Judah and on the second day of the month Adar he captured the city (and) seized (its) king. And upon his death, his son Jehoiachin succeede… King Zedekiah started life out as (according to the Biblical story) as Mattaniah, which means "gift from God". What does this response tell you about Zedekiah as a leader? [citation needed] This reckoning makes year 598/597 BC, the year Zedekiah was installed by Nebuchadnezzar according to Judah's Tishri-based calendar, to be year "one," so that the fall of Jerusalem in his eleventh year would have been in year 588/587 BC, i.e. Zedekiah and his followers attempted to escape, making their way out of the city, but were captured on the plains of Jericho, and were taken to Riblah. Omissions? What does this response tell you about Zedekiah as a leader? 7 And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon. Not only were his sons killed “before his eyes” (Jeremiah 52:10), but Nebuchadnezzar “put out the eyes of Zedekiah” and “bound him in bronze fetters, took him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death” (Jeremiah 52:11). Zedekiah 's Rebellion. King Zedekiah was the last King of the Southern Kingdom. Zedekiah definition, the last king of Judah. Zedekiah, a priest In the sixth month of the siege a breach was made in the city walls. Zedekiah has the tragic biography of a King who led his … 6:10; 8:21), and there is a possible reference to him in the Old Testament in the existence of one "Malkiyahu son of the king" (Jer. 38:6). The other three wives figure prominently in the story of King David. Zedekiah was the last king of Judah, who ruled for 11 years in Jerusalem.His mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 7 And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon. After witnessing the death of his sons, Zedekiah was blinded, bound with copper fetters, and taken to Babylon, where he died in the house of custody. Zedekiah… [5] In 599 BC, Nebuchadnezzar II invaded Judah and again laid siege to Jerusalem. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). During the siege the prophet Jeremiah (q.v.) The walls and houses of Jerusalem were destroyed, its temple was sacked and burned, and the people of Judah, except for the poorest of the land, were deported to Babylon. Zedekiah has the tragic biography of a King who led his … This Zedekiah, who was the son of Chenaanah, made himself horns of iron and said, "The Lord says, 'With these you shall gore Aram until you have destroyed them.'" Jeremiah 41:10. The sons of Josiah: Johanan the firstborn, Jehoiakim the second son, Zedekiah the third, Shallum the fourth. What happened to the walls of Jerusalem? The other three wives figure prominently in the story of King David. This son of Hananiah was a prince of Judah in the days of Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 36:12). 18. King Zedekiah was the last King of the Southern Kingdom. [A]s the Book of Mormon reveals, Zedekiah had a son named Mulek, who survived the destruction of Jerusalem and his father's death (Omni 1:15-16; Mosiah 25:2; Hel. Zedekiah thus held his throne as a vassal under an oath of allegiance to Nebuchadrezzar, but under local pressure he began to intrigue against the latter in concert with the neighbouring states of Moab, Edom, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon. Search. The Jeremiah who is related to King Zedekiah is from the town of Libnah, whereas the Jeremiah the Prophet is from the town of Anathoth. "Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.He did evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the LORD. The kingdom was at that time tributary to Nebuchadnezzar II. He was a false prophet in the days of Ahab (1 Kings 22:11, 24; 2 Chronicles 18:10, 23). The Book of Mormon teaches that when Jerusalem was destroyed by Babylon during the reign of Zedekiah all of the sons of Zedekiah were killed, except one son named Mulek. Zedekiah and his staff responded by jailing Jeremiah for his supposedly treasonous words. 38:6). The prophet Jeremiah was his counselor, yet he did not heed the prophet and his epitaph is "he did evil in the sight of the Lord" (2 Kings 24:19–20; Jeremiah 52:2–3). Zedekiah was twenty one years old when he ascended the shaky throne of Judah, in the year 3327.He was put on the throne by the grace of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, whose power extended over Judah and all neighboring countries after his victory over Pharaoh Necho of Egypt, at Carchemish.Zedekiah, whose name was Mattaniah before Nebuchadnezzar had changed it, succeeded his … He did evil in the sight of God. How did Zedekiah respond? Answer: You missed a vital fact. Zedekiah was the third son of Josiah, and his mother was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah, thus he was the brother of Jehoahaz (2 Kings 23:31, 24:17–18, 23:31, 24:17–18). [10] Zedekiah's installation as king by Nebuchadnezzar can therefore be firmly dated to the early spring of 597 BC. The problem has been to determine the year. Nebuchadnezzar began a siege of Jerusalem in December 589 BC. What did Nebuchadnezzar do to Zedekiah? YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE... 83 terms. A king of his own choice he appointed in the city (and) taking the vast tribute he brought it into Babylon."[8]. Prince Zedekiah. Zedekiah was twenty-one when he ascended the toppling throne of Judea.The admonitions of Jeremiah and the other Divine prophets went unheeded. On hearing this news, all the Jews that were in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and in other countries returned to Judah (Jeremiah 40:11–12). Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. He reigned eleven years, but it was an evil reign (596-586 BC). According to the Hebrew Bible, Zedekiah was made king of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar II in 597 BC at the age of twenty-one. I have no doubt that Zedekiah did likewise. And, God used prophets to tell the people, and the kings, what he wanted them to do. Omni 1:15, Helaman 8:21. Another seal found among dozens of others bears the name of Azaryahu Ben-Hilkiyahu, a member of a priestly family, who served in the Temple before Jerusalem's destruction (according to I Chronicles, … He and his leaders were taken before King Nebuchadrezzar at Riblah, in Syria, where Zedekiah’s sons were slain in his presence and he, a disloyal vassal, was blinded and carried in chains to Babylon, where he was imprisoned until his death. 12 Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month , which was the nineteenth year of Nebuchadrezza r king of Babylon, came Nebuzar-adan, captain of the guard, which served the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem, Since the denomination was known for its circuit riding preachers it can be assumed that he traveled to preach the gospel. He did evil in the sight of God. How did Zedekiah respond to his officials? Jehoahaz was taken back to Egypt as a captive. I have no doubt that Zedekiah did likewise. Zedekiah (11 yrs) *** Zimri killed King Elah, and became king (1 Kin 16:8-10). About. When the army of Israel found out what Zimri had done, they (“all Israel”) made Omri, commander of the army, the new king (1 Kin 16:16). [3], After the Egyptians were defeated by the Babylonians at the Battle of Carchemish in 605 BC, Nebuchadnezzar II then besieged Jerusalem. Despite the strong remonstrances of Jeremiah, Baruch ben Neriah and his other family and advisors, as well as the example of Jehoiakim, he revolted against Babylon, and entered into an alliance with Pharaoh Hophra of Egypt. His original name was Mattaniah; but when Nebuchadnezzar placed him on the throne as the successor to Jehoiachin he changed his name to Zedekiah. Zedekiah, a priest A Cave of Many Names . [6][7], According to the Hebrew Bible, Zedekiah was made king of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar II in 597 BC at the age of twenty-one. King David had many wives, according to the Bible, although only eight of them are named. Jehoahaz, son of Josiah, ruled for 3 months and “did evil in the sight of the Lord,” and Pharaoh Necho took him to Egypt in exile (2 Kings 23:31–33). At the end of Zedekiah's eleven-year reign, Nebuchadnezzar succeeded in capturing Jerusalem. This year marks the end of Zedekiah’s reign. He was eighteen years old when he began to rule and did evil in the eyes of the Lord (2 Chronicles 36:9; 2 Kings 24:8–9). Zedekiah, a false prophet in Jeremiah’s time. Not only were his sons killed “before his eyes” (Jeremiah 52:10), but Nebuchadnezzar “put out the eyes of Zedekiah” and “bound him in bronze fetters, took him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death” (Jeremiah 52:11). Related Verses. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. According to the Book of Mormon, a religious text in the Latter Day Saint Movement, Zedekiah had a son named Mulek, who escaped death and traveled across the ocean to the Americas, where he founded a nation, the Mulekites, which later merged with another Israelite splinter group, the Nephites, to form one nation who retained the name Nephites.[12][13]. Since Judean regnal years were measured from Tishri in the fall, this would place the end of his reign and the capture of the city in the summer of 586 BC. What happened to his sons? ZEDEKIAH – The King With Neck Problems 2 Chronicles 36:10-13. . 6:10; 8:21), and there is a possible reference to him in the Old Testament in the existence of one "Malkiyahu son of the king" (Jer. 6 So they took the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and they pronounced judgment on him. Zedekiah… Historically there has been considerable controversy over the date when Jerusalem was captured the second time and Zedekiah's reign came to an end. During this siege, which lasted about thirty months,[9] "every worst woe befell the city, which drank the cup of God's fury to the dregs" (2 Kings 25:3; Lamentations 4:4, 5, 9). Then, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded Israel and appointed Jehoiakim as a vassal king to Babylon. It had the name of Gemaryahu, son of Shafan, who is also mentioned in the Book of Jeremiah, and who was a top official in the court of King Zedekiah's predecessor, King Yehoyachim. He was the third son of Josiah, and his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah, and hence he was the brother of Jehoahaz ( 2 Kings 23:31; 2 Kings 24:17 2 Kings 24:18).His original name was Mattaniah; but when Nebuchadnezzar placed him on the throne as the successor to Jehoiachin he changed his name to Zedekiah. Answer: You missed a vital fact. Nebuchadnezzar responded by invading Judah (2 Kings 25:1). He was eighteen years old when he began to rule and did evil in the eyes of the Lord (2 Chronicles 36:9; 2 Kings 24:8–9). Dante's Inferno Terms and Names GNB. [citation needed] Nevertheless, scholars who assume that Zedekiah's reign should be calculated by accession reckoning will continue to adhere to the 586 date,[citation needed] and so the infobox contains this as an alternative. He encamped against the city of Judah and on the second day of the month Adar he captured the city (and) seized (its) king. (38:5). Zedekiah - the king of Judah - was a son of King Josiah and Hamutal, and uncle to King Jehoiachin. He wanted to do things his … The Seer had told Asa: From now on there will exist wars against you (2 Chronicles 26:9). He ascended the throne at the age of twenty-one years. King David had many wives, according to the Bible, although only eight of them are named. He was the son of good King Josiah but the righteous heart of his father was not present in Zedekiah. 20. When Babylon rose against Assyria it caused upheavals that led to the destruction of Judah. 14 - Zedekiah asks The message from God had been not to resist Babylon but Zedekiah and his counsellors did not like it. 2 Kings 24: 18 – 20 King Zedekiah was an evil ruler who did evil in the sight of God. Zedekiah’s Cave is its Hebrew name, while King Solomon’s quarry is its name in English, and the Cave of the Kings is what it is called by the Arabs. [1] On that reckoning, Zedekiah was born in c. 617 BC or 618 BC, being twenty-one on becoming king. Zedekiah - the false prophet - advised King Ahab of Israel to attack the Syrian army at Ramoth Gilead (1 Kings 22:11). It was noted above that Albright preferred 587 BC and Thiele advocated 586 BC, and this division among scholars has persisted until the present time. If Zedekiah's years are by accession counting, whereby the year he came to the throne was considered his "zero" year and his first full year in office, 597/596, was counted as year one, Zedekiah's eleventh year, the year the city fell, would be 587/586. Dante's Inferno - Characters and Terms ... Start studying Zedekiah. Accession counting was the rule for most, but not all, of the kings of Judah, whereas "non-accession" counting was the rule for most, but not all, of the kings of Israel.[1][11]. (38:5). It set on the march in 608, moving via Judah. Then Zedekiah the king sent, and brought him out: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, “Is there any word from the Lord?” And Jeremiah said, “There is: for, you will be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.” Egypt, concerned about the new threat, moved northward to support Assyria. Judah lost its status as a kingdom and became a Babylonian province. Zedekiah’s story is found way back in the Old Testament in the book of 2 Kings. Prince Zedekiah. Zedekiah definition, the last king of Judah. One can easily see how the author of these verses could have used "the king" rather than redundantly repeating Zedekiah's name. Where did they take Zedekiah? After the fall of Jerusalem, Nebuzaradan was sent to destroy it. 1. 13. King Josiah attempted to block the Egyptian forces, and fell mortally wounded in battle at Megiddo. The Babylonian Chronicles allow the fairly precise dating of the capture of Jehoiachin and the start of Zedekiah's reign, and they also give the accession year of Nebuchadnezzar's successor Amel-Marduk (Evil Merodach) as 562/561 BC,[citation needed] which was the 37th year of Jehoiachin's captivity according to 2 Kings 25:27. The last king of Judah. Herod., 3:14, and 2 Macc. fall of Jerusalem and capture of Zedekiahand execution of 2 sons with eyes poked out. Zedekiah ascended to the throne of Judah as a nominal puppet of the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar. Mattaniah was the 3rd son of King Josiah of Judah. "Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.He did evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the LORD. in the summer of 587 BC. One of these daughters had recently married an Irish prince of the line of Judah through Zerah. He was a false prophet in the days of Ahab (1 Kings 22:11, 24; 2 Chronicles 18:10, 23). Zedekiah’s situation quickly went from bad to worse. Zedekiah was twenty-one when he ascended the toppling throne of Judea.The admonitions of Jeremiah and the other Divine prophets went unheeded. Jehoahaz, son of Josiah, ruled for 3 months and “did evil in the sight of the Lord,” and Pharaoh Necho took him to Egypt in exile (2 Kings 23:31–33). "And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth [day] of the month, … Zedekiah's reign ended with the siege and fall of Jerusalem to Nebuchadnezzar II, which has been dated to 587 or 586 BC.[2]. 3:15; Jer. This is in agreement with a Babylonian chronicle, which states, "The seventh year: In the month Kislev the king of Akkad mustered his army and marched to Hattu. He was the son of good King Josiah but the righteous heart of his father was not present in Zedekiah. As Zedekiah was only about 32 years of age at the time, the boys could not have been very old. Thus began the Babylonian Exile. He was an idolatrous ruler that led the people astray. Zedekiah’s Cave is its Hebrew name, while King Solomon’s quarry is its name in English, and the Cave of the Kings is what it is called by the Arabs. Zedekiah, a false prophet under King Ahab. This Zedekiah, who was the son of Chenaanah, made himself horns of iron and said, "The Lord says, 'With these you shall gore Aram until you have destroyed them.'" What form of execution did the officials use to punish Jeremiah? Ahab's other false prophets all said the same thing. A Cave of Many Names . What happened to the poor, who did not die in battle? These Babylonian records related to Jehoiachin's reign are consistent with the fall of the city in 587 but not in 586, thus vindicating Albright's date. ZEDEKIAH – The King With Neck Problems 2 Chronicles 36:10-13. There is no dispute about the month: it was the summer month of Tammuz (Jeremiah 52:6). 2 Kings 24: 17 Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon makes Zedekiah the next ruler of Judah after he removes his nephew Jehoiachin from the throne. However, before long Gedaliah was assassinated, and the population that was left in the land and those that had returned fled to Egypt for safety (2 Kings 25:26, Jeremiah 43:5–7) In Egypt, they settled in Migdol, Tahpanhes, Noph, and Pathros. Kings. Only a small number of vinedressers and husbandmen were permitted to remain in the land (Jeremiah 52:16). 15. Jeremiah 29:21-22. After Jeremiah was put into the dungeon, a vaulted cell, he was there many days. The sins which were being punished were not the king's alone.