Jehoiakim
Son of Josiah, made king of Judah by Pharaoh Necho. After Egypt’s defeat at Carchemish he became Nebuchadnezzar’s vassal and then rebelled. He burned Jeremiah’s scroll, and died shortly before Jerusalem surrendered in 597 BC.
Eliakim son of Josiah was made king by Pharaoh Necho II, who changed his name to Jehoiakim. He was twenty-five, reigned eleven years, and taxed the land to pay Egypt’s tribute (2 Kings 23:34–36). After the Egyptian defeat at Carchemish he served Nebuchadnezzar II for three years and then rebelled (2 Kings 24:1).
Jeremiah condemned him for building his palace with unpaid labour and for shedding innocent blood (Jeremiah 22:13–19). He had the prophet Uriah fetched back from Egypt and killed (Jeremiah 26:20–23), and when Jeremiah’s scroll was read to him he cut it up and burned it piece by piece (Jeremiah 36:20–26). Kings says only that he slept with his fathers (2 Kings 24:6). Chronicles says that Nebuchadnezzar bound him in fetters to take him to Babylon (2 Chronicles 36:6). His son Jehoiachin followed him and gave up the city three months later; see the First Deportation to Babylon.
In the timeline
- 609 BC, firm dateJosiah Falls at Megiddo
Pharaoh Necho marches north to the Euphrates in support of Assyria. King Josiah of Judah goes out against him at Megiddo and is killed. Three months later Necho deposes Josiah’s son Jehoahaz and makes Jehoiakim king as Egypt’s vassal.
- 605 BC, firm dateBabylon Defeats Egypt at Carchemish
The Babylonian crown prince Nebuchadnezzar destroys the Egyptian army at Carchemish on the Euphrates and, within months, becomes king. Egypt loses Syria and Palestine, and Judah passes from Egyptian to Babylonian rule.