2 Chronicles 36:9-10 - Homilies By T. Whitelaw

Jehoiachin the worthless.

I. HIS CORONATION .

1 . His title to the throne, He was Jehoiakim's son, his mother having been Nehushta, "The Brazen," the daughter of El-nathan of Jerusalem ( 2 Chronicles 36:8 ; 2 Kings 24:6 , 2 Kings 24:8 ), one of the princes attached to Jehoiakim's court ( Jeremiah 26:22 ; Jeremiah 36:12 , Jeremiah 36:25 ).

2 . His regal designation. Jehoiachin, "Jehovah has established," perhaps expressive of the hopes with which he assumed the sceptre. His personal name appears to have been "Couiah" ( Jeremiah 22:24 , Jeremiah 22:28 ), or Jeconiah ( 1 Chronicles 3:16 ), also signifying "Jehovah establishes."

3 . His age at accession. Eight years ( 2 Chronicles 36:9 ), obviously a mistake for eighteen ( 2 Kings 24:8 ), since he had wives ( 2 Kings 24:15 ), and in Jeremiah is represented as a man, while, if Ezekiel ( Ezekiel 19:5-9 ) refers to him rather than Jehoiakim, the language in verse 7 is hardly suitable as applied to an infant or child of eight.

4 . His continuance upon the throne. Three months and ten days—ten days longer than his uncle Jehoahaz (verse 2), and "just as long as Napoleon's after his landing in March, 1815" (Cheyne). Another illustration of short-lived glory. Vanitas vanitatura !

II. HIS CHARACTER .

1 . As a man. He was obviously no better than his father, in whose footsteps he walked. His father's wickedness allured more than his father's evil fortunes repelled him. Jehovah's withering scorn of Coniah as "a despised and broken pot," "a vessel wherein is no pleasure" ( Jeremiah 22:28 ; cf. Jeremiah 48:38 ), significantly intimates the esteem in which he was held by him who tries the hearts and reins alike of kings and common men; while the relentless doom pronounced upon "this man" and "his seed" was a clear certification that the stock from which he sprang was incurably diseased, that the taint of vileness in the family was ineradicable, that he and his descendants were only fit to be cast out and trodden in the mire ( Matthew 5:13 ; Luke 14:34 ).

2 . As a king. "He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord" (verse 9), He had no power, even had he possessed the inclination, to arrest the downward progress of his nation. By personal preference as well as by official position he was bound neck and heels to the heathen party to which his mother Nehushta belonged, and which sought neither the prosperity nor the safety of their land and kingdom in maintaining the pure worship of Jehovah, but in serving Canaanitish, Phoenician, Egyptian, Assyrian, or Babylonian idols, whichever should at any time be thought most likely to serve their turn.

III. HIS CAPTIVITY .

1 . The reason. Not stated by either the Chronicler or the author of Kings, this may have been suspicion of Jehoiachin's fidelity, or knowledge of Egyptian troops advancing to the aid of Jerusalem.

2 . The time. At the return of the year (verse 10), i.e. in springtime, when kings were accustomed to go forth to battle ( 2 Samuel 11:1 ). The year was the eighth of Nebuchadnezzar's reign ( 2 Kings 24:12 ), or B.C. 597.

3 . The manner. ( 2 Kings 24:10-15 .)

4 . The duration. Thirty-seven years. Then, on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month of the year, Evil-Merodach, on coming to the throne after Nebuchadnezzar's death, lifted up his head out of prison (3 Kings 25:27-30).

Learn:

1 . The incurable character of sin, at least by any merely human means.

2 . The swiftness in some cases of Divine retribution.

3 . The misery entailed by sin upon evil-doers and all connected with them.

4 . The evil done to religion by the wickedness of those who profess and should adorn it.—W.