Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 23
Jehoiakim was the brother of Jehoahaz, the king before him. They had the same father, Josiah, but different mothers.
Although Josiah was a good and holy man, Jehoiakim and Jehoahaz were evil men. They behaved like the kings in their family who ruled before Josiah – in particular, Ahaz, Manasseh and Amon. These are the men whom verse 37 describes as the ‘fathers’. Ahaz, Manasseh and Amon had taught Judah’s people to live in a selfish manner and not to obey God’s law. Now, these young kings from their family were following the same kind of wrong behaviour. Already, God had made his judgment against the evil deeds of Judah’s people. Josiah’s good rule had delayed that punishment while he remained alive (22:11-20). Now, there would be no further delay.
Jehoahaz had ruled Judah for just three months when the king of Egypt arrested him. Jehoiakim would rule for 11 years. The kings after him would rule only for another 11 years after his death. Then Babylon’s army would completely destroy Judah and Jerusalem. That would be the end of the history of Judah as a separate nation.
During Jehoiakim’s rule, other more powerful kings from foreign nations were really controlling Judah. Jehoiakim became king because he agreed to force Judah’s people to pay taxes to Neco, the king of Egypt. As Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, became more powerful, Jehoiakim had to accept his rule instead of Neco’s rule. He tried to oppose Nebuchadnezzar, but Nebuchadnezzar took him as his prisoner (2 Chronicles 36:6).
Next part: Babylon's power increases (2 Kings 24:1)
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