ZEDEKIAH

1. The twentieth and last king of Judah, son of Josiah and Hamutal, and uncle to Jeconiah his predecessor, 2Ki 24:17,19 Jer 52:1. When Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem, he carried Jeconiah to Babylon, with his wives, children, officers, and the best artificers in Judea, and put in his place his uncle Mattaniah, whose name he changed to Zedekiah, and made him promise with an oath that he would maintain fidelity to him. He was twenty-one years old when he began to reign at Jerusalem, and he reigned there eleven years. He did evil in the sight of the Lord, committing the same crimes as Jehoiakim, 2Ki 24:18-20 2Ch 36:11-13. Compare Jer 29:16-19 34:1-22 38:5 Eze 17:12,14,18. In the ninth year of his reign, he revolted against Nebuchadnezzar, trusting to the support of Pharaoh-hophra king of Egypt, which proved ineffectual, and despising the faithful remonstrance’s of Jeremiah, Jer 37:2,5,7-10. In consequence of this the Assyrian marched his army into Judea, and took all the fortified places. In the eleventh year of his reign, on the ninth day of the fourth month, (July,) Jerusalem was taken, 588 BC. The king and his people endeavored to escape by favor of the night; but the Chaldean troops pursuing them, they were over-taken in the plain of Jericho. Zedekiah was taken and carried to Nebuchadnezzar, then at Riblah, in Syria, who reproached him with his perfidy, caused his children to be slain before his face and his own eyes to be put out; and then loading him with chains of brass, he ordered him to be sent to Babylon, 2Ki 25:1-30 Jer 39:1-18 52:1-34 Eze 19:1-14. All these events remarkably fulfilled the predictions of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, in the chapters preciously referred to. Compare also, with respect to Zedekiah’s blindness, Jer 34:3 Eze 12:13. 2. A false prophet, exposed by Micaiah when urging Ahab to fight with the Syrians, 1Ki 22:11-37. His fate is foreshadowed in 1Ki 22:25. 3. Another false prophet, denounced by Jeremiah, Jer 29:21,22.

---

Zedekiah. Zedekiah
Righteousness of Jehovah. (1.) The last king of Judah. 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; 24:17, 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. The prophet Jeremiah was his counsellor, yet “he did evil in the sight of the Lord” (2 Kings 24:19, 20; Jer. 52:2, 3). He ascended the throne at the age of twenty-one years. The kingdom was at that time tributary to Nebuchadnezzar; but, despite the strong remonstrances of Jeremiah and others, as well as the example of Jehoiachin, he threw off the yoke of Babylon, and entered into an alliance with Hophra, king of Egypt. This brought up Nebuchadnezzar, “with all his host” (2 King 25:1), against Jerusalem. During this siege, which lasted about eighteen months, “every worst woe befell the devoted city, which drank the cup of God’s fury to the dregs” (2 Kings 25:3; Lam. 4:4, 5, 10). The city was plundered and laid in ruins. Zedekiah and his followers, attempting to escape, were made captive and taken to Riblah. There, after seeing his own children put to death, his own eyes were put out, and, being loaded with chains, he was carried captive (B.C. 588) to Babylon (2 Kings 25:1-7; 2 Chr. 36:12; Jer. 32:4,5; 34:2, 3; 39:1-7; 52:4-11; Ezek. 12:12), where he remained a prisoner, how long is unknown, to the day of his death.

After the fall of Jerusalem, Nebuzaraddan was sent to carry out its complete destruction. The city was razed to the ground. Only a small number of vinedressers and husbandmen were permitted to remain in the land (Jer. 52:16). Gedaliah, with a Chaldean guard stationed at Mizpah, ruled over Judah (2 Kings 25:22, 24; jer. 40:1, 2, 5, 6).

(2.) The son of Chenaanah, a false prophet in the days of Ahab (1 Kings 22:11, 24; 2 Chr. 18:10, 23).

(3.) The son of Hananiah, a prince of Judah in the days of Jehoiakim (Jer. 36:12).

---

Zedekiah. the Lord is my justice; the justice of the Lord

---

ZEDEKIAH. 1. Made king of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar 2Ki 24:17,18; 1Ch 3:15; 2Ch 36:10; Jer 37:1
* Throws off his allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar 2Ki 24:20; 2Ch 36:13; Jer 52:3; Eze 17:12-21
* Forms an alliance with the king of Egypt Eze 17:11-18
* The allegiance denounced
* By Jeremiah 2 2 Ch 36:12; Jer 21; 24:8-10; 27:12-22; 32:3-5; 34; 37:7-10,17; 38:14-28
* By Ezekiel Eze 12:10-16; 17:12-21
* Imprisons Jeremiah on account of his denunciations Jer 32:2,3; 37:15-21; 38:5-28
* Seeks the intercession of Jeremiah with God on his behalf Jer 21:1-3; 37:3; 38:14-27
* The evil reign of 2Ki 24:19,20; 2Ch 36:12,13; Jer 37:2; 38:5,19,24-26; 52:2
* Nebuchadnezzar destroys the city and temple, takes him captive to Babylon, blinds his eyes, kills his sons 2Ki 25:1-10; 2Ch 36:17-20; Jer 1:3; 32:1,2; 39:1-10; 51:59; 52:4-30

2. Grandson of Jehoiakim 1Ch 3:16 3. A false prophet Jer 29:21-23 4. A prince of Judah Jer 36:12 5. A false prophet
* Prophesies to Ahab that he will be victorious over the Syrians, instead of being defeated 1Ki 22:11; 2Ch 18:10
* Strikes Micaiah, the true prophet 1Ki 22:24; 2Ch 18:23

---

(1) Or Mattaniah, King of Judah, son of Josiah 2Ki 24:17; 25:2; 2Ch 36:11; Jer 32:3; 37:1 (2) A False Prophet 1Ki 22:11; 2Ch 18:10; Jer 29:22