Topical Bible: Zedekiah: Made King of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar by Jeremiah

◄ Zedekiah: Made King of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar by Jeremiah ►

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Zedekiah, originally named Mattaniah, was the last king of Judah, reigning from approximately 597 to 586 BC. He was the third son of Josiah and the uncle of his predecessor, Jehoiachin. Zedekiah's ascent to the throne was orchestrated by Nebuchadnezzar II, the king of Babylon, who deposed Jehoiachin and installed Zedekiah as a vassal king. This political maneuver was part of Nebuchadnezzar's strategy to maintain control over the region following the first Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem.

Appointment by Nebuchadnezzar

Zedekiah's reign began under the shadow of Babylonian dominance. Nebuchadnezzar changed his name from Mattaniah to Zedekiah, which means "The Lord is my righteousness," signifying the Babylonian king's authority over him. The appointment is recorded in 2 Kings 24:17: "Then the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah."

Prophetic Counsel and Rebellion

Throughout his reign, Zedekiah was counseled by the prophet Jeremiah, who urged him to submit to Babylonian rule as a divine judgment upon Judah for its sins. Jeremiah's message is encapsulated in Jeremiah 27:12: "I spoke to Zedekiah king of Judah in the same way: 'Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon; serve him and his people, and live!'"

Despite Jeremiah's warnings, Zedekiah struggled with the political pressures from his advisors and neighboring nations, who encouraged rebellion against Babylon. In the ninth year of his reign, Zedekiah succumbed to these influences and rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, forming an alliance with Egypt. This decision led to the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem, a catastrophic event for Judah.

The Fall of Jerusalem

The rebellion proved disastrous. In 586 BC, after a prolonged siege, Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians. The city was razed, the temple destroyed, and the people of Judah were exiled. Zedekiah attempted to flee but was captured near Jericho. His fate is recounted in 2 Kings 25:7: "Then they put out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon."

Legacy and Theological Significance

Zedekiah's reign is often viewed as a tragic period in Judah's history, marked by disobedience and the ultimate fulfillment of prophetic warnings. His failure to heed Jeremiah's counsel and his reliance on political alliances rather than divine guidance serve as a somber reminder of the consequences of straying from God's will. The fall of Jerusalem under Zedekiah's rule marked the end of the Davidic monarchy until its restoration in the Messianic hope, as prophesied in the Scriptures.

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2 Chronicles 36:12
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the LORD.
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Jeremiah 21:1
The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, when king Zedekiah sent to him Pashur the son of Melchiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, saying,
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Jeremiah 24:8-10
And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil; surely thus said the LORD, So will I give Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt:
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Jeremiah 27:12-22
I spoke also to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live.
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Jeremiah 32:3-5
For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Why do you prophesy, and say, Thus said the LORD, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it;
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Jeremiah 34:1
The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth of his dominion, and all the people, fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities thereof, saying,
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Jeremiah 37:7-10,17
Thus said the LORD, the God of Israel; Thus shall you say to the king of Judah, that sent you to me to inquire of me; Behold, Pharaoh's army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land.
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Jeremiah 38:14-28
Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet to him into the third entry that is in the house of the LORD: and the king said to Jeremiah, I will ask you a thing; hide nothing from me.
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Library

The Last King of Judah
... Of Zedekiah it is recorded: "He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord ...
And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 36 the last king.htm

On Daniel. I. Preface by the Most Holy Hippolytus, (Bishop) of ...
... of the Lord, and the agreement he had made with him ... sons before his face, and put
out Zedekiah's eyes. ... the Lord, though Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah ...
/.../the extant works and fragments of hippolytus/on daniel i preface by.htm

The Last Agony
... We have the flight and fate of Zedekiah and his evil ... Conscience made a coward of
him; for he, at all events ... It was to be 'in the dark,' the king himself was to ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the last agony.htm

Carried Captive into Babylon
... Hope sprang up in the heart of Zedekiah, and he sent ... still in Jerusalem, to whom
had been made plain the ... been, "Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 37 carried captive into.htm

The Fall of Judah
... 'Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began ... rebelled against king
Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear ... Lord, and the treasures of the king, and of ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/the fall of judah.htm

The Captivity.
... was bent on trusting for help to the Egyptians, who had made him king, and treated ...
The last son of Josiah, Mattanias, or Zedekiah, was set up as king, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson x the captivity.htm

Approaching Doom
... Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah"all these Jewish kings ... princes, however, "had made
intercession to ... privileges granted him, Judah's king willfully followed a ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 35 approaching doom.htm

'As Sodom'
... soon followed, and the perjured young king once more ... God's 'wrath,' not thereby
diminishing Zedekiah's responsibility for ... of the besieging army made, and the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/as sodom.htm

Faith of Sinners in Prayer
... men of prayer had with God whenever they made their appeal ... when Jerusalem was besieged
by the King of Babylon ... it was just about this time that Zedekiah sent two ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/bounds/prayer and praying men/xi faith of sinners in.htm

The Kingdom of Judah.
... of the court; (c) In the reign of Zedekiah, when the ... was constant need both on the
part of the king and on ... 2) A revival begun under Asa and made complete under ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter xiv the kingdom of.htm