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; Jeremiah 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 Kings 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; Lamentations 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 Chronicles 36:12)
(Jeremiah 32:4,5; 34:2,3; 39:1-7; 52:4-11; Ezekiel 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
(Jeremiah 52:16) Gedaliah, with a
Chaldean guard stationed at Mizpah, ruled over Judah
(2 Kings 25:22,24; Jeremiah 40:1,2,5,6)
2. The son of Chenaanah, a false prophet in the days of Ahab
(1 Kings 22:11,24; 2 Chronicles 18:10,23)
3. e (B.C. 588) to Babylon
(2 Kings 25:1-7; 2 Chronicles 36:12)
(Jeremiah 32:4,5; 34:2,3; 39:1-7; 52:4-11; Ezekiel 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
(Jeremiah 52:16) Gedaliah, with a
Chaldean guard stationed at Mizpah, ruled over Judah
(2 Kings 25:22,24; Jeremiah 40:1,2,5,6)
2. The son of Chenaanah, a false prophet in the days of Ahab
(1 Kings 22:11,24; 2 Chronicles 18:10,23)
3.>The son of Hananiah, a prince of Judah in the days of Jehoiakim
(Jeremiah 36:12)
