Skip to content
Biblical History Atlas

Historical event dossier · Royal, Death

Death of Jehoiakim and the three-month reign of Jehoiachin (2 Kgs 24:5–9)

Researched — not human reviewedRevision 1Last reviewed: not reviewed

Human review pending. 1 item from this dossier is awaiting the project owner's review: “Disputed: the manner of Jehoiakim's death (2 Kgs 24:6; Jer 22:18–19; 2 Chr 36:6; Josephus)” (queued 2026-10-13, status open). All classifications on this page are machine-proposed unless marked otherwise. Review happens offline. This site has no review controls.

Biblical references

Text: World English Bible (public domain). The ESV and NKJV are the preferred study translations and are referenced, not reproduced.

2 Kings 24:5–9Narration
5 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 6 So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers, and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place. 7 The king of Egypt didn’t come out of his land any more; for the king of Babylon had taken, from the brook of Egypt to the river Euphrates, all that belonged to the king of Egypt. 8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother’s name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. 9 He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, according to all that his father had done.
2 Chronicles 36:8–9Parallel account
8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah; and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place. 9 Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem. He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight.

Jehoiachin "eight years old"; "three months and ten days".

Biblical account

Layer: Biblical text

Jehoiakim "slept with his fathers" and Jehoiachin, eighteen, reigned three months; Egypt no longer campaigned beyond its border.

Historical overview

Layer: Historical reconstruction · Period: Winter 598/597

Wiseman (via Guzik) dates Jehoiakim's death about December 598, three months before the chronicle's capture of Jerusalem (March 597).[1, 2]

Kingdoms: Kingdom of Judah

Date and chronology derivation

Ranges are computed by the project's deterministic chronology engine from the biblical statements and each model's reign anchors. They are reconstructions, not independent dates.

598 BC

Model-independent (applies under every chronology model) · precision: month

How this range was derived

Earliest bound

  1. Synchronism: Capture of "the city of Judah" on 2 Addaru, Nebuchadnezzar year 7 (ABC 5) = Jehoiachin's surrender (2 Kgs 24:10–15) — independently dated between 15 Mar 597 BC and 16 Mar 597 BC (Babylonian date 2 Addaru, year 7 of Nebuchadnezzar = 15/16 March 597 BC (Parker & Dubberstein)) (2 Kings 24:10–15)[2, 3, 4]Assumption: 2 Addaru year 7 (ABC 5) = 15/16 March 597 BC. "City of Judah" = Jerusalem; the unnamed king = Jehoiachin (identifications by the editors).
  2. “he reigned in Jerusalem three months” — Capture of Jerusalem and deportation of Jehoiachin (March 597 BC) months later Death of Jehoiakim and the three-month reign of Jehoiachin (2 Kgs 24:5–9) (2 Kings 24:8)Assumption: 2 Chr 36:9: three months and ten days.

Latest bound

  1. Synchronism: Capture of "the city of Judah" on 2 Addaru, Nebuchadnezzar year 7 (ABC 5) = Jehoiachin's surrender (2 Kgs 24:10–15) — independently dated between 15 Mar 597 BC and 16 Mar 597 BC (Babylonian date 2 Addaru, year 7 of Nebuchadnezzar = 15/16 March 597 BC (Parker & Dubberstein)) (2 Kings 24:10–15)[2, 3, 4]Assumption: 2 Addaru year 7 (ABC 5) = 15/16 March 597 BC. "City of Judah" = Jerusalem; the unnamed king = Jehoiachin (identifications by the editors).
  2. “he reigned in Jerusalem three months” — Capture of Jerusalem and deportation of Jehoiachin (March 597 BC) months later Death of Jehoiakim and the three-month reign of Jehoiachin (2 Kgs 24:5–9) (2 Kings 24:8)Assumption: 2 Chr 36:9: three months and ten days.

View on the timeline →

What else was happening? (model-independent)

  • Jehoiakim (reign): 609 BC – 597 BC
  • Daniel's refusal of the king's food and the ten-day test (Dan 1:8–16): 606 BC – ?
  • Nebuchadnezzar II (reign): 605 BC – 562 BC
  • Nebuchadnezzar's golden image on the plain of Dura (Dan 3:1–7): 603 BC – ?
  • Nebuchadnezzar's decree honouring the God of the three Judeans (Dan 3:28–30): 603 BC – ?
  • The refusal of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and the fiery furnace (Dan 3:8–27): 603 BC – ?
  • Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the great tree and Daniel's interpretation (Dan 4:4–27): 605 BC – 563 BC
  • Nebuchadnezzar's boast, madness and restoration (Dan 4:28–37): 604 BC – 562 BC
  • Daniel's night vision of the four beasts and its interpretation (Dan 7): ? – 539 BC
  • Daniel's vision of the ram and the goat at Susa (Dan 8): ? – 539 BC
  • Jehoiakim submits to Nebuchadnezzar for three years, then rebels (2 Kgs 24:1–4): 605 BC – 597 BC
  • Jehoiachin (reign): 598 BC – 597 BC

Claims, evidence and classifications

Each claim is classified on its own. A classification describes the evidence for that specific claim, not for the event as a whole.

Jehoiakim died peacefully in Jerusalem before the siege of 597.

DisputedOwner review pendingHistorical reconstructionIn owner review queue

2 Kgs 24:6 uses the ordinary formula; Jer 22:18–19 and 36:30 foretell a dishonoured, unburied body; 2 Chr 36:6 has him bound for Babylon; Josephus says Nebuchadnezzar killed him and had him thrown before the walls. Guzik (quoting Wiseman) dates his death to about December 598. No external source records his end.

Challenging

  • Nebuchadnezzar slew Jehoiakim and commanded him to be thrown before the walls without burial.[5]Strength: direct·Ant. 10.6.3·Claim checked

Context

  • Notes the Kings, Chronicles and Jeremiah accounts; death about December 598 (Wiseman).[1]Strength: indirect·on 24:5–6·Claim checked

Limitations of this classification: Texts disagree; no external evidence.

Research date 2026-10-13

Evidence by type

The same evidence regrouped by kind of source. Each item names the claims it bears on.

Archaeological evidence

None recorded for this event.

Scientific findings

None recorded for this event.

Ancient documents

Modern news and announcements

None recorded for this event.

Reference works and summaries

None recorded for this event.

Historical disputes and competing reconstructions

Disputed claims: Jehoiakim died peacefully in Jerusalem before the siege of 597.

  • Natural death in Jerusalem ("slept with his fathers")

    2 Kings 24:6 (text)

    The regnal formula used for peaceful deaths.[1]

  • Dishonoured death / unburied

    Jer 22:18–19; 36:30 (text); Josephus, Ant. 10.6.3 (killed by Nebuchadnezzar and thrown before the walls)

    Jeremiah foretells "the burial of a donkey"; Josephus narrates his execution.[5]

  • Bound for Babylon

    2 Chronicles 36:6 (text)

    Chronicles says Nebuchadnezzar bound him in fetters to carry him to Babylon, without saying he arrived.[1]

Related passages and events

FromRelationshipToBasis
this eventSame eventhigh · Biblical text2 Chronicles 36:8–9Parallel: Jehoiachin's accession (age 8 in MT Chronicles; "three months and ten days").
this eventThematic parallelmedium · Biblical textJeremiah 22:18–19Jeremiah's oracle of Jehoiakim's dishonoured burial — differs from the Kings formula.
this eventFollowed byhigh · Biblical textCapture of Jerusalem and deportation of Jehoiachin (March 597 BC)Three months later the city was taken.

Prophetic relationships

No prophecy or proposed-fulfillment relationships have been recorded for this event.

Commentary references

Layer: Interpretation. This is commentary, not historical evidence.

Guzik notes the divergent accounts of Jehoiakim's end and treats Chronicles' "eight years old" for Jehoiachin as a probable copyist's error (some manuscripts read eighteen).[1]

Unanswered questions and research gaps

  • Jehoiachin's age: 18 (Kings) vs 8 (2 Chr 36:9 MT) — textual variants not researched beyond Guzik.

Research process

2 logged searches
DateQueryWhereUseful
2026-10-13Josephus Ant. 10.6.3 (local)local text1
2026-10-13Enduring Word 2 Kings 24web fetch1

Sources

  1. 1.
    Guzik, David. 2 Kings 24 — Enduring Word Bible Commentary. Enduring Word. enduringword.comClaim checkedTheological commentaryInterpretive resource — not historical corroboration.Verification log
  2. 2.
    Lendering, Jona (ed.). ABC 5 (Jerusalem Chronicle / Chronicle of the early years of Nebuchadnezzar) — English translation on Livius.org. Livius.org. www.livius.orgClaim checkedAncient primary textFull translation page read (obverse 1–27, reverse 1′–13′). Cuneiform and the printed editions (Wiseman 1956; Grayson 1975; Glassner 2004) were not consulted directly. Julian equivalents on the page follow Parker & Dubberstein.Verification log
  3. 3.
    Wikipedia contributors. Nebuchadnezzar Chronicle — Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. en.wikipedia.orgClaim checkedPopular summaryUsed for museum/acquisition details of BM 21946.Verification log
  4. 4.
    Wikipedia contributors. Jehoiakim — Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. en.wikipedia.orgClaim checkedPopular summaryVerification log
  5. 5.
    Josephus, Whiston, William (trans.). Josephus, Antiquities 10.6.3, 10.8.2–5, 10.11.2 (trans. W. Whiston). Project Gutenberg #2848. www.gutenberg.orgClaim checkedAncient primary textVerification log