Zedekiah צִדְקִיָּ֫הוּ
Last king of Judah before the Babylonian exile
Who is Zedekiah in the Bible?
Zedekiah, originally named Mattaniah, was the last king of Judah before the Babylonian exile (2 Kings 24:17). Appointed as a vassal king by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon after the deportation of his nephew Jehoiachin, Zedekiah reigned for eleven years but "did evil in the sight of the Lord" (2 Kings 24:19). Despite repeated warnings from the prophet Jeremiah, Zedekiah rebelled against Babylon, triggering a devastating siege of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 52:1-5). When the city fell, Zedekiah attempted to escape but was captured, forced to witness the execution of his sons, blinded, and taken to Babylon in chains (2 Kings 25:7). His tragic downfall marked the end of the Davidic kingdom and the beginning of the Babylonian exile, serving as a stark judgment on unfaithfulness to God and disobedience to His prophetic word.
Biography
Zedekiah, originally named Mattaniah, was the last king of Judah before the Babylonian exile. He was the son of Josiah and the uncle of Jehoiachin. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, appointed him as a vassal king after deporting Jehoiachin. Zedekiah reigned for 11 years, but he did evil in the sight of the Lord. Despite the warnings of the prophet Jeremiah, Zedekiah rebelled against Babylon, leading to the siege and destruction of Jerusalem. During the siege, Zedekiah sought counsel from Jeremiah but did not heed his advice to surrender. When the city fell, Zedekiah attempted to flee but was captured. His sons were killed before his eyes, and then he was blinded and taken to Babylon in chains. Zedekiah's reign ended in tragedy, marking the fall of the kingdom of Judah and the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
Family
Parents
In Scripture
4 biblical books ; 1 with study content2 Kings 5 verses
- 2 Kings 24:17
"Then the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah."
- 2 Kings 24:18
"Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah."
- 2 Kings 24:20
"For because of the anger of the LORD, all this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, until He finally banished them from His presence. And Zedekiah also rebelled against the king of Babylon."
- 2 Kings 25:2
"And the city was kept under siege until King Zedekiah’s eleventh year."
- 2 Kings 25:7
"And they slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon."
1 Chronicles 1 verse
- 1 Chronicles 3:15
"The sons of Josiah: Johanan was the firstborn, Jehoiakim the second, Zedekiah the third, and Shallum the fourth."
2 Chronicles 2 verses
- 2 Chronicles 36:10
"In the spring, King Nebuchadnezzar summoned Jehoiachin and brought him to Babylon, along with the articles of value from the house of the LORD. And he made Jehoiachin’s relative Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem."
- 2 Chronicles 36:11
"Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years."
Jeremiah 5 verses
- Jeremiah 1:3
"and through the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, until the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem went into exile."
Study Jeremiah → - Jeremiah 21:1
"This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malchijah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah. They said,"
Study Jeremiah → - Jeremiah 21:3
"But Jeremiah answered, “You are to tell Zedekiah that"
Study Jeremiah → - Jeremiah 21:7
"‘After that,’ declares the LORD, ‘I will hand over Zedekiah king of Judah, his officers, and the people in this city who survive the plague and sword and famine, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to their enemies who seek their lives. He will put them to the sword; he will..."
Study Jeremiah → - Jeremiah 24:8
"But like the bad figs, so bad they cannot be eaten,’ says the LORD, ‘so will I deal with Zedekiah king of Judah, his officials, and the remnant of Jerusalem—those remaining in this land and those living in the land of Egypt."
Study Jeremiah →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | צִדְקִיָּ֫הוּ | ṣidĕqiyāh | Tsidkijah , the name of six Israelites |
| Named | Hebrew | מַתַּנְיָ֫הוּ | — | — |