Jehoiachin

King Jeconiah
King of Judah
Jeconiah from Guillaume Rouillé's Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum, 1553
Reign	Dec. 9, 598 – Mar. 15/16, 597 BCE
Coronation	Dec. 9, 598 BCE
Predecessor	Jehoiakim
Successor	Zedekiah
Born	c. 615 or 605 BCE Jerusalem
Father	Jehoiakim
Mother	Nehushta

Jeconiah (Hebrew: יְכָנְיָה‎‎ Yəḵānəyāh [jəxɔnˈjɔː], meaning "Yah has established";Greek: Ιεχονιας; Latin: Iechonias, Jechonias), also known as Coniah and as Jehoiachin (Hebrew: יְהֹויָכִין‎‎ [jəhoːjɔːxiːn]; Latin: Ioachin, Joachin), was a king of Judah who was dethroned by the King of Babylon in the 6th century BC and was taken into captivity. He was the son and successor of King Jehoiakim. Most of what is known about Jeconiah is found in the Hebrew Bible. Records of Jeconiah's existence have been found in Iraq, such as the Jehoiachin's Rations Tablets. These tablets were excavated near the Ishtar Gate in Babylon and have been dated to c. 592 BC. Written in cuneiform, they mention Jeconiah ("Ia-'-ú-kinu") and his five sons as recipients of food rations in Babylon.

Jeconiah reigned three months and ten days, beginning December 9, 598. He succeeded Jehoiakim as king of Judah after raiders from surrounding lands invaded Jerusalem and killed his father. It is likely that the king of Babylon was behind this effort, as a response to Jehoiakim's revolt, starting sometime after 601 BC. Three months and ten days after Jeconiah became king, the armies of Nebuchadnezzar II seized Jerusalem. The intention was to take high class Judahite captives and assimilate them into Babylonian society. On March 15/16th, 597 BC, Jeconiah, his entire household and three thousand Jews, were exiled to Babylon.