Jehoiakim

Jehoiakim
King of Judah
Jehoiakim from Guillaume Rouillé's Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum, 1553
Reign	609 - 598 BC
Predecessor	Jehoahaz of Judah
Successor	Jeconiah
Born	Jerusalem
Died	Jerusalem
Issue	Jeconiah
House	House of David
Father	Josiah

Jehoiakim (pronounced /dʒᵻˈhɔɪ.əkɪm/; Hebrew יְהוֹיָקִים Yəhōyāqîm "he whom Yahweh has set up", also sometimes spelled Jehoikim (Greek: Ιωακιμ; Latin: Joakim), c. 635–598 BCE) was a king of Judah from 608 to 598 BCE. He was the eldest son of king Josiah by Zebidah, the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. His birth name was Eliakim (אֶלְיָקִים ’Elyāqîm Greek: Ελιακιμ; Latin: Eliakim).

After Josiah's death, Jehoiakim's younger brother Jehoahaz (also known as Shallum) was proclaimed king, but after three months pharaoh Necho II deposed him, making Eliakim king in his place. When placed on the throne, his name was changed to "Jehoiakim".

Jehoiakim reigned for eleven years, until 598 BCE and was succeeded by his son Jeconiah, (also known as Jehoiachin), who reigned for only three months.

Jehoiakim was appointed king by Necho II, king of Egypt, in 608 BCE, after Necho's return from the battle in Haran, three months after he had killed King Josiah at Megiddo. Necho deposed Jeoiakim's younger brother Jehoahaz after a reign of only three months and took him to Egypt, where he died. Jehoiakim ruled originally as a vassal of the Egyptians, paying a heavy tribute. To raise the money he "taxed the land and exacted the silver and gold from the people of the land according to their assessments."