⁹Jehoiachin was eight[¹] years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.
[¹] In 2 Kings xxiv. 8, eighteen.
9. Jehoiachin] Called “Jeconiah,” 1 Chronicles iii. 16, where see note.
eight years] So LXX. (B) of Chronicles and Esdras (B); but the number is probably corrupt for eighteen, so LXX. (A) of Chronicles and Esdras (A) and Hebrew and LXX. of 2 Kings xxiv. 8. It is possible that the words “and ten days” in the latter part of the verse are a misplaced fragment of an original ben shĕmōneh ‘esreh shānāh, i.e. “eighteen years old.”
in Jerusalem] The Chronicler here omits the king’s mother’s name (compare verse 2, note), though she was a person of some influence; compare 2 Kings xxiv. 12; Jeremiah xxii. 24–26; and perhaps Jeremiah xiii. 18 (Revised Version).
he did that which was evil] Compare Jeremiah xxii. 24; Ezekiel xix. 5–9.
¹⁰And at the return of the year king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of the Lord, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.
10. at the return of the year] Compare 2 Samuel xi. 1 = 1 Chronicles xx. 1, “at the return of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle.” This would be in the spring.
brought him to Babylon] Not the king only, but also certain leading men and craftsmen and smiths (in number 3023) went into captivity—so Jeremiah lii. 28; compare Jeremiah xxiv. 1, and 2 Kings xxiv. 14 (where the size of the deportation is magnified into “all Jerusalem save the poorest of the land—even ten thousand captives”).
Zedekiah] A covenant-name like “Jehoiakim”—(verse 4, note); it seems to mean “Righteousness of Jehovah”; compare the significant title in Jeremiah xxiii. 6, “The Lord is our Righteousness.” Zedekiah’s original name was “Mattaniah” (i.e. “gift of Jehovah”); 2 Kings xxiv. 17.