In the fifth year of Jehoiachin’s exile, Ezekiel began his prophetic work. (Ezek. 1:2) About thirty-two years later, in 580 B.C.E., Jehoiachin was released from prison by Nebuchadnezzar’s successor Evil-merodach and given a position of favor above all the other captive kings. Thereafter he ate at Evil-merodach’s table and received a daily allowance.—2 Ki. 25:27-30; Jer. 52:31-34.

Babylonian administrative documents have been found listing rations for Jehoiachin and five of his sons.

JEHOIADA

(Je·hoiʹa·da) [Jehovah knows].

1. Father of the Benaiah who is almost always identified as “Benaiah the son of Jehoiada,” and who was one of David’s mighty men and also Solomon’s army chief. (2 Sam. 23:8, 20, 22, 23; 1 Ki. 2:35) Jehoiada himself is connected with the priesthood, being called “the chief priest.” He is referred to as “the leader of the sons of Aaron” and was among those flocking to David when he became king over all Israel at Hebron.—1 Chron. 27:5; 12:27, 38.

2. A counselor of King David; son of Benaiah and apparently grandson of No. 1 above.—1 Chron. 27:33, 34.

3. The high priest in the time of Jehoram, Ahaziah, Athaliah and Jehoash. Jehoiada was married to King Jehoram’s daughter Jehosheba, also called Jehosha-beath (the only recorded instance of a high priest marrying into the royal family). Jehoiada was noted especially for overthrowing Athaliah and elevating true worship in Judah. After Athaliah’s ruling son Ahaziah was slain, she proceeded to kill off all the royal offspring and placed herself on the throne. However, Jehosheba, herself a sister of Ahaziah though not necessarily Athaliah’s daughter, took Ahaziah’s infant son Jehoash away and kept him hidden for six years. In the seventh year, Jehoiada secured the support of the Levites, the chiefs of the Carian bodyguard and of the runners, as well as the heads of the paternal house of Israel. He then produced Jehoash, whom they proclaimed as king. Jehoiada next ordered Athaliah taken outside the temple grounds and slain.—2 Ki. 11:1-16; 2 Chron. 22:10–23:15.

Jehoiada thereafter wasted no time in advancing Jehovah’s worship. He renewed Israel’s covenant relationship with Jehovah, whereupon the people tore down the house of Baal and removed its altars, images and priesthood. Jehoiada then restored full temple services. He had a strong influence for good upon the life of Jehoash. Jehoiada and the king repaired the temple and made various utensils for Jehovah’s house. When, at the age of 130, Jehoiada finally died, he was given the exceptional honor of burial with the kings “because he had done good in Israel and with the true God and His house.” Unfortunately, his good influence died with him, for Jehoash then listened to the princes of Judah and turned aside from Jehovah, even to the point of ordering the killing of Jehoiada’s son Zechariah, who issued the unfaithful people a rebuke.—2 Ki. 11:17–12:16; 2 Chron. 23:16–24:22.

4. A priest who was replaced by Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah during Jeremiah’s time.—Jer. 29:24-27.

JEHOIAKIM

(Je·hoiʹa·kim) [Jehovah raises up].

One of the last Judean kings, son of Josiah by Zebidah, and originally called Eliakim. (2 Ki. 23:34, 36; 1 Chron. 3:15) Jehoiakim’s bad rule of about eleven years (628-618 B.C.E.) was marked by injustices, oppression and murder. (2 Chron. 36:5; Jer. 22:17; 52:2) Also, during his reign Judah experienced harassment from Chaldean, Syrian, Moabite and Ammonite marauder bands.—2 Ki. 24:2.

After the death of King Josiah, the people of Judah for some reason constituted Eliakim’s younger brother Jehoahaz king. About three months later Pharaoh Nechoh (Necho) took King Jehoahaz captive and made twenty-five-year-old Eliakim king, changing the new ruler’s name to Jehoiakim. Nechoh also imposed a heavy fine on the kingdom of Judah. The silver and gold for this fine King Jehoiakim exacted from his subjects by taxation. (2 Ki. 23:34-36; 2 Chron. 36:3-5) Despite the financial burden that was therefore already on the people, Jehoiakim made plans for building a new, luxurious palace. Probably to keep down the cost, he oppressively withheld the laborers’ wages. Consequently Jehovah, through Jeremiah, pronounced woe upon this wicked ruler, indicating that he would have the burial of a he-ass.—Jer. 22:13-19.

Early in Jehoiakim’s reign Jeremiah warned that, unless the people repented, Jerusalem and her temple would be destroyed. Thereafter the prophet was threatened with death. However, the prominent man Ahikam stood up for Jeremiah and saved the prophet from harm. Previously, like prophesying by Urijah had so enraged Jehoiakim that he determined to kill him. Although fearful Urijah fled to Egypt, he did not escape the king’s wrath. Jehoiakim had Urijah brought back and then killed him with the sword.—Jer. 26:1-24.

The fourth year of Jehoiakim’s reign (625 B.C.E.) saw Nebuchadnezzar defeat Pharaoh Necho in a battle over the domination of Syria-Palestine. The battle took place at Carchemish by the Euphrates, some four hundred miles (c. 644 kilometers) N of Jerusalem. (Jer. 46:1, 2) In that same year Jeremiah began dictating to his secretary Baruch Jehovah’s words directed against Israel, Judah and all the nations, recording messages that had begun to be delivered from the thirteenth year of Josiah’s reign (at which time Jehoiakim had been about six years old) onward. Nearly a year later, in the ninth lunar month (Chislev, November/ December), the scroll containing the dictated message was read before King Jehoiakim. As soon as Jehudi read three or four page-columns, that section was cut off and thrown into the fire burning in the brazier of the king’s winter house. Thus the entire scroll was committed to the flames section by section. Jehoiakim ignored the pleas of three of his princes not to burn the roll. He particularly objected to the prophetic words that pointed to the desolation of Judah at the hands of Babylon’s king. This suggests that Nebuchadnezzar had not yet come against Jerusalem and made Jehoiakim his vassal.—Jer. 36:1-4, 21-29.

Second Kings 24:1 shows that Nebuchadnezzar brought pressure upon the Judean king “and so Jehoiakim became his servant [or vassal] for three years. However, he [Jehoiakim] turned back and rebelled against him [Nebuchadnezzar].” Evidently it is to this third year of Jehoiakim as a vassal king under Babylon that Daniel refers at Daniel 1:1. It could not be Jehoiakim’s third year of his eleven-year reign over Judah, for at that time Jehoiakim was a vassal, not to Babylon, but to Egypt’s Pharaoh Necho. It was not until Jehoiakim’s fourth year of rule over Judah that Nebuchadnezzar demolished Egyptian domination over Syria-Palestine by his victory at Carchemish (625 B.C.E. [after Nisan]). (Jer. 46:2) Since Jehoiakim’s revolt against Babylon led to his downfall after about eleven years on the throne, the beginning of his three-year vassalage to Babylon must have begun toward the end of his eighth year of rule (621/620 B.C.E.).

Daniel’s account (1:1, 2) states that Nebuchadnezzar came against Jerusalem, laid siege to it, and that Jehoiakim, along with some of the temple utensils, was given into the Babylonian king’s hand. However, the account at 2 Kings 24:10-15 describes the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians and shows that Jehoiakim’s son Jehoiachin, whose reign lasted only three months and ten days, was the one who finally capitulated and went out to the Babylonians. It therefore appears that Jehoiakim died during the siege of the city, perhaps in the early part thereof. Jehovah’s prophecy through Jeremiah (22:18, 19; 36:30) indicated that Jehoiakim was not to receive a decent burial; his corpse was to lie unattended outside the gates of Jerusalem, exposed to the sun’s heat by day and the frost by night. Just in what way Jehoiakim was ‘given into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar’ (Dan. 1:2) is not revealed. It may have been in the sense of his dying under siege and of his son’s thereafter having to go out into captivity, so that Jehoiakim’s line suffered the loss of the kingship at Nebuchadnezzar’s hands. There is no way to confirm the Jewish tradition (recorded by Josephus) that Nebuchadnezzar killed Jehoiakim and commanded that his dead body be thrown outside Jerusalem’s walls. (Antiquities of the Jews, Book X, chap. VI, par. 3) By whatever means Jehoiakim’s death came, it appears that the copper fetters Nebuchadnezzar had brought along to bind Jehoiakim were not used as planned.—2 Chron. 36:6.

Following the siege of Jerusalem during Jehoiakim’s “third year” (as vassal king), Daniel and other Judeans, including nobles and members of the royal family, were taken as exiles to Babylon. There being no record of an earlier Babylonian exile, this appears to place the event in the short reign of Jehoiachin, Jehoiakim’s successor.—2 Ki. 24:12-16; Jer. 52:28.

After Jehoiakim’s son Jehoiachin surrendered, Nebuchadnezzar elevated Jehoiachin’s uncle Zedekiah to the throne of Judah. (2 Chron. 36:9, 10) This fulfilled Jeremiah’s prophecy that Jehoiakim would have no one sitting on the throne of David. (Jer. 36:30) Jehoiakim’s son Jehoiachin ruled a mere three months and ten days. (2 Chron. 36:9) This short period is hardly to be taken into account.

JEHOIARIB

(Je·hoiʹa·rib) [Jehovah pleads or contends].

The priest whose paternal house was selected by lot as first of the twenty-four priestly divisions organized during David’s rule. (1 Chron. 24:1-3, 5-7) Some of the postexilic descendants of this paternal house, or another priest with the same name, lived in Jerusalem. (1 Chron. 9:3, 10) The name is spelled Joiarib in the parallel list at Nehemiah 11:10.

JEHONADAB

(Je·honʹa·dab), Jonadab (Jonʹadab) [Jehovah is liberal, noble, or has impelled].

In the Hebrew text and many English translations, both spellings are used interchangeably for each of the two persons bearing the name.

1. David’s nephew; son of his brother Shimeah. Jehonadab was a “very wise man” but crafty and shrewd. After inducing David’s son Amnon to disclose to him his passion for his half-sister Tamar, Jehonadab proposed the scheme by which Amnon violated her. After her full brother Absalom had Amnon killed in revenge, the report came to David that Absalom had killed all the king’s sons, but Jehonadab was on hand to give assurance that Amnon alone was dead. (2 Sam. 13:3-5, 14, 22, 28-33) He is possibly the “Jonathan” at 2 Samuel 21:21 and 1 Chronicles 20:7.

2. Son of Rechab; companion of King Jehu. His encounter with Jehu was not accidental, for on Jehonadab’s own initiative he was “coming to meet him,” and, in turn, received Jehu’s blessing. The subsequent events showed that Jehonadab was in complete agreement with Jehu’s determination to annihilate Baal worship out of Israel. At each proposal made by Jehu, Jehonadab quickly responded in the affirmative. “Is your heart upright with me?” Jehu asked. He answered, “It is.” “Do give me your hand,” Jehu said; and Jehonadab gave him his hand. Now in Jehu’s chariot, Jehonadab was told, “Do go along with me and look upon my toleration of no rivalry toward Jehovah,” and again he manifested willingness. Finally, when they got to Samaria, and all the worshipers of Baal were assembled, Jehonadab did not turn back, but accompanied Jehu into the house of Baal and remained by his side during the slaughter that followed. At the same time Jehu demonstrated his complete trust and confidence in Jehonadab.—2 Ki. 10:15-28.

Nearly three hundred years later, Jehonadab’s descendants, the Rechabites, were used by Jeremiah at Jehovah’s direction as an example of faithfulness to their forefather’s commands, in contrast with the disobedience to God displayed by the people of Judah and Jerusalem. Jehonadab had instructed the Rechabites to live in tents, sow no seed, plant no vineyards and take no wine. When Jeremiah offered them wine, they refused, referring back to the commandment of their ancestor Jehonadab. For such faithfulness Jehovah promised: “There will not be cut off from Jonadab the son of Rechab a man to stand before me always.”—Jer. 35:1-19.

JEHONATHAN

(Je·honʹa·than) (Jehovah has given].

In Hebrew this name is often used interchangeably with Jonathan. Listed below are only those occurrences where it is rendered Jehonathan in the New World Translation. For those occurrences where the shorter form appears, see JONATHAN.

1. One of the Levites sent by Jehoshaphat in the third year of his reign to teach Jehovah’s law to the people of Judah.—2 Chron. 17:5, 7-9.

2. A secretary whose house was converted into a prison, where Jeremiah was kept in detention. (Jer. 37:15, 20; 33:26) The house likely had subterranean quarters suitable for imprisonment.

3. Postexilic head of a paternal house of priests in the days of Jeshua’s successor Joiakim.—Neh. 12:10, 12, 18.

JEHORAM

(Je·hoʹram) [Jehovah is high, exalted].

A shortened form of the name is Joram.

1. One of two priests whom Jehoshaphat selected in 934/933 B.C.E., the third year of his reign, along with leading princes and Levites, to be traveling teachers of the “book of Jehovah’s law.”—2 Chron. 17:7-9.

2. Son of Ahab and Jezebel, who succeeded his older brother Ahaziah as the tenth king of the northern kingdom of Israel in about 917 B.C.E. He reigned twelve years, until about 905 B.C.E. (2 Ki. 1:17, 18; 3:1; 9:22) This king of Israel should not be confused with the king of Judah by the same name, who was his brother-in-law. (See No. 3 below.) Though Jehoram removed the sacred pillar of Baal erected by his father, he continued to do “what was bad in Jehovah’s eyes,” clinging to calf worship instituted by Jeroboam.—1 Ki. 12:26-29; 16:33; 2 Ki. 3:2, 3.

King Jehoshaphat of Judah and the king of Edom joined Jehoram in an attack on Moab that proved successful because Jehovah deceived the enemy with an optical illusion. God’s prophet Elisha instructed those of the camp of Israel to dig ditches in which to catch much-needed and divinely provided water. The next morning the reflection of the sunlight upon this water caused the Moabites to think the water was blood. Thinking the confederate camp of the three kings had killed off one another, the Moabites moved in to take the spoil, only to be slaughtered in great numbers.—2 Ki. 3:4-27.

Naaman, the army chief of Syria, came to Jehoram to be cured of leprosy, bearing a letter to that effect from the king of Syria. Jehoram, thinking the Syrian ruler was picking a quarrel, exclaimed, ‘Am I God who can put to death and preserve alive and cure leprosy?’ Elisha, however, requested that Jehoram send Naaman to him, so that the Syrian army chief might know that the true God did have a prophet in the land, one capable of performing such cures. (2 Ki. 5:1-8) In advance, Jehovah’s prophet Elisha also informed Jehoram of Syrian military maneuvers. (2 Ki. 6:8-12) Certain Syrian assaults against Israel were divinely foiled during Jehoram’s reign.—2 Ki. 6:13–7:20.

But despite such manifestations of God’s loving-kindness, Jehoram, down to the day of his death, did not repent and turn to Jehovah with all his heart. Death came suddenly and in an unexpected way. Jehoram was at Jezreel recuperating from wounds received in battle with the Syrians. In time, he went out to meet Jehu, asking, “Is there peace, Jehu?”