2 Kings 24:8-12 - Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother's name was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan; she was from Jerusalem. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father had done.
At that time the officers of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon advanced on Jerusalem and laid siege to it, and Nebuchadnezzar himself came up to the city while his officers were besieging it. Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his attendants, his nobles and his officials all surrendered to him.
I wonder if Jehoiachin really wanted to be king. I wonder if he had any choice. He's 18. He's a teenager with an emperor breathing down his neck. No wonder he surrenders after just 3 months in office.
Jehoiachin lived as a prisoner in Babylon for 37 years. That's until he was 55. I wonder if he did anything useful during all that time. Did the Babylonians put him to work?
I wonder why the next king of Babylon, Evil-Merodach, treated Jehoiachin with so much honor. Had he proved worthy of it while a prisoner for 37 years? Was it because the Babylonians knew they had nothing to fear from him? Did he maybe change his ways, become God-fearing, and witness to the Babylonians?
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