Note 24
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How God Preserved the Linage of Jesus Christ through the Babylon Captivity

II Kings 25:7 - And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.

Josiah was killed by the Egyptians.

II Kings 23:28-30"Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 29 In his days Pharaohnechoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him; and he slew him at Megiddo, when he had seen him. 30 And his servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulchre. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father's stead."

Josiah’s son, Jehoahaz, also called Shallum died in Egypt.

II Kings 23:31-34"Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 32 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done. 33 And Pharaohnechoh put him in bands at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and put the land to a tribute of an hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold. 34 And Pharaohnechoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room of Josiah his father, and turned his name to Jehoiakim, and took Jehoahaz away: and he came to Egypt, and died there." There is no mention of any descendants.

Josiah’s son, Eliakim (Jehoiakim) had a son named Jehoiachin, who reigned in his stead after he died.

II Kings 24:5,6"Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 6 So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead."

Josiah’s grandson, Jehoiachin (also named Eliakim) ruled three months when Nebuchadnezzar came to Jerusalem, captured King Jehoiachin and took him to Babylon where he remained for more than 37 years.

II Kings 24:12"And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign."

II Kings 24:15"And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon."

II Kings 25:27-30 – "And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison; 28 And he spake kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon; 29 And changed his prison garments: and he did eat bread continually before him all the days of his life. 30 And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life."

I Chronicles 3:17 states, "And the sons of Jeconiah; Assir, Salathiel his son," Jeconiah is Jehoiachin. Salathiel compares to Salathiel of Matthew 1:12, which states, "And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;" Zorobabel of Matthew 1:12 compares to Zerubbabel of I Chronicles 3:19.

Josiah’s son Mattaniah (also named Zedekiah) ruled after Nebuchadnezzar killed all the sons of Zedekiah and took him to Babylon.

II Kings 25:7"And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon." There is no record that Zedekiah had any more children.

It is amazing to see that while God chastens Israel for their disobedience and rebellion to him, he is very careful to preserve the seed Christ would come from! God continually worked on the heart of the unbelieving Nebuchadnezzar when this pagan leader would not understand or even recognize that God is God. It will not be until later – when he gets finished with the 7 years of eating grass like an ox that he is saved and glorifies God.