Hebrew word · H3204

יְכוֹנְיָה

yekhaneyah

Jeconiah

Personal name, 'the LORD establishes / makes firm.' Three forms appear: Jehoiachin (Yehoyakhin, 2 Kings, Ezekiel 1:2), Jeconiah (Yekhonyah, Chronicles, Jeremiah, Esther) and Coniah (Konyahu, Jeremiah 22:24, 28; 37:1).

Appears 7 times in 7 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

A king of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ki.24.6;

son of: Jehoiakim (H3079) and Nehushta (H5179);

father of: Zedekiah (H6667I)(?) and Shealtiel (H7597A); also called Jeconiah at 1Ch.3.16,17; 2x27.20; 28.4; 29.2; Coniah at Jer.22.24,28; 37.1; Shallum at Jer.22.11; Jechoniah (KJV: Jechonias; NIV: Jeconiah) inMat.1.11; 1x

Another name of ye.ho.ya.khin (יְהוֹיָכִין "Jehoiachin" H3078)

§ Jeconiah = "Jehovah will establish"

1) son of king Jehoiakim of Judah and king of Judah for 3 months and 10 days before he surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar and was taken captive to Babylon where he was imprisoned for the next 36 years; released at the death of Nebuchadnezzar and lived in Babylon until his death

1a) primary spelling 'Jehoiachin'

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of 1 Chronicles 3:16

Range of meaning

Personal name, 'the LORD establishes / makes firm.' Three forms appear: Jehoiachin (Yehoyakhin, 2 Kings, Ezekiel 1:2), Jeconiah (Yekhonyah, Chronicles, Jeremiah, Esther) and Coniah (Konyahu, Jeremiah 22:24, 28; 37:1). All share the same verb (kun, 'establish') and the same divine name, in different order and length.

Against the English

English Bibles keep the different spellings, so readers may not realize that Jehoiachin, Jeconiah, Jechonias (KJV of Matthew 1:11) and Coniah are one person.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Babylonian Chronicle (ABC 5) records that Nebuchadnezzar took 'the city of Judah' on 2 Adar of his 7th year (March 597 BC), captured its king and appointed 'a king of his own choice,' meaning Zedekiah. Ration tablets found in Babylon (the 'Weidner tablets,' c. 592 BC) list oil for 'Ya'ukin, king of the land of Yahud' and his five sons. 2 Kings 25:27–30 says he was released from prison in 561 BC under Evil-merodach (Amel-Marduk).

From the study of Jeremiah 27:20

Range of meaning

A personal name meaning "Yah establishes" or "Yah will establish." It is a rearranged form of Yehoyakhin (Jehoiachin), which carries the same meaning with the divine name placed first. Jeremiah 22:24, 28 and 37:1 use the short form Konyahu (Coniah).

Against the English

KJV, BSB, WEB, YLT, ESV and NASB keep "Jeconiah." NIV and NLT standardise the name to "Jehoiachin." That helps readers see it is the same king as in 2 Kings, but it hides the form of the name Jeremiah actually wrote.

Used elsewhere in the period

2 Kings 24:8–17 and 25:27–30 (his release by Awel-Marduk, called Evil-Merodach, in 562 BC); 1 Chronicles 3:16–17; Esther 2:6; the Weidner ration tablets from Babylon ("Ya'ukinu"). In Greek he appears as Iechonias, the name Matthew 1:11–12 uses.

From the study of 1 Chronicles 3:17

Range of meaning

A personal name made of the verb kun ('to be firm, established') and the short form of God's name, Yah: 'YHWH establishes.' The same king appears as Jehoiachin (Yehoyakhin), Jeconiah (Yekhonyah), and in shortened form as Coniah (Konyahu, Jeremiah 22:24, 28; 37:1).

Against the English

KJV, BSB, WEB and ESV keep 'Jeconiah.' NIV and NLT change it to 'Jehoiachin' so readers know he is the king of 2 Kings 24–25. That helps readers, but it hides the fact that Chronicles uses a different form of the name here.

Used elsewhere in the period

In Babylonian ration tablets from Nebuchadnezzar's palace (the 'Weidner tablets', about 592 BC), oil rations are issued to Ya'u-kīnu, 'king of the land of Yahudu', and to the 'five sons of the king of Judah.' This is direct outside evidence of a captive Judean king with sons at the Babylonian court. Jeremiah 22:24–30 uses the short form 'Coniah' in its oracle against him.

Where it appears

1 Chronicles · 2

  1. 1 Chronicles 3:16 יְכָנְיָ֥ה Jeconiah

    The successors of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, and Zedekiah.

    Here: 'The LORD establishes.' This king is also called Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:6) and, in Jeremiah 22:24, Coniah. He reigned three months, and Nebuchadnezzar took him to Babylon in 597 BC. The next verse calls him 'the captive.'

  2. 1 Chronicles 3:17 יְכָנְיָ֣ה Jeconiah

    The descendants of Jeconiah the captive: Shealtiel his son,

    Here: The king of Judah also called Jehoiachin and Coniah. He reigned three months in 597 BC before Nebuchadnezzar took him to Babylon. The name means 'YHWH establishes' or 'YHWH will make firm.' That is a painful irony for a king whose throne was not made firm.

Esther · 1

  1. Esther 2:6 יְכָנְיָ֣ה Jeconiah

    He had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon among those taken captive with Jeconiah king of Judah.

    Here: Another form of the name Jehoiachin, also shortened to Coniah. He was the young king of Judah who surrendered to Babylon in 597 BC and was taken to Babylon with the city's elite (2 Kings 24:8–16).

Jeremiah · 4

  1. Jeremiah 24:1 יְכָנְיָ֣הוּ Jeconiah

    After Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, as well as the officials of Judah and the craftsmen and metalsmiths from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon, the LORD showed me two baskets of figs placed in front of the temple of the LORD.

    Here: The young king, also called Jehoiachin and Coniah (22:24). The name probably means 'Yahweh establishes'. He reigned about three months before he surrendered (2 Kgs 24:8–12).

  2. Jeremiah 27:20 יְכֹנְיָ֨ה Jeconiah

    which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take when he carried Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem.

    Here: "Yah establishes." This is another form of the name Jehoiachin (Yehoyakhin); Jeremiah 22:24 shortens it to Coniah. He was the young king who reigned three months and surrendered in 597 BC. Naming him matters, because the prophet Hananiah was promising his return within two years (28:4).

  3. Jeremiah 28:4 יְכָנְיָ֣ה Jeconiah

    And I will restore to this place Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, along with all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon,’ declares the LORD, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’”

  4. Jeremiah 29:2 יְכָנְיָֽה־ Jeconiah

    (This was after King Jeconiah, the queen mother, the court officials, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metalsmiths had been exiled from Jerusalem.)

    Here: The king called Jehoiachin in Kings and 'Coniah' in Jer 22:24–30. The name means 'YHWH establishes', which is ironic for a king whose throne was taken from him after three months.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.