Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ZEDEKIAH

(Heb. ṣiḏqîyâ, ṣiḏqîyāhû)

1. A (false) prophet at the court of Ahab of Israel who led the 400 prophets associated with Samaria in their oracular support of a military campaign against Aram (1 Kgs. 22:1-36 = 2 Chr. 18:1-27); son of Chenaanah. In contrast to the corroborative message of Zedekiah, Micaiah the son of Imlah, summoned subsequently by Ahab at Jehoshaphat’s request, opposed the military campaign and predicted Israel’s defeat at Ramoth-gilead.

2. The last king of Judah (ca. 597-586 b.c.e.), uncle and successor of Jehoiachin (cf. 2 Chr. 36:10, “brother”). His given name, Mattaniah, was changed to Zedekiah by Nebuchadnezzar when the king of Babylon chose him to succeed Jehoiachin (2 Kgs. 24:17). Zedekiah reigned over Judah during the most tumultuous and tragic time in its history. He was 21 years old on his accession, and reigned 11 years in Jerusalem; his mother was Hamutal, daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah (2 Kgs. 24:18-19). According to the Deuteronomist Zedekiah was one of a long line of kings who did “evil in the sight of the Lord” (2 Kgs. 24:19). The Chronicler adds only that Zedekiah “did not humble himself before the prophet Jeremiah who spoke from the mouth of the Lord” (2 Chr. 36:12).

Little direct knowledge of Zedekiah or his kingdom survives outside the biblical materials. According to the biblical sources Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar and Babylonian sovereignty over Judah and appealed to Egypt for military support. This event receives considerable attention in 2 Chr. 36:13-14 (cf. Ezek. 17:11-21), the Deuteronomic history (2 Kgs. 24:20–25:21), and especially in the book of Jeremiah. The latter two sources view Zedekiah’s rebellion as one of the determinate factors that led to the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 (cf. 1 Esdr. 1:46-58). In Jeremiah the prophet is depicted as counselor and confidant of Zedekiah who insisted that the king submit to Nebuchadnezzar as to the will of Yahweh. Although the demand for submission is accompanied by promises of well-being (e.g., Jer. 38:17-23), Zedekiah refuses to heed Jeremiah. Zedekiah, who is portrayed throughout the book of Jeremiah as a weak and tragic figure (in contrast to Jehoiakim, who is viewed as an evil ruler who controls his own destiny and that of the nation for ill; Jer. 36), cannot muster the faith and courage to prevent the collapse of Judah.

Although not mentioned directly in Ezekiel, Zedekiah is alluded to as one who wrongfully reneged on his oath to the king of Babylon (Ezek. 17:11-21).

3. A son of Josiah, included in the Chronicler’s genealogy of Solomon (1 Chr. 3:15-16). He is associated with the construction of temple vessels that were eventually returned to the land of Judah by Baruch (Bar. 1:8).

4. An otherwise unknown leader of the Judah who signed the document that pledged obedience to the covenant of Nehemiah (Neh. 10:1[MT 9:38]).

5. A prophet whom Jeremiah accused of immoral conduct and of “prophesying a lie” in the name of Yahweh to the exiles residing in Babylon; son of Maaseiah (Jer. 29:21-23). Jeremiah predicted his execution at the hands of the Babylonian king on account of Zedekiah’s deceptive words. Along with Ahab son of Kolaiayh and Hananiah son of Azzur, Zedekiah apparently represented a royal-temple ideology that affirms the invincibility of the premonarchic institutions. In contrast, Jeremiah insisted that such institutions and their belief systems were to be overthrown and nullified for new social and symbolic meanings during the exilic period.

6. The son of Hananiah; one of the officials of Judah, with whom Micaiah conversed after hearing Jeremiah’s scroll read by Baruch. As one of the court officials of Jehoiakim, Zedekiah is “alarmed” when he hears the contents of the scroll and in response demands that it be read to the king (Jer. 36:11-19).

7. An ancestor of Baruch (Bar 1:1).

Louis Stulman

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ZEDEKIAH

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)