King
Jehoiakim
18th King of Judah
609–598 BC
Biography
Jehoiakim, whose original name was Eliakim, was installed as a puppet king by Pharaoh Neco after the removal of his brother Jehoahaz. He oppressed his own people with heavy taxation to pay Egypt's tribute while building himself a lavish palace with forced labor. Jeremiah confronted him for this, comparing him unfavorably to his father Josiah. When Nebuchadnezzar defeated Egypt at Carchemish and Jehoiakim switched allegiance to Babylon, he initially submitted but then rebelled after three years. The most revealing scene of his character came when his secretary Jehudi read Jeremiah's scroll to him: as each section was read Jehoiakim cut it off with a penknife and threw it into the fire — a deliberate, section-by-section rejection of God's Word. He also had the prophet Uriah extradited from Egypt and killed. The first Babylonian deportation, which included Daniel and his friends, occurred during his reign. He died ignominiously — according to Jeremiah, given "the burial of a donkey."
Key Events
- 1Installed by Pharaoh Neco2 Kings 23:34-35 →
Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim king and changed his name to Jehoiakim; imposed heavy tribute on the land
- 2Built lavish palace with forced laborJeremiah 22:13-17 →
Jehoiakim built himself a large palace using unjust means; Jeremiah compared him unfavorably to Josiah
- 3First Babylonian deportation — Daniel takenDaniel 1:1-2 →
Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem and took Temple vessels and noble young men including Daniel to Babylon
- 4Burned Jeremiah's scrollJeremiah 36:22-25 →
As Jehudi read Jeremiah's prophetic scroll, Jehoiakim cut it off with a penknife and burned it section by section
- 5Killed Uriah the prophetJeremiah 26:20-23 →
Had the prophet Uriah extradited from Egypt and executed with the sword
- 6Rebelled against Babylon2 Kings 24:1 →
After three years of Babylonian vassalage, Jehoiakim rebelled, prompting raids by Babylonian, Aramean, Moabite, and Ammonite raiders
Key Verses
“Yet neither the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words was afraid, nor did they tear their garments.”
Spiritual Significance
Jehoiakim's burning of Jeremiah's scroll is one of Scripture's most graphic images of human rejection of God's Word. The contrast with Josiah — who tore his robes in repentance when the Law was read — could not be sharper. His reign shows that a nation's destruction is first a moral and spiritual event.
Character Profile
- Strengths
- Political survival instincts, transitioned allegiance from Egypt to Babylon
- Weaknesses
- Wickedness, oppression of his people, burning God's Word, murder of a prophet, pride, self-indulgence
- Lessons
- Rejecting God's Word does not make it untrue — it only accelerates judgment. Jehoiakim's burning of Jeremiah's scroll was an act of supreme futility; God simply had Jeremiah dictate it again with additions. What we try to destroy of God's truth only returns amplified.