The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Are There Errors in the Bible?

Jehoiachin was 18 years old when he began to reign. This number is consistent with many modern translations and ancient manuscripts.

The most biblical and logical solution hinges on the phrase 8 years old of 2 Chronicles 36:9. The 8 years does not refer to the actual age of Jehoiachin, but is a time marker pointing to an event; i.e., the first invasion of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians. In 605 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar invaded the Mediterranean countries including Palestine. It was then when Daniel and many others were taken to Babylon in what was to be the start of 3 deportations. The second was in 598-597 B.C. with the taking of Jehoiakim. The Babylonians left Jehoiachin in power, but only for 3 months (2 Chron. 36:9 gives the exact figure of 3 months, 10 days). Like his father, Jehoiachin rebelled and the Babylonians returned and took him as well, leaving his brother Zedekiah as king. Jehoiachin's capture would had been 8 years after Nebuchadnezzar came to power, and thus the reason 2 Chronicles 36:9 has "8 years old." Second Kings 24:12 affirms this position where it says, "and the king of Babylon took him (Jehoiachin) in the 8th year of his (Nebuchadnezzar) reign." Literally, the Hebrew text reads in 2 Chronicles 36:9, "A son of 8 years..." On some occasions the biblical writers will count chronological dates from significant events. Such is the case here with Jehoiachin. The writer of Chronicles is reckoning his capture from the time Nebuchadnezzar came to rule Babylon. Ezekiel, for example, does this in his book. He reckons dates and years from the captivity of Judah, (Ez. 1:7, 33:21, 40:1). Another example is found in 2 Chronicles 16:1 where the 36th year spoken of Asa may refer to the number of years after the division of the kingdom in 930 B.C., rather than his actual years as king.