2 chronicles 36:9 - Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem. He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight.

Generated Verse: 2 chronicles 36:9

What does "2 chronicles 36:9" mean?


This verse from 2 Chronicles 36:9 presents a difficult textual problem and raises questions about its accuracy. Let's break it down:

"Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign..." This is the contentious part. This age is widely considered to be an error. It's highly improbable that an 8-year-old would assume the throne and rule effectively. Many scholars believe this is a scribal error and that the parallel passage in 2 Kings 24:8 states that Jehoiachin was 18 years old when he began to reign, which is considered to be the correct age. The age of 18 makes far more sense in the context of being a king.

"...and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem." This part is consistent across both 2 Chronicles and 2 Kings. It confirms a very short reign.

"He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight." This is a condemnatory statement, a common refrain in the books of Kings and Chronicles when describing rulers who did not follow God's law or turned to idolatry. It indicates that Jehoiachin's actions during his brief reign were considered wicked according to the religious standards of the time.

In Summary:

The verse is problematic due to the stated age of Jehoiachin. Most scholars accept 2 Kings 24:8 (stating 18 years old) as the more accurate account. However, the core meaning is:

Jehoiachin had a very short reign.
His actions were judged as morally and religiously wrong in the eyes of the biblical author.
The error in the age in 2 Chronicles 36:9 serves as a reminder that there are occasional textual discrepancies in the Bible that scholars try to reconcile through textual criticism, comparisons with other ancient texts, and consideration of the historical context.

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