Church of Christ @ Enumclaw

WHO WAS SHALLUM ?

IF you search the commentaries or the internet you will usually get ether a king of Israel (#15) or  you get Jehoahaz king of Judah.  While they are correct as to the first one and may be correct to the second I have some question as to the reason for their selection of Jehoahaz. Lets look at the evidence.

First: The list of names given in 1 Chronicles 3:15 have four sons listed for Josiah. And they are listed in birth order, which I have no reason to doubt the correctness of. But I can’t confirm it either.

                             a) first born -  Johanan  

                             b) Second   -   Jehoiakim

                             c) Third      -   Zedekiah      

                            d) Fourth    -   Shallum      {Requite - Retribution}

Second: The list of three sons of Josiah who were kings: are found in 2 Kings 23:31,Jehoahaz  34, 36 Eliakim /Jehoiakim   &   24:17   for Mattaniah /Zedekiah:  One grand-son also reigned for three months: Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:8). Also found in 2 Chronicles 36:1,2 Joahaz age 23; —  v4,5 - Eliakim age 25; — v11 Zedekiah age 21

• 2 Kings 23:31 (NKJV) 31 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
• 2 Kings 23:34 Then Pharaoh Necho made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in place of his father Josiah, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. And Pharaoh took Jehoahaz and went to Egypt, and he died there.
• 2 Kings 23:36 (NKJV) 36 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zebidah the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah
• 2 Kings 24:17-18 (NKJV) 17 Then the king of Babylon made Mattaniah,  Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah. 18 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

Jehoahaz {age 23 } was the peoples choice as their king (23:30). He was replaced by Pharaoh Neco who selected Eliakim {?} and changed his name to Jehoiakim { age 25 }

Then the king of Babylon made his (Jehoaiachin’s) uncle Mattaniah (?) king, changing his name to Zedekiah. {age 21}.

                               Age when became King   & /At death of Josiah {609 BC}

king [609 - Jehoiakim - (Zebuda)       [age 25   —         25 yrs — {Jehoiakim}       # 2 son

king [609 - Jehoahaz  - (Hamutal)      [age 23   —         23 yrs  — {Zedekiah}        # 3 son

king (597 - Zedekiah - (Hamutal          [age 21   —         10 yrs  — {Shallum}          # 4 son

   It seems we all occasionally put some things off until later  then we read the Bible we learn this problem is not new. In Luke 9:61-62 we find, "And another also said, 'Lord, I will  follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.' But Jesus said to him, 'No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.'" People are still making excuses today for not following Christ. Studying God's word, obeying the truth and following Jesus needs to begin today.