Lexical Summary Nchushta': Bronze, Copper Original Word: נְחֻשְׁתָּא Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Nehushta From nchosheth; copper; Nechushta, an Israelitess -- Nehushta. see HEBREW nchosheth Brown-Driver-Briggs נְחֻשְׁתָּא proper name, feminine mother of king Jehoiakin 2 Kings 24:8; ᵐ5 Νεσθα, A Ναισθα, ᵐ5L Νεεσθαν. Topical Lexicon Identity and Family Background Nehushta was the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem and the mother of King Jehoiachin (also called Jeconiah or Coniah). As “queen mother” (Hebrew, gĕbîrah) she held the highest female office in the Davidic court, exercising influence in matters of succession, diplomacy, and cultic oversight. Her father, Elnathan, is widely identified with the royal official sent by King Jehoiakim to extradite the prophet Uriah (Jeremiah 26:22) and later involved in the preservation of Jeremiah’s scroll (Jeremiah 36:12–25), suggesting that Nehushta came from a politically prominent family deeply enmeshed in the turbulent final years of Judah. Role as Queen Mother The Old Testament portrays the queen mother as an established institution (1 Kings 15:13; 2 Chronicles 15:16). Nehushta’s brief season of influence coincided with Judah’s darkest hour, when Babylon tightened its grip on Jerusalem. Though Scripture offers no personal evaluation of her piety, her position beside Jehoiachin placed her at the center of decisions that affected the nation’s fate. Jeremiah’s admonition, “Say to the king and to the queen mother, ‘Take a lowly seat’” (Jeremiah 13:18), underscores both her authority and accountability before God. Historical Setting Jehoiachin ascended the throne in 597 B.C., after his father Jehoiakim’s death during Nebuchadnezzar’s siege. 2 Kings records: “Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king… His mother’s name was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem” (2 Kings 24:8). After only three months, Nebuchadnezzar removed both king and queen mother, deporting them to Babylon (2 Kings 24:12, 15). This first major exile included temple treasures, nobles, craftsmen, and military leaders, crippling Judah’s leadership and economy. Exile to Babylon Jeremiah had foretold the deportation: “I will hurl you and the mother who gave you birth into a land you have not known” (Jeremiah 22:26). The prophet’s accuracy is confirmed when 2 Kings reports their surrender and removal. Later, Jeremiah 29:2 places Nehushta among the first wave of exiles whose welfare Jeremiah urges: “Seek the peace of the city… pray to the LORD on its behalf” (Jeremiah 29:7). Thus Nehushta became part of the faithful remnant called to live out covenant identity on foreign soil, anticipating promises of return (Jeremiah 29:10–14). Prophetic and Messianic Significance Jehoiachin’s captivity triggered Jeremiah’s “signet‐ring” oracle (Jeremiah 22:24–30), seemingly cutting off David’s line. Yet the Gospel writers trace Christ’s legal genealogy through Jehoiachin (Matthew 1:11–12), demonstrating that the curse did not negate the ultimate messianic promise (2 Samuel 7:12–16). While Nehushta herself is outside the New Testament record, her motherhood situates her at a critical juncture where divine judgment and redemptive hope intersect. Theological Reflections 1. Sovereignty and Responsibility: Nehushta’s exalted status could not shield her from national judgment. Her account affirms that no rank exempts one from the consequences of covenant infidelity (Deuteronomy 28). Lessons for Ministry Today • Leadership carries spiritual accountability; personal pedigree cannot replace covenant obedience. See Also 2 Kings 24; 2 Chronicles 36; Jeremiah 13:18; Jeremiah 22:24–30; Jeremiah 29. Forms and Transliterations נְחֻשְׁתָּ֥א נחשתא nə·ḥuš·tā nechushTa nəḥuštāLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Kings 24:8 HEB: וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ נְחֻשְׁתָּ֥א בַת־ אֶלְנָתָ֖ן NAS: name [was] Nehushta the daughter KJV: name [was] Nehushta, the daughter INT: name and his mother's Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan 1 Occurrence |
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