Why are some of Josiah's sons' names different in other biblical accounts? The Question Stated 1 Chronicles 3:15 records, “The sons of Josiah: Johanan was the firstborn, Jehoiakim the second, Zedekiah the third, and Shallum the fourth.” Yet other passages (2 Kings 23:30-36; Jeremiah 22:11; 24:1; 37:1; 2 Kings 24:17) speak of Jehoahaz, Eliakim, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Mattaniah, and Zedekiah. Why the variation? Birth Names vs. Throne Names In the Ancient Near East, a man frequently received an alternate name on ascending the throne or when a foreign suzerain imposed one. Parallel examples include Joseph → Zaphenath-paneah (Genesis 41:45) and Daniel’s friends (Daniel 1:7). Regnal names often inserted the divine element “Yah” or “El” or reflected political allegiance. • Shallum (lit. “recompense”) becomes Jehoahaz (“Yahweh has grasped”)—Jeremiah 22:11 explicitly equates the two: “For thus says the LORD concerning Shallum son of Josiah, king of Judah, who reigned in place of his father… he will never return here.” • Eliakim (“God will raise up”) becomes Jehoiakim (“Yahweh will establish”) at Pharaoh Necho’s command (2 Kings 23:34). • Mattaniah (“gift of Yahweh”) becomes Zedekiah (“Yahweh is righteous”) under Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 24:17). Chronicles chooses to list Zedekiah by his final, better-known throne name, but Jehoiakim under the same criterion, and Shallum by his birth name. Kings and Jeremiah emphasize the throne names imposed during their respective reign narratives. Both writers are accurate; they relate different aspects of the same historical individuals. Why ‘Johanan’ Does Not Appear in Kings Johanan, Josiah’s eldest (1 Chronicles 3:15), never reigned, likely dying before Josiah’s death at Megiddo (609 BC). Kings, focused on the royal succession, omits him. Chronicles, whose theme is genealogical continuity after the exile, includes him to preserve the full lineage. Genealogical Order vs. Regnal Order Chronicles gives the sons in simple birth order. Kings recounts them in order of enthronement (Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah). This explains why Zedekiah is the “third” son in Chronicles but last to reign in Kings. Archaeological Corroboration • Babylonian ration tablets (published as BM 29620) list “Ya-ú-kinu, king of Judah” (Jehoiachin), verifying the Judean royal names in cuneiform form. • The Lachish Letters (c. 588 BC) mention “Coniah son of Elnatan,” again reflecting Judah’s royal family and their shifts under Babylon. • A seal impression reading “belonging to Eliakim, servant of Jehoiakim” (excavated at Tel Beit Mirsim) aligns with the throne-name usage in Kings. These finds underscore the reality of dual naming in the late-monarchy era. Theological Significance of the Names Each throne name embeds Yahweh’s covenant character: Jehoahaz—Yahweh seizes; Jehoiakim—Yahweh establishes; Zedekiah—Yahweh is righteous. Even in political renaming, God’s name is honored, reflecting His sovereign oversight of Judah’s final kings and foreshadowing the righteous Branch (Jeremiah 23:5-6). Harmony, Not Contradiction Collectively, Scripture presents: 1. Four sons of Josiah. 2. Three that reigned. 3. Each with both personal and throne names. 4. Narrative accounts using whichever name best suits the author’s purpose. Given the cultural conventions and distinct literary aims of Kings, Chronicles, and Jeremiah, the divergent naming is complementary, not conflicting. Practical Takeaway The perceived discrepancy dissolves when we consider customary renaming and differing authorial emphases. The very consistency with which Scripture records both sets of names, verified by manuscript and archaeological evidence, showcases the Spirit’s meticulous preservation of truth. God’s word stands unified, and these names, anchored in real history, point forward to the Name above all names—Jesus the risen Messiah. |
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