Topical Bible: Kings: Names of, often Changed at Their Accession

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In the ancient Near Eastern context, the practice of changing one's name upon ascending to the throne was not uncommon. This tradition is reflected in the biblical narrative, where several kings of Israel and Judah are noted to have undergone a name change at their accession. Such changes often signified a new identity, divine favor, or a shift in political or religious allegiance.

1. Solomon (Jedidiah): Solomon, one of the most renowned kings of Israel, was originally named Jedidiah by the prophet Nathan at the command of the LORD. "Then the LORD sent word through Nathan the prophet, naming him Jedidiah because the LORD loved him" (2 Samuel 12:25). However, he is predominantly known as Solomon, a name associated with peace and prosperity, which characterized much of his reign.

2. Jehoiakim (Eliakim): Originally named Eliakim, this king of Judah had his name changed to Jehoiakim by Pharaoh Necho of Egypt. "Then Pharaoh Necho made Eliakim son of Josiah king in place of his father Josiah and changed his name to Jehoiakim" (2 Kings 23:34). The name change signified the Egyptian influence and control over Judah during this period.

3. Zedekiah (Mattaniah): Zedekiah, the last king of Judah before the Babylonian exile, was initially named Mattaniah. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, changed his name to Zedekiah when he placed him on the throne. "Then the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah" (2 Kings 24:17). This change symbolized Babylonian authority and the vassal status of Judah.

4. Abijah (Abijam): The king of Judah known as Abijah is referred to as Abijam in some biblical texts. The variation in names may reflect different traditions or textual sources. "In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijam became king of Judah" (1 Kings 15:1). The name Abijah means "My Father is Yahweh," while Abijam may have been a variant used in certain contexts.

5. Hoshea (Hoshea son of Elah): The last king of Israel, Hoshea, is sometimes noted without a name change, but his accession marked a significant shift in the kingdom's final years. "In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea son of Elah became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned nine years" (2 Kings 17:1). His reign ended with the Assyrian conquest, leading to the exile of the northern tribes.

The practice of changing names upon accession to the throne underscores the importance of names in the biblical narrative, often reflecting divine purposes, political realities, or shifts in allegiance. These changes were not merely cosmetic but carried deep significance in the cultural and religious milieu of the time.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Kings 23:34
And Pharaohnechoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room of Josiah his father, and turned his name to Jehoiakim, and took Jehoahaz away: and he came to Egypt, and died there.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Kings 24:17
And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father's brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

In the House of his Heavenly, and in the Home of his Earthly ...
... through which priests, prophets, and kings had passed ... [1207] The designation Lebanon'
is often applied in ... [1237] The question as to their names and arrangement ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter x in the house.htm

The Nations of the North-East
... Hamath who made alliance with David bear Semitic names. ... resist the attacks of the
Israelitish kings Jehoash and ... kingdom of Comagene, of which we often hear in ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter iv the nations of.htm

Sargon of Assyria (722-705 BC )
... in Susa, and that their revolts must often have jeopardised ... Kindau, Bit-Bagaia, and
Zaria the new names of Kar ... his undertaking by all the petty kings and great ...
/.../chapter iiisargon of assyria 722-705.htm

The Political Constitution of Egypt
... x.1.5, et seq.), maintains that the first three kings of the Vth dynasty, Usirkaf,
Sahuri, and Kakiu, were ... The most ancient names were often only a short ...
/.../chapter ithe political constitution of.htm

Peter Stood Up.
... foretelling that we shall stand before kings and princes ... been devoted to Macedonius,
and often interceded for ... The Romans changed these Teuton names to Justinian ...
/.../allies/the formation of christendom volume vi/chapter iii peter stood up.htm

The Bright Dawn of a Reign
... God's kings are viceroys. ... God's King and the pretenders to His throne, and it often
wants much ... of Baal.' The existence of Baal as an element in names seems to ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the bright dawn of a.htm

Of the Five Sacraments, Falsely So Called. Their Spuriousness ...
... The greater part of these orders empty names implying no ... all ages, and cures their
sicknesses as often as there ... alone had been made by Christ kings and priests ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 19 of the five.htm

The Later Hebrew Histories.
... thanks to God, as he did aforetime.' How often have these ... tense; "There shall stand
up yet three kings in Persia ... he has a list of the prophets; he names all the ...
/.../gladden/who wrote the bible/chapter vi the later hebrew.htm

The Image of the Beast.
... this! She, however, has caused the kings of the earth to execute her wishes. ... name.
The ancients often used numbers to indicate names. "Among ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the image of the beast.htm

Canaan
... the monuments of Egypt, may still be often observed among ... heads depicted at Karnak
above the names of the ... princes duly paid their tribute to the Jewish kings. ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter ii canaan.htm