ABSTRACT
Four oracles appear in Jer 21:11–23:8 directed against the final kings in Judah. The final oracle against Jehoiachin precedes the announcement of the new Davidide. The oracle invokes no stipulations of covenant wrongdoing, a feature of Deuteronomistic criticism of the kingship since Solomon. Jehoiachin is an unremarkable king in Israelite history. Yet, he is the concluding figure in both LXX and MT versions of Jeremiah’s King Collection, a significant change from the accounts in Kings and Chronicles. He occupies an important place in Josephus’s attempts to sketch the ideal Israelite king, respectful of imperial rule. He is important to the rabbis in developing an atonement theory of the exile. In the New Testament, he appears in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus, while the other kings from the King Collection disappear. Understanding the oracle’s function helps us bridge the gap between Jehoiachin’s historical account and his reception in later traditions.
