2 Kings 24:17

17 The king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin's uncle, king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah.

2 Kings 24:17 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 24:17

And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father's brother
king in his stead
The third son of Josiah, ( 1 Chronicles 3:15 )

and changed his name to Zedekiah;
for the same reason the king of Egypt changed the name of Eliakim, ( 2 Kings 23:34 ) to signify his subjection to him; though some think it was to put him in mind of the justice of God, as the name signifies, that would overtake him, should he be treacherous to him, and rebel against him; so the Jewish Midrash.

2 Kings 24:17 In-Context

15 He carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon; the king's mother, the king's wives, his officials, and the elite of the land, he took into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.

16 The king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon all the men of valor, seven thousand, the artisans and the smiths, one thousand, all of them strong and fit for war.

17 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 began to reign; he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

19 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, just as Jehoiakim had done.