2 Kings 24:17

17 And he ordained Mattaniah, the brother of his father, (that is, Jehoiachin's uncle,) (to reign) for him; and putted to him the name Zedekiah. (And he ordained Mattaniah, the brother of Jehoiachin's father, to be king in place of him; and he 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 Also he translated Jehoiachin into Babylon, and the mother of the king, the wives of the king, and the chamberlains of the king; and he led the judges of the land into captivity from Jerusalem into Babylon; (And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and the king's chamberlains; and he led away the judges of the land from Jerusalem into captivity in Babylon;)
16 and all the strong men, seven thousand; and craftsmen and goldsmiths, a thousand; yea, all (of the) strong men and warriors; and the king of Babylon led them (away as) prisoners into Babylon.
17 And he ordained Mattaniah, the brother of his father, (that is, Jehoiachin's uncle,) (to reign) for him; and putted to him the name Zedekiah. (And he ordained Mattaniah, the brother of Jehoiachin's father, to be king in place of him; and he changed his name to Zedekiah.)
18 Zedekiah had one and twenty years of age, when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; the name of his mother was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremy of Libnah. (Zedekiah was twenty-one years old, when he began to reign, and he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem; the name of his mother was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.)
19 And he did evil before the Lord, by all things that Jehoiakim had done.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.