S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

Jeconiah, also called "Jehoiachin" (1 Chronicles 3:16, NIV) and "Coniah" (Jeremiah 22:24), was a king of Judah who was deported as part of the Babylonian captivity (Esther 2:6; 1 Chronicles 3:17). ...

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July 01 2013 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Nils Jansma Missionary in San Diego California

What is the curse of Jeconiah? This question has been already answered to some extent in previous responses. However, the answer may be more complicated and is, in my opinion, a testimony to the preplanning of God. The answer I propose, as already stated, uses the fact that Jesus had no earthly father and, therefore, would not be related to Joseph’s lineage through Jeconiah. This appears to solve the problem of the “curse of Jeconiah.” 

Nevertheless, if you count Jesus’ lineage through Mary, you still have a problem because she was a woman and normally would not be allowed to inherit from her father. But, providentially, a provision was made clear back in the time of Moses that would allow Mary to inherit legally if she had no brothers and married within her tribe. This would mean that Mary’s husband would become the legal son of her father. In this way, Jesus was the legal offspring of David through his other son, Nathan, who was in the lineage of Mary. Joseph would also be recognized as a son of David through Nathan and not through Jeconiah. That is why Luke says that Joseph is the “son of Heli,” Mary’s father. (Luke 3:23)

This foresight on the part of God involved the family of Zelophehad during the Wilderness sojourn. He had five daughters and no sons. This would mean that when the land was divided up in the Promised Land, the daughters of Zelophehad would not inherit any property. They complained to Moses about this who then asked the LORD about the matter. God stipulated that the five daughters would be allowed to inherit land and title just as if they were sons. (Numbers 27:1-11)

That, however, was not the end of the matter. The tribe of Zelophehad also complained to Moses saying that they feared that a daughter who inherited land might marry a man not in her tribe. In that way, the tribe would actually lose land through such a marriage. So, again the complaint was brought to the LORD, who then said that the woman who is qualified to inherit land must marry within her father’s tribe. (Numbers 36:5-13)

The story isn’t over yet. Finally when they entered the Promised Land, apparently no one seemed to remember God’s commands regarding the right of a woman to inherit. So the five daughters had to present their case again to the Priest Eleazar, who then informed Joshua of the daughters’ right to inherit land with the stipulation that they marry within the tribe of their father, which they did. (Joshua 17:3-6)

It is amazing to me that God set this up as an extension of the Law while the Israelites were still in the Wilderness. Since Zelophehad was among those who were to never enter the Promised Land, it was important that a brotherless woman’s right to inherit be protected. Who would have thought that such a provision would be made that could be used to compensate for God’s later curse on King Jechoniah?

May 11 2017 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Darrell Thatcher

Haggai 1:14 - Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel
(He's he son of Shealtiel often in Ezra, Nehemiah and Haggai)

1 Chronicles 3:19 says Zerubbabel's father was Pedaiah a son of Jeconiah

So, unless Shealtiel and Pedaiah are the same person, this looks to me like the Zerubbabel of Haggai was not the same person as the grandson of Jeconiah.

February 23 2015 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

John Appelt

Many reading about the curse of Jeremiah 22:30, believe that Jesus, being a descendant of Jeconiah, Matthew 1:12, is not eligible to reign. Commentators attempt to work around this problem. 

One explanation is that while Matthew’s genealogy, tracing Joseph’s lineage, brings the curse, Luke’s genealogy, tracing Mary’s lineage, works around that curse. While Luke does not have Jeconiah, there is a problem. He shows Mary is descended from Nathan, a son of David, Luke 3:31. However, Nathan was never eligible to reign, as only Solomon was anointed. Being a son of David does not guarantee the right to the throne. 

Another explanation is that God eventually reversed the curse. Many Jewish writings say Jeconiah repented. Along with this, it is suggested that the signet ring was taken from Jeconiah, Jeremiah 22:24, suggesting removal of kingship. Then Zerubbabel, the grandson of Jeconiah was made like a signet ring, Haggai 2:23, suggesting restoration. But there is a difference between having a ring and being made like a signet ring. Zerubbabel did not become king but was governor. 

In fact, none of Jeconiah’s descendants ruled as king. Although Jeconiah had seven sons, I Chronicles 3:17-18, he was “written childless.” He would royally have no offspring. For all the 37 years Jeconiah was in Babylon, none of his sons sat on the throne. According to the Davidic Covenant, if Jeconiah had taken heed to walk in God’s law, there would not lack a man to sit on the throne of Israel, II Chronicles 6:16. But Jeconiah did not prosper “in his days.” and none of his offspring prospered either, as Jeremiah 22:30 says, “anymore in Judah.” From this point in Israel’s history, there has not been one king enthroned from the line of David. 

Clearly, Joseph was the legal father of Jesus, and the right to rule was through him. No issue was ever raised by contemporary Jews that Jesus could not be the Messiah because of the curse or that the virgin birth was necessary to overcome the curse. In his Gospel, Matthew had no problems with the genealogy of Jesus, to suggest He could never qualify because of the curse. Instead, Matthew affirms that Jesus was the son of David, as if it were important. In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, are many people who called Jesus, or considered Him as, the Son of David. 

In Luke 1:32, Mary was told by an angel that “God will give Him [Jesus] the throne of His father David.” This is also predicted in the chapter after the curse, Jeremiah 23:5-6. He will be as a shoot sprouting from the roots of the tree stump, Isaiah 11:1, 10, Revelation 5:5, 22:16. There is no hope, humanly speaking, for a descendant of David to become king. But through the miracle of God, the curse is bypassed. Jesus, the Christ, will reign forever, Luke 1:33, Revelation 11:15. 

The curse upon Jeconiah did not and could not disqualify Jesus to sit on the throne of David.

May 02 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report