2 Kings 23:31 - Exposition

Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign. He was, therefore, younger than his brother Eliakim, who, three months later, was "twenty-five years old" ( 2 Kings 23:36 ). His original name seems to have been "Shallum," as above noticed (see the comment on 2 Kings 23:30 ). Probably he changed it to "Jehoahaz" ("Possession of Jehovah") on his accession. And he reigned three months in Jerusalem —three months and tern days , according to Josephus— and his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. The father of Hamutal was not, therefore, Jeremiah the prophet, who was a native of Anathoth (see Jeremiah 1:1 ).