Jeconiah ( , meaning "
God will fortify (his people)"; ; ), also known as
Coniah and as
Jehoiachin ( ; ), was a
king of Judah who was dethroned by the King of Babylon in the 6th century BC and was taken into captivity. He was the son and successor of King
Jehoiakim. Most of what is known about Jeconiah is found in the
Hebrew Bible. Records of Jeconiah's existence have been found in
Iraq, such as the
Jehoiachin's Rations Tablets. These tablets were excavated near the
Ishtar Gate in Babylon and have been dated to c. 592 BC. Written in
cuneiform, they mention Jeconiah ("
Ia-'-ú-kinu") and his five sons as recipients of food rations in Babylon. Comparing Babylonian records with date references found in Hebrew biblical texts, the length of Jeconiah's captivity can accurately be determined.