In the thirty-seventh year of
the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the year Awel-Marduk became king of
Babylon, on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month, he released Jehoiachin
king of Judah and freed him from prison. He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honor higher than
those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. So Jehoiachin put aside his
prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king’s table. Day by day the king of
Babylon gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance as long as he lived, till the day
of his death. Jeremiah
52:31-34
It seems unusual that a ruling king
would release a jailed king and allow him to dine at his table and even give
him a daily allowance. While there’s no
specific reason given, we can only speculate:
1. As a king coming into power, Awel-Marduk
wanted to gain favor with the Jews who were still in exile under Babylonian
rule.
2. Awel-Marduk was a
compassionate guy.
3. God influenced the king to do
something good.
4. Awel-Marduk learned something
from Nebuchadnezzar, the former king, who appeared to give his life to God.
The act of compassion to release Jehoiachin from prison and allow
him to dine at the king’s table is an exact parallel of how God treats us. God frees us from the prison of our sin and
allows us to dine with him forever in heaven.