I-li´uh-kim; Heb., “God raises up”
1 The son of Hilkiah and royal steward under King Hezekiah. He had replaced Shebna in that office in accordance with the prophecy of Isaiah, but he later fell into disfavor with the prophet or with his disciples (Isa 22:20-25). Eliakim played an important role in the negotiations with the Assyrian Rabshakeh during Sennacherib’s siege of Jerusalem (2Kgs 18:18-19:7). 2 The king of Judah from 609 to 598 BCE. When Pharaoh Neco killed Eliakim’s father, King Josiah, the Judean gentry chose a younger son, Jehoahaz, as the new king, but three months later the Egyptian replaced Jehoahaz with Eliakim, whom he renamed Jehoiakim (2Kgs 23:34; 2Chr 36:4). 3 A priest who took part in the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem rebuilt by Nehemiah (Neh 12:41). 4 The son of Abiud, listed in the postexilic genealogy of Jesus (Matt 1:13). 5 The son of Melea, in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus (Luke 3:30).
