Re Ioiachin, una speranza perduta (2Re 25,27-30)

The release of Jehoiachin (2Kings 25:27-30), which is an act of mercy on the occasion of the ascension to the throne of the new king Evil-Merodach (562 B.C.E.), bears no hope for the future of the Davidic dynasty. The Dtr historian has judged him severely (cf. 2Kings 24:9), so has the Prophet Jeremiah (cf. Jer 28), and the author of Chronicles (cf. 2Chron 36). It seems, therefore, that some recent articles on 2Kings 25:27-30 devoted to reevaluate the release of king Jehoiachin are destined to be a failure. In some cases, the authors (J.D. Levenson, M.D. Goulder) propose to identify king Jehoiachin with the Suffering Servant of Is 52:13–53:12. King Jehoiachin cannot be an appropriate candidate to guarantee the ʻeverlasting promiseʼ made to the House of David in 2Sam 7 because, in the Prophetʼs view, the future belongs to the Remnant of Israel who, while in exile, has converted to the new plans of Yhwh. In conclusion, the information about the release of king Jehoiachin in 2Kings 25:27-30 was added by an anonymous hand to the Deuteronomistic History, but in the words of M. Noth, it adds nothing to the history itself.