Hamutal is a biblical figure mentioned in the Old Testament, specifically within the historical narratives of the Books of Kings and Chronicles. She is recognized as a queen and the mother of two kings of Judah, playing a significant role in the royal lineage during a tumultuous period in the history of the southern kingdom.

Biblical References:

Hamutal is first introduced in 2 Kings 23:31 and 2 Kings 24:18, as well as in 2 Chronicles 36:9. These passages provide insight into her familial connections and her influence within the royal court of Judah.

Family and Lineage:

Hamutal was the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah, not to be confused with the prophet Jeremiah. Her marriage to King Josiah of Judah positioned her within the Davidic line, and she bore him two sons who would ascend to the throne: Jehoahaz and Zedekiah.

1. Jehoahaz: Also known as Shallum, Jehoahaz was the fourth son of Josiah and Hamutal. He became king after Josiah's death but reigned for only three months before being deposed by Pharaoh Necho II of Egypt. His brief reign is recorded in 2 Kings 23:31-33: "Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah."

2. Zedekiah: Originally named Mattaniah, Zedekiah was the last king of Judah before the Babylonian exile. He was placed on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon after the deposition of his nephew Jehoiachin. Zedekiah's reign is marked by his rebellion against Babylon, which ultimately led to the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC. His mother, Hamutal, is mentioned in 2 Kings 24:18: "Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah."

Historical and Theological Significance:

Hamutal's role as the mother of two kings during a critical period in Judah's history underscores the importance of maternal lineage in the Davidic dynasty. Her sons' reigns were characterized by political instability and external threats, reflecting the broader themes of covenant faithfulness and divine judgment that permeate the biblical narrative.

Theologically, Hamutal's account is intertwined with the prophetic messages of warning and hope delivered by prophets like Jeremiah, who ministered during the reigns of her sons. Her life and legacy serve as a reminder of the complex interplay between divine sovereignty and human agency in the unfolding of God's redemptive plan for Israel and the world.

Cultural Context:

In the ancient Near Eastern context, royal women like Hamutal often wielded significant influence behind the scenes, particularly in matters of succession and political alliances. Her Libnahite heritage may have also played a role in the political dynamics of the time, as Libnah was a city in the Shephelah region of Judah, known for its strategic importance.

Hamutal's account, though brief in the biblical text, offers a glimpse into the lives of the women who shaped the course of Israel's history, highlighting their contributions to the preservation and continuation of the Davidic line, which holds messianic significance in Christian theology.Hamutal

the shadow of his heat

Hamutal

(akin to the dew), daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah; one of the wives of King Josiah. (2 Kings 23:31; 24:18; Jeremiah 52:1) (B.C. 632-619.)

Kinsman of the dew, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah, wife of king Josiah, and mother of king Jehoahaz (2 Kings 23:31), also of king Zedekiah (2 Kings 24:18). HAMUTAL

ha-mu'-tal (chamuTal, "father-in-law" or "kinsman of the dew"): A daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah, and wife of King Josiah, and mother of Jehoahaz and Zedekiah (2 Kings 23:31; 2 Kings 24:18 Jeremiah 52:1). In the last two references and in the Septuagint the name appears as "Hamital." Swete gives a number of variants, e.g. 2 Kings 24:18: Codex Vaticanus, Mitat; Codex Alexandrinus, Amitath; Jeremiah 52:1: Codex Vaticanus, Hameitaal; Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Alexandrinus Hamitaal; Codex Q Hamital.

2537. Chamutal -- perhaps "my husband's father is the dew," mother ...
... perhaps "my husband's father is the dew," mother of two kings of Judah. Transliteration:
Chamutal Phonetic Spelling: (kham-oo-tal') Short Definition: Hamutal. ...
/hebrew/2537.htm - 6k

To the End and After
... When Nebuchadrezzar deported King Jehoiachin in 597, he set up in his place his
uncle Mattaniah, a son of Josiah by that Hamutal, who was also the mother of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/jeremiah/lecture vi to the end.htm

'As Sodom'
... And his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.2. And he did
that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/as sodom.htm

How Josiah Fought with Neco [King of Egypt. ] and was Wounded and ...
... being about twenty-three years old. He reigned in Jerusalem; and his mother
was Hamutal, of the city Libhah. He was an impious man ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 5 how josiah fought.htm

Footnotes
... 90 So Greek; Hebrew omits sound. 91 This line is uncertain. 92 Greek. 93 So Greek;
Hebrew omits this line. 94 (1) Jeremiah of Libnah, father of Hamutal, II. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/jeremiah/footnotes.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 6. <. ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

Hamutal (3 Occurrences)
... 24:18). Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. HAMUTAL. ha-mu'-tal ... Q Hamital.
Multi-Version Concordance Hamutal (3 Occurrences). 2 Kings 23 ...
/h/hamutal.htm - 8k

Libnah (18 Occurrences)
... Sennacherib laid siege to it (2 Kings 19:8; Isaiah 37:8). It was the native
place of Hamutal, the queen of Josiah (2 Kings 23:31). ...
/l/libnah.htm - 15k

Hamu'tal (3 Occurrences)
Hamu'tal. Hamutal, Hamu'tal. Hanameel . Multi-Version Concordance
Hamu'tal (3 Occurrences). 2 Kings 23:31 Jehoahaz was twenty and ...
/h/hamu'tal.htm - 7k

Twenty-one (7 Occurrences)
... Kings 24:18 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign; and he reigned
eleven years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter ...
/t/twenty-one.htm - 8k

Reigning (57 Occurrences)
... son of twenty and three years 'is' Jehoahaz in his reigning, and three months he
hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother 'is' Hamutal daughter of ...
/r/reigning.htm - 24k

Queen (59 Occurrences)
... of Haruz of Jotbah, the mother of Amon (2 Kings 21:19); Jedidah, the daughter of
Adaiah of Bozkath, the mother of Josiah (2 Kings 22:1); Hamutal, the daughter ...
/q/queen.htm - 44k

Eleven (25 Occurrences)
... Kings 24:18 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign; and he reigned
eleven years in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter ...
/e/eleven.htm - 16k

Mother (2641 Occurrences)
... of Haruz of Jotbah, the mother of Amon (2 Kings 21:19); Jedidah, the daughter of
Adaiah of Bozkath, the mother of Josiah (2 Kings 22:1); Hamutal, the daughter ...
/m/mother.htm - 17k

Zedeki'ah (62 Occurrences)
... 24:18 Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign; and he reigned
eleven years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of ...
/z/zedeki'ah.htm - 25k

Mother's (102 Occurrences)
... 23:31 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned
three months in Jerusalem: and his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of ...
/m/mother's.htm - 39k

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