מלכים ב, פרק כ״ה, פסוק כ״ז

After decades of languishing in captivity, a sudden change in the leadership of the Babylonian empire brings a dramatic and unexpected turn of events for the exiled Jewish king. Following the death of Nebuchadnezzar, his son Evil-merodach ascends to the throne and immediately orders the release of Jehoiachin. This release is not merely a physical freeing from the dungeon; it is accompanied by an immediate elevation in status, granting the former king renewed greatness and honor.

There is a slight discrepancy regarding the exact date of this event, with accounts placing it either on the twenty-fifth or the twenty-seventh of the month. One perspective suggests this reflects a continuous process of liberation. The physical removal from prison began on the twenty-fifth, and the process was completed on the twenty-seventh when Jehoiachin was officially bestowed with his new royal honors [מלבי״ם, רלב״ג].

However, the primary approach among commentators links the differing dates to a turbulent chain of events surrounding Nebuchadnezzar's death. According to this tradition, Nebuchadnezzar died on the twenty-fifth and was buried on the twenty-sixth. Then, on the twenty-seventh, Evil-merodach exhumed his father's body and dragged it through the city streets.

The motivation behind this shocking act is a subject of discussion. Some explain that the public display was intended to formally announce Nebuchadnezzar's death to the masses, thereby nullifying his harsh decrees [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. Others attribute the act to Evil-merodach's deep-seated fear of his father. Years earlier, Nebuchadnezzar had lost his sanity and lived among wild beasts, during which time Evil-merodach ruled in his stead. When Nebuchadnezzar's sanity returned and he reclaimed the throne, he imprisoned his son. Scarred by this trauma, Evil-merodach was terrified that his father might not actually be dead and could return once again. He therefore pulled the body from the grave to confirm the death with absolute certainty [רד״ק, רלב״ג].

A unique perspective suggests that Jehoiachin himself played a critical role in this gruesome event. He advised Evil-merodach to exhume and dismember his father's body to guarantee he could never return to life. As a reward for this counsel, Jehoiachin was freed from prison and granted his high status [אברבנאל].

Commentators agree that the desecration of Nebuchadnezzar's corpse served as the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy, which foretold that he would be cast out of his grave like a rejected branch. Finally, the precise dating of these events provides a clear historical timeline. Because the thirty-seventh year of Jehoiachin's exile aligns with the first year of Evil-merodach's reign, it can be calculated that Nebuchadnezzar's rule lasted exactly forty-four years [רלב״ג].