Jeremiah (of Libnah)
A person in the Bible. Also called Jeremiah of Libnah, Jeremiah the Libnahite, Jeremiah, father of Hamutal.
| Classification | Biblical figure |
|---|---|
| Alias | Jeremiah of Libnah |
| Era | Late kingdom of Judah (around the reign of King Josiah; generally placed in approximately the 7th century BC) |
| Name | Jeremiah |
| Place of origin | Libnah |
| Related Figures | Hamutal (daughter), Josiah (son-in-law), Jehoahaz and Zedekiah (maternal grandsons) |
| Biblical References | 2 Kings 23:31; 24:18; Jeremiah 52:1 |
Jeremiah of Libnah was the father of Hamutal, the wife of King Josiah of Judah, and the maternal grandfather of Kings Jehoahaz and Zedekiah. He is a different person from the prophet Jeremiah, who bore the same name.
About this articleAI draft from a Korean source. Notes on Korean Protestant practice. No sources listed. Not yet reviewed by a person.
- Origin
Drafted by AI from the Korean church.wiki article, then translated and adapted for English readers on 5 November 2026.
- Perspective
Includes notes on Korean Protestant practice; other traditions are noted where they differ.
- Sources
None listed yet. The article draws on the biblical text and general reference works. Add a source
- Review
Not yet reviewed by a person. Last edited by a person: never. Translation updated 5 November 2026. Edit history
Biblical Record
This figure appears only in passages that introduce the mothers of the kings of Judah. When Jehoahaz the son of Josiah comes to the throne, 2 Kings 23:31 records, "his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah." Second Kings 24:18 and Jeremiah 52:1 introduce the mother of King Zedekiah in the same words.
According to these records, he was King Josiah's father-in-law and the maternal grandfather of Jehoahaz and Zedekiah. Apart from his name and his hometown of Libnah, the text says nothing about his occupation or deeds. Libnah was a town in the western lowland of Judah (the Shephelah).
Significance Within the Bible
When introducing the kings of Judah, 2 Kings frequently records the name of the king's mother along with her family. This man's name was preserved in keeping with that practice. The mother of Jehoiakim was Zebudah, "the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah" (2 Kings 23:36). These records therefore show that Jehoahaz and Zedekiah were brothers born of the same mother, whereas Jehoiakim had a different mother. The New Testament does not mention this figure.
Interpretation and Questions
The prophet Jeremiah, who was active in the same period, was the son of Hilkiah, a priest from Anathoth (Jeremiah 1:1). The two are generally regarded as different people who simply share the same name. Confusion arises especially easily in Jeremiah 52:1, where this namesake appears within the very book of Jeremiah that bears the prophet's name.
Libnah is recorded as one of the towns given to the descendants of Aaron (Joshua 21:13). On this basis some have speculated that he may have come from a priestly family, but the text does not say so directly. Nor is there any evidence that he is the same person as the other men named Jeremiah who appear in 1 Chronicles and elsewhere.
Perspective: Korean Protestant practiceHow this figure is used in Korean churches, kept from the original Korean article.
In Korean churches, this figure appears seldom to be treated on his own in sermons or Sunday school. He is mentioned mainly when readers of 2 Kings or Jeremiah need to distinguish him from the prophet Jeremiah.
Where Jeremiah (of Libnah) appears
Three passages in the King James Version. Each opens in the Bible with a way back to this article.
- 2 Kings 23:31Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was…
- 2 Kings 24:18Zedekiah 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,…
- Jeremiah 52:1Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hamutal…
See also 6
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