The King Whose Skull the Earth Refused to Keep

A king refuses a grave; a skull returns to Jerusalem with four cryptic words-what does it mean when even the earth rejects you? The King Whose Skull the Earth Refused to Keep In this episode, we follow the displaced reign of Jehoiakim and the incidents that made him uncontainable after death. From a name imposed by Pharaoh Necho II to shifting tribute between empires, what choices and acts led the world to leave his body unburied? Person: Jehoiakim (born Eliakim) Person: Josiah (father) Event: Renaming by Pharaoh Necho II and installation as king Date: Death in winter of 598 BC Document: Jeremiah’s scroll read in the Temple and shown to the king - Jehoiakim was passed over by his people for the throne; Pharaoh Necho II installed and renamed him. - He paid heavy tribute first to Egypt (100 talents silver, 1 talent gold) extracted from his people. - After Babylon’s victory at Carchemish (605 BC) Jehoiakim sent tribute to Nebuchadnezzar and served Babylon for three years. - In 601 BC Jehoiakim stopped paying Babylon and realigned with Egypt when Nebuchadnezzar temporarily retreated. - During these years Jehoiakim burned a scroll dictated by Jeremiah and had a prophet hunted for speaking against him. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].