Midrasch zu Divrej Hajamim I 3:31

R. Juda said: "Exile atones for three things, as it is said (Jer. 21, 9) He that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, or by the famine, or by the pestilence; but he that goeth out and runneth away to the Chaldeans that besiege you, shall remain alive, and his life shall be unto him as a booty." R. Jochanan, however, said: "Exile atones for every thing, for it is said (Ib. 22, 30) Thus hath said the Lord, write ye down this man as childless, as a man that shall not prosper in his days; for no man of his seeds shalt succeed to sit upon the throne of David, and to rule any more in Judah. And after he was exiled it is written (I Chr. 3, 17) And the sons of Yechanyah: Assir, Shealthiel his son. And there is a tradition that Assir and Shealthiel is the same person; he was called Assir, because his mother became pregnant when she was imprisoned; Shealthiel because he was planted by God not in the ordinary way of those that are planted [in prison]. In another way the name, Shealthiel, may be explained, concerning whom the Almighty asked an absolution upon the vow; who was planted in Babel. What was his real name — Nehemiah b. Cha'chalia.

Another matter: “Place me as a seal [upon your heart]” – Rabbi Berekhya said: This is the reciting of Shema, as it is stated: “These matters…shall be upon your heart” (Deuteronomy 6:6). “As a seal upon your arm” – these are phylacteries, just as it says: “You shall bind them as a sign upon your arm” (Deuteronomy 6:8).
Rabbi Meir said: “Place me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm” – like Yehoyakhin. As Rabbi Meir said: The Holy One blessed be He took an oath that He would sever the kingdom of the House of David from him. That is what is written: “As I live, the utterance of the Lord, for if Konya son of Yehoyakim,⁸Konya was another name of Yehoyakhin. king of Judah, would be a signet ring upon My right hand, then from there I would sever you [etkenka]” (Jeremiah 22:24). Rabbi Ḥanina bar Yitzḥak said: From there I would sever the kingdom of the House of David. Alternatively, it is not written here anatekkha, but rather, “etkenka”;⁹The expression “I would sever you” is not written with the more common Hebrew term anatekkha, but rather with the word etkenka. This word can also be vocalized atakenkha, which means I will rectify you. I will rectify you [atakenkha] with repentance. From the place of your severance, there will be your rectification.
Rabbi Ze’eira said: I heard the voice of Rabbi Yitzḥak as he was sitting and expounding this matter, but I do not know what it was.¹⁰I heard him state the aforementioned teaching regarding Yehoyakhin, but I do not know how he derived it. Rabbi Aḥa Arikha said to him: They say that this is it: It is written: “Write this man childless, a man who will not succeed in his days” (Jeremiah 22:30). In his days he will not be successful, but in the days of his son he will be successful, as it is written: “On that day, the utterance of the Lord of hosts, I will take you, Zerubavel son of She’altiel, My servant, the utterance of the Lord, and I will place you like a signet…” (Hagai 2:23).
Rabbi Aḥa bar Rabbi Avun bar Binyamin said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa son of Rav Pappi: Great is the power of repentance, as it nullifies the decree and nullifies the oath. Nullifies the decree, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Write this man childless, [a man who will not succeed in his days, sitting upon the throne of David and ruling any more in Judah]” (Jeremiah 22:30), and it is written: “On that day, the utterance of the Lord of hosts, I will take you, Zerubavel son of She’altiel, My servant, the utterance of the Lord, and I will place you like a signet; for I have chosen you, the utterance of the Lord of hosts]” (Hagai 2:23). Nullifies the oath, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “As I live, the utterance of the Lord, for if Konya son of Yehoyakim, king of Judah, would be a signet ring upon My right hand, [then from there I would sever you]” (Jeremiah 22:24). And it is written: “The sons of Yekhonya:¹¹Yekhonya is another name for Yehoyakhin. Asir, She’altiel his son…” (I Chronicles 3:17).¹²The passage continues by listing Zerubavel, who became governor of Judah, as a descendant of Yekhonya (verse 19). Thus, the oath to end the royal line with Yekhonya was nullified.
Rabbi Tanḥum ben Rabbi Yirmeya said: Asir, because he was incarcerated in prison;¹³The word asir means prisoner. Yekhonya was imprisoned, and some say that Asir was conceived or even born in prison (see Radak, I Chronicles 3:17). She’altiel, because the kingdom of the House of David was replanted [hushtela] from him. Alternatively, Asir, as the Holy One blessed be He prohibited [asar] Himself by means of an oath;¹⁴He took an oath that He would not grant Yekhonya children. She’altiel, because He requested [shaal] from the supernal court and they dissolved His vow.

Another interpretation: "This month for you..." (Exodus 12:2) This is what is written, "That the righteous shall flourish in his days and multiply peace until the moon is no more" (Psalms 72:7) - until the Holy One Blessed Be He does not bring out Israel from the land of Egypt. It was a hint that kingship did not come to them for 30 generations, as it is written "This month for you shall be the head of the months..." A month is 30 days, and your kingship is 30 generations. The moon begins to give light on the 1st of Nissan, and all the more so it gives light until 15 days, and its disc becomes full. And from 15 to 30, its light diminishes - on the 30th, it cannot be seen. Accordingly is Israel 15 generations from Abraham to Solomon. Abraham began to give light, as was written: "Who has roused a righteous one from the East; He shall call him to His foot" (Isaiah 41:2) [reading ha-ir with an ayin "roused" as "ha-ir" with an aleph "gave light"] Isaac came, and even he gave light, as was said, "Light was sown for the righteous" (Psalms 97:11). Jacob came and added light, as was said, "And the light of Israel will be for fire" (Isaiah 10:17). And after this: Judah, Peretz, Ram, Amminadab, Nachshon, Salmon, Boaz, Oved, Jesse, David. When Solomon came, the disc of the moon became full, as was said, "And Solomon sat on the throne of YHVH as king" (1 Chronicles 29:23). And how could a human sit on the throne of the Holy One Blessed Be He who said about it, "His throne was tongues of flame" (Daniel 7:9)? Rather, just as the Holy One Blessed Be He dominated from end to end of the earth and dominates all kings, as is said "All of the kings of the world shall acknowledge You" (Psalms 138:4), so Solomon dominated from end to end of the earth, as was said, "And all the kings of the earth would request to come before Solomon... and each one of them would bring his tribute..." (2 Chronicles 9:23-24) And therefore it was said, "And Solomon sat on the throne of YHVH as king". The Holy One Blessed Be He dressed him in majesty and splendor and gave Solomon the majesty of kingship, as was said, "And He gave him the majesty of kingship..." (1 Chronicles 29:25) on the throne of the Holy One Blessed Be He, as was written, "And the likeness of their faces was the face of a man and the face of a lion..." (Ezekiel 1:10). And regarding Solomon, it was written "And on the insets that were between the frames were lions, oxen..." (I Kings 7:29) And one verse says, "...like the work of chariot wheels..." (I Kings 7:33). On the throne of the Holy One Blessed Be He, no bad thing befalls, as was said, "Evil cannot dwell with You" (Psalms 5:5), and regarding Solomon it is written, "...there is no bad adversary and no bad happenstance" (I Kings 5:20). The Holy One Blessed Be He made 6 firmaments and dwelt in the seventh. And regarding Solomon's throne it is written "Six steps up to the throne..." (I Kings 10:19) and he sits on the seventh step. Behold, the disc of the moon became full, and from there, the kings began to diminish and go: "And the son of Solomon was Rehoboam" (I Chronicles 3:10), and the son of Rehoboam was Aviyah, and his son Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joram, Achazia, Joash, Amazia, Uzziah, Jotham, Achaz, Hezekiah, Menashe, Amon, Josiah, Jehoiakim. Since Zedekiah came, as was written "And the eyes of Zedekiah were blinded" (Jeremiah 52:11) - lacking the moon's light. And all of those years, despite Israel sinning, the patriarchs would pray for them and make peace between Israel and the Omnipresent, as was said, "Let the mountains lift up peace for the people" (Psalms 72:3). And there are no mountains other than the patriarchs, as was said, "Listen, mountains, to the argument of YHVH" (Micah 6:2) . And until when were the patriarchs praying for them? Until Zedekiah lost his eyes and the Temple was destroyed, as was said "..and multiply peace until the moon is no more" (Psalms 72:7) - until 30 generations that Israel had kingship. From that hour until now, who makes peace for Israel? YHVH, as was said, "May YHVH lift his face to you and grant you peace" (Numbers 6:26)

It is written (in Ps. 121:1): A SONG OF ASCENTS. I WILL LIFT UP MY EYES UNTO THE MOUNTAINS. FROM WHERE WILL MY HELP COME? It is also written (in Zech. 4:7): WHO ARE YOU, O GREAT MOUNTAIN, BEFORE ZERUBBABEL? BECOME LEVEL GROUND.⁸²Tanh., Gen. 6:14. What is the meaning of WHO ARE YOU, O GREAT MOUNTAIN? This is the Messianic King. Then why does it call him GREAT MOUNTAIN? Because he is greater than the ancestors, as stated (in Is. 52:13): BEHOLD, MY SERVANT SHALL BRING LOW.⁸³The Masoretic Text reads: SHALL PROSPER. HE SHALL BE EXALTED, LIFTED UP, AND BECOME EXCEEDINGLY TALL. HE SHALL BE EXALTED (rt.: RWM) more than Abraham, LIFTED UP more than Moses, AND BECOME EXCEEDINGLY TALL, more so than the ministering angels. < HE SHALL BE EXALTED > more than Abraham, of whom it is written (in Gen. 14:22): I HAVE RAISED (rt.: RWM) MY HAND UNTO THE LORD. < He shall be > LIFTED UP more than Moses, of whom it is stated (in Numb. 11:12): THAT YOU (the LORD) SHOULD SAY TO ME (Moses): LIFT THEM UP IN YOUR BOSOM AS THE NURSE LIFTS UP A SUCKLING CHILD. AND < he shall > BECOME… TALL (rt.: GBH), more than the ministering angels, of whom it is stated (in Ezek. 1:18): THEIR (the angelic wheels') RIMS (rt.: GBB) WERE BOTH TALL (rt.: GBH) < AND AWESOME >…. From whom did he arise? From [Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel < arose >] from David. Thus it is stated (in I Chron 3:10-24): AND SOLOMON'S SON WAS REHOBOAM, ABIJAH HIS SON, ASA HIS SON, JEHOSHAPHAT HIS SON, JORAM HIS SON, AHAZIAH HIS SON, JOASH HIS SON, AMAZIAH HIS SON, AZARIAH HIS SON, [JOTHAM HIS SON], AHAZ HIS SON, HEZEKIAH HIS SON, MANASSEH HIS SON, AMON HIS SON, AND JOSIAH HIS SON. NOW THE SONS OF JOSIAH WERE JOHANAN THE FIRST-BORN, JEHOIAKIM THE SECOND, ZEDEKIAH THE THIRD, AND SHALLUM THE FOURTH. THE SONS OF JEHOIAKIM WERE HIS SON JECONIAH AND HIS SON ZEDEKIAH. AND THE SONS OF JECONIAH, THE CAPTIVE, WERE SHEALTIEL HIS SON, MALCHIRAM, PEDAIAH, SHENAZZAR, JEKAMIAH, HOSHAMA, AND NEDABIAH. THE SONS OF PEDAIAH WERE ZERUBBABEL AND SHIMEI. THE SONS OF ZERUBBABEL WERE MESHULLAM AND HANANIAH, AND SHELOMITH WAS THEIR SISTER; ALSO HASHUBAH, OHEL, BERECHIAH, (HASARIAH) [HASADIAH], JUSHABHESED: FIVE (from after the exile). AND THE SONS OF HANANIAH WERE (PELITIA) [PELATIAH] AND JESHAIAH. AND THE SONS OF < JESHAIAH >: REPHAIAH; THE SONS OF < REPHAIAH >: ARNAN; THE SONS OF < ARNAN >: OBADIAH; THE SONS OF < OBADIAH >: SHECANIAH; THE SONS OF SHECANIAH: SHEMAIAH. THE SONS OF SHEMAIAH WERE HATTUSH, IGAL, [BARIAH], NEARIAH, AND SHAPHAT: SIX. THE SONS OF NEARIAH WERE ELIOENAI, HIZKIAH, AND AZRIKAM: THREE. AND THE SONS OF ELIOENAI WERE HODAVIAH, ELIASHIB, PELAIAH, AKKUB, JOHANAN, DELAIAH, AND ANANI: SEVEN. Now up to here the Scripture has given [you] detail. Who is Anani? This is the Messianic [King], as stated (in Dan. 7:13): AS I WAS LOOKING ON (IN A VISION AT NIGHT) [IN THE NIGHT VISIONS], BEHOLD, ALONG WITH ANANI⁸⁴The Masoretic Text vocalizes ‘anani as ‘anane, which means “clouds.” OF < HEAVEN, ONE LIKE A HUMAN BEING >…. What is the meaning of the SEVEN (in I Chron. 3:24)? [What is] that which is written about the Messiah? That which is stated (in Zech. 4:10): FOR WHOEVER HAS DESPISED THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS SHALL REJOICE TO SEE THE PLUMMET IN THE HAND OF ZERUBBABEL, < EVEN > SEVEN: (BEHOLD), [THESE ARE] THE EYES ('ene) OF THE LORD. THEY ROAM AROUND ALL THE EARTH. It is therefore stated (in Zech. 4:7): WHO ARE YOU, O GREAT MOUNTAIN, BEFORE ZERUBBABEL? BECOME LEVEL GROUND. This is what is written about him (in Is. 11:4): SO HE SHALL JUDGE THE POOR WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS AND DECIDE WITH EQUITY < FOR THE MEEK ('anawi) OF THE EARTH >….