Which is correct?

Question

II Kings 24:8
Jehoiachim was eighteen years old when he began to reign and he reigned in Jerusalem three months.
II Chronicles 36:9
Jehoiachim was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem.

Answer 1

After a little checking in the Hebrew, the answer is BOTH are correct.

Let's clarify the passages, only let's exchange the pronoun "he" for the actual target of the pronouns.

In Kings 24, the Hebrew is starting a new chapter. There is nothing to target the pronouns except for that which is in the first verse alone. So it would be rendered...

II Kings 24:8
Jehoiachim was eighteen years old when Jehoiachim began to reign and Jehoiachim reigned in Jerusalem three months.
_____________________________

Chronicles 36 is different in that we are in the middle of the chapter and there is target identification of the pronouns. The previous verse speaks of his father Jehoiakim. So it would be rendered...

II Chronicles 36:9
Jehoiachim was eight years old when [his father] Jehoiakim began to reign, and Jehoiachim reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem.

Now, let's confirm this. How long did his father Jehoiakim rule? In verse 5 of Chronicles it states, "eleven years". Depending on when Jehoiachim was born and when the actual rule of Jehoiakim began, this could easily give us a space of ten years. So add the ten years to the eight , and we get eighteen.
This works as a confirmation that this is a failure in translation based on pronoun identification. Not taking the context of the paragraphs in Hebrew into account, this would not be an uncommon error going from one language to another. The Bible stands with no contradictions in the original language and context.

Answer 2

The King James Study Bible says that "the age given in 36:9 was probably miscopied." Several ancient versions record his age as 18.

Also the King James Bible spells his name Jehoiachin.

Notice how the scholars say "probably miscopied," this means they are so familiar with the Bible being accurate that they are not going to say for certain that it is wrong.

Answer 3

Most of this stuff was invented out of whole cloth in the 7th C BCE so Josiah could justify his imperial ambitions to the people of Judah.

Answer 4

Another fine example of the Bible's bullshitt.

Answer 5

Where's the problem dude?

Answer 6

I wasn't there. But translations are not always flawless.

Answer 7

Niether one actually.