Matthew Poole and continuators on Jeremiah 52:31

31 ¶ And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah in the twelfth moneth, in the five and twentieth day of the moneth , that Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison .

Iehoiachin began his reign at eighteen years of age, 2 Kings 24.8. and reigned but three Moneths, but that he yielded himself to the King of Babylon besieging him ver. 12. in the eighth year of the King of Babylons Reign. He was a prisoner in Babylon (as appeareth by this Text) in which circumstances he continued (as appears from this Text) about thirty years; which was during the whole reign of Nebuchadrezzar, sometimes called Nebuchadnezzar, sometimes Nebuchadonosor, Evil-Merodach was son to this Nebuchadrezzar, who in the twelfth Moneth of that year, the 25th. day of the Moneth (saith this Text, but 2 Kings 25.27. it is the twenty seventh day, but that difference may easily be reconciled, the Penman of this part of Holy Writ, might count precisely from the day of his Fathers death, and the penman of the book of Kings from the time of the Coronation of Evil-Merodach, or when he openly shewed himself as King; or the one might reckon from the day that Evil Merodach decreed the thing, the other from the day when he put it in Execution).

Iehoiachin began his reign at eighteen years of age, 2 Kings 24.8. and reigned but three Moneths, but that he yielded himself to the King of Babylon besieging him ver. 12. in the eighth year of the King of Babylons Reign. He was a prisoner in Babylon (as appeareth by this Text) in which circumstances he continued (as appears from this Text) about thirty years; which was during the whole reign of Nebuchadrezzar, sometimes called Nebuchadnezzar, sometimes Nebuchadonosor, Evil-Merodach was son to this Nebuchadrezzar, who in the twelfth Moneth of that year, the 25th. day of the Moneth (saith this Text, but 2 Kings 25.27. it is the twenty seventh day, but that difference may easily be reconciled, the Penman of this part of Holy Writ, might count precisely from the day of his Fathers death, and the penman of the book of Kings from the time of the Coronation of Evil-Merodach, or when he openly shewed himself as King; or the one might reckon from the day that Evil Merodach decreed the thing, the other from the day when he put it in Execution).

Lifting up the head signifies in Scripture the altering of ones estate that is in Misery, Gen. 40.20. which is all that is here meant, for his bringing him out of Prison is mentioned in the next words. The Reason of this favour is variously guessed at. The Reverend Author of our English Annotations fancieth, that Evil-Merodach, might be much of the same Age with him, and that Iehojachin got into the Acquaintance of this Evil-Merodach, during his thirty years Captivity, who considering his long imprisonment, and that now there was no danger of his heading the Iews (whose City had now been destroyed twenty five years and upward) this Prince out of his Humanity might shew him this favour, nor are such things unusual in Nations upon their changes of Princes and Counsellors.