Nehushta

Nehushta was the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem, the wife of King Jehoiakim, and the mother of Jehoiachin who succeeded his father on the throne of Judah (2 Kings 24:8). When Nebuchadnezzar came against Jerusalem in 597 BC, Jehoiachin and his mother surrendered and were taken into exile in Babylon together with the court officials and skilled workers (2 Kings 24:12). Her inclusion in the exile notice alongside her son reflects the significance of the queen mother (gebirah) in the Judahite royal court.