2 Kings 23:31-35

Jehoahaz King of Judah

31 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah.

32 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as his predecessors had done.

33 Pharaoh Necho put him in chains at Riblah in the land of Hamath so that he might not reign in Jerusalem, and he imposed on Judah a levy of a hundred talents^[a] of silver and a talent^[b] of gold.

34 Pharaoh Necho made Eliakim son of Josiah king in place of his father Josiah and changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz and carried him off to Egypt, and there he died.

35 Jehoiakim paid Pharaoh Necho the silver and gold he demanded. In order to do so, he taxed the land and exacted the silver and gold from the people of the land according to their assessments.

2 Kings 23:31-35 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 23

This chapter treats of Josiah's reading the book of the law, and of him and the people renewing the covenant with God, 2Ki 23:1-3, and of his removing idols and idolatry in every shape, and witchcraft, out of the land, which he did in the sincerity of his heart, 2Ki 23:4-25, yet the wrath of God was still determined upon the land, 2Ki 23:26-28 and Josiah was taken away by an untimely death, 2Ki 23:29,30 and was succeeded by two sons of his, one after another, whose reigns were wicked, 2Ki 23:31-37.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Chronicles 3:15; Jeremiah 22:11
• 2. 2 Kings 24:18
• 3. 1 Kings 15:26
• 4. S Numbers 34:11; 2 Kings 25:6
• 5. 1 Kings 8:65
• 6. 2 Kings 24:6; 1 Chronicles 3:15; 2 Chronicles 36:5-8; Jeremiah 1:3
• 7. Jeremiah 22:12; Ezekiel 19:3-4
• 8. ver 33; Jeremiah 2:16

Footnotes

• [a]. That is, about 3 3/4 tons or about 3.4 metric tons
• [b]. That is, about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms