2 Chronicles 36 3

2 Chronicles 36:3 kjv

And the king of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem, and condemned the land in an hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

2 Chronicles 36:3 nkjv

Now the king of Egypt deposed him at Jerusalem; and he imposed on the land a tribute of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

2 Chronicles 36:3 niv

The king of Egypt dethroned him in Jerusalem and imposed on Judah a levy of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

2 Chronicles 36:3 esv

Then the king of Egypt deposed him in Jerusalem and laid on the land a tribute of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

2 Chronicles 36:3 nlt

Then he was deposed by the king of Egypt, who demanded that Judah pay 7,500 pounds of silver and 75 pounds of gold as tribute.

2 Chronicles 36 verses

2 Chronicles 36 3 Meaning

The king of Egypt, Pharaoh Necho, forcefully removed Jehoahaz from his throne in Jerusalem. As a consequence, Necho imposed a heavy financial burden upon the land of Judah, demanding a tribute of one hundred talents of silver and one talent of gold, effectively reducing Judah to a vassal state. This act underscores Judah's rapid descent into foreign control after the death of righteous King Josiah.

2 Chronicles 36 3 Context

This verse occurs at a critical juncture in Judah's history, immediately following the unexpected death of good King Josiah at the Battle of Megiddo, fighting against Pharaoh Necho of Egypt. Josiah's death plunged Judah into chaos. His son, Jehoahaz (also called Shallum), was chosen by the people to succeed him, bypassing his elder brother Jehoiakim. Jehoahaz reigned for only three months. Pharaoh Necho, after his victory at Megiddo, continued his campaign northward towards the Euphrates. On his return journey, he asserted his dominance over Judah by intervening in its internal affairs, removing the people's choice for king, Jehoahaz, and installing his own choice (Jehoiakim in the next verse), while also imposing a massive tribute. This act vividly demonstrates Judah's complete loss of sovereignty and marks a decisive step towards its eventual Babylonian exile.

2 Chronicles 36 3 Word analysis

• Then the king of Egypt: Refers to Pharaoh Necho III (also Neco), a powerful Egyptian monarch of the 26th Dynasty. His victory over Josiah at Megiddo cemented Egyptian regional dominance for a brief period, demonstrating their significant influence over Judah's affairs at this time.
• deposed him: The Hebrew verb is וַיָּסַר (wayyasâr) from the root סוּר (sur), meaning "to turn aside, depart, remove, depose." This is a Hiphil form, indicating active causation: Necho caused him to be removed. It highlights the forceful and humiliating nature of Jehoahaz's dethronement by a foreign power, contrary to the people's earlier selection (2 Chron 36:1). This was not a negotiated abdication but an imposed act of subjugation.
• at Jerusalem: This specific detail is significant. Jerusalem was the capital, the holy city, the place where God had chosen to put His name, and the seat of the Davidic dynasty. For a foreign king to assert such power and depose Judah's ruler in its very capital was a profound desecration and public humiliation, underscoring the spiritual and political degradation of Judah.
• and laid on the land: The action directly affects the entire nation, not just the royal family or the palace. This tribute was a burden on every individual, showing that Judah was now reduced to a vassal state, economically exploited by Egypt. It demonstrates the breaking of national independence and prosperity.
• a tribute: The Hebrew word here is עֹנֶשׁ ('onesh), which literally means "fine" or "penalty." This term suggests that Necho's imposition was not just a customary tax but a punitive measure, perhaps a penalty for Jehoahaz's brief, independent reign or a form of compensation for Egypt's expenses during the conflict that led to Josiah's death. It highlights Judah's position of inferiority and subservience.
• of one hundred talents of silver: A colossal sum. A talent (כִּכָּר, kikkar) was a large unit of weight, typically estimated at around 75 pounds (34 kg). One hundred talents of silver would equate to roughly 7,500 pounds (3,400 kg) of silver, a immense financial drain that would cripple Judah's economy and signifies its heavy subjugation.
• and one talent of gold: Though smaller in weight, gold was significantly more valuable than silver. This additional gold further accentuated the severity of the tribute, solidifying Judah's status as a subordinate power paying a heavy price for its defiance or as part of the new vassalage arrangement.

Words-group analysis:

• "deposed him at Jerusalem": This phrase dramatically encapsulates the loss of divine favor and political autonomy. The deposition of the king, the chosen line of David, in the very city designated as God's abode, illustrates Judah's fallen state and the vulnerability of its leadership without divine protection due to national sin. It’s a direct challenge to the Davidic covenant from a human perspective, though it occurs within the bounds of God's overarching sovereign plan of judgment.
• "laid on the land a tribute of one hundred talents of silver and one talent of gold": This phrase demonstrates the economic impact and the widespread suffering that followed Judah's spiritual and political decline. The heavy financial burden reflects God's judgment manifesting through a foreign power, as previously warned in Deuteronomic curses, forcing the people to serve their enemies and deplete their resources. It symbolizes the material consequences of spiritual backsliding and rebellion against God.

2 Chronicles 36 3 Bonus section

The swiftness of Pharaoh Necho's intervention (deposing Jehoahaz after only three months, v.2) underscores the fragility of Judah's political stability post-Josiah and how easily foreign powers could now manipulate the throne. This verse acts as a bridge from the hopeful, if ultimately tragic, reign of Josiah to the final, dire period of Judah's history marked by weak, short-lived, and subservient kings leading directly to the exile. It emphasizes a stark shift from an era of revival to one of rapid dissolution, where external dominion replaces internal, divinely-sanctioned rule.

2 Chronicles 36 3 Commentary

2 Chronicles 36:3 starkly reveals a pivotal moment in Judah's final decline. Following Josiah's death, the people chose Jehoahaz, reflecting a brief attempt at self-determination. However, this verse immediately demonstrates that Judah's destiny was now largely controlled by external powers. Pharaoh Necho's actions—depositing Jehoahaz and imposing a crushing tribute—were not random political maneuvers but manifestations of divine judgment. This punishment aligns with the covenant curses foretold in Deuteronomy, where national disobedience would lead to subjugation, loss of sovereignty, and economic exploitation by foreign enemies. The removal of Jehoahaz, even though he was king for only three months, signified that Judah no longer possessed true independence. The significant tribute was not merely a tax; it was a 'fine' (עֹנֶשׁ), a punitive cost for their rebellion and the death of Josiah, even though God had intended it. This heavy burden symbolized the spiritual and political price Judah was paying for generations of unfaithfulness, leading inexorably towards the Babylonian exile. It underscores that God, in His sovereignty, uses even pagan rulers as instruments of His righteous purposes, turning the hearts of kings wherever He wills (Prov 21:1) to accomplish His divine will.