2 Kings 23 33

2 Kings 23:33 kjv

And Pharaohnechoh put him in bands at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and put the land to a tribute of an hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold.

2 Kings 23:33 nkjv

Now Pharaoh Necho put him in prison at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and he imposed on the land a tribute of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

2 Kings 23:33 niv

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 of silver and a talent of gold.

2 Kings 23:33 esv

And Pharaoh Neco put him in bonds at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem, and laid on the land a tribute of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

2 Kings 23:33 nlt

Pharaoh Neco put Jehoahaz in prison at Riblah in the land of Hamath to prevent him from ruling in Jerusalem. He also demanded that Judah pay 7,500 pounds of silver and 75 pounds of gold as tribute.

2 Kings 23 verses

2 Kings 23 33 Meaning

Pharaoh Neco asserted his dominance over the kingdom of Judah by seizing Jehoahaz, the newly appointed king, and imprisoning him at Riblah, a strategic Egyptian military post. This action effectively deposed Jehoahaz, preventing him from exercising royal authority in Jerusalem. Furthermore, Neco levied a crushing financial penalty on the land, demanding a tribute of one hundred talents of silver and one talent of gold, thereby establishing Judah as a vassal state subservient to Egypt.

2 Kings 23 33 Context

This verse follows the tragic death of King Josiah at Megiddo, where he went out to oppose Pharaoh Neco, who was passing through Judean territory en route to fight Babylon at Carchemish. After Josiah's death, the people of the land installed his son, Jehoahaz (also called Shallum), as king in Jerusalem. Jehoahaz's reign lasted a mere three months before Pharaoh Neco, having achieved his immediate objectives further north, returned and asserted direct control over Judah. This event marks a significant turning point, demonstrating Judah's complete loss of sovereignty and becoming a subjugated state, first under Egypt, then eventually under Babylon. Historically, Riblah was a strategic Egyptian military base in Syria, allowing them to control campaigns in the Levant without directly occupying Jerusalem, thus securing Judah as a northern buffer and tribute-paying vassal.

2 Kings 23 33 Word analysis

• Pharaoh Neco (נְכוֹ – Nəkô): Neco II, a powerful pharaoh of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt. He played a significant role in attempting to reassert Egyptian dominance in the Near East following the decline of the Assyrian Empire. His actions here establish Egypt as Judah's new overlord.
• put him in chains (וַיַּאַסְרֵהוּ – wayya'asrehu): From the Hebrew verb אָסַר (ʾāsar), meaning "to bind," "imprison," or "fetter." This indicates not merely detention but absolute physical restraint and public humiliation. It symbolized the complete loss of freedom and kingly power.
• at Riblah (רִבְלָה – Riblāh): A strategically important city located in the land of Hamath (Syria), on the Orontes River. It served as a forward command center for Egyptian armies operating in the Levant due to its defensible position and proximity to major trade routes. Its choice as the place of Jehoahaz's imprisonment underscores Egypt's military control over the region and not Jerusalem.
• in the land of Hamath (חֲמָת – Ḥămāṯ): Refers to the broader geographical region and former Neo-Hittite kingdom centered around the city of Hamath, north of Judah. Its mention solidifies the geopolitical reality of Egyptian dominion over a vast swath of land north of Judah.
• so that he might not reign in Jerusalem: This explicitly states Neco's intention and effect: Jehoahaz's kingship was officially terminated. Neco had the authority to depose and install rulers in vassal states, asserting foreign political control over Judah's internal affairs.
• imposed on the land a fine (וַיַּעֲנֹשׁ עַל־הָאָרֶץ – wayya'anosh 'al-hā'aretz): From the Hebrew verb עָנַשׁ (ʾānaš), "to punish" or "to fine." This indicates a punitive tax or tribute levied upon the entire country of Judah. It wasn't a consensual agreement but a demand, underscoring Judah's new status as a subject nation under duress.
• one hundred talents of silver (מֵאָה כִּכַּר־כֶּסֶף – mêʾâ kikkara-keseph): A "talent" (כִּכָּר – kikkar) was a very large unit of weight, roughly 75 pounds or 34 kilograms. 100 talents of silver amounted to approximately 7,500 pounds (over 3 metric tons) of silver. This was an immense sum, representing a massive burden on Judah's economy and its people, signifying total subjugation and resource exploitation.
• and a talent of gold (וְכִכַּר זָהָב – wekikkar zāhāḇ): Equivalent to approximately 75 pounds of gold. While less in quantity than the silver, its inclusion magnified the severity of the tribute, as gold was significantly more valuable than silver. It intensified the financial drain and served as a stark indicator of Judah's reduced status and foreign dependency.
• Words-group Analysis:
• "Pharaoh Neco put him in chains...so that he might not reign in Jerusalem": This phrase clearly illustrates Neco's complete and authoritative action of deposition and physical control. It signifies the transfer of power from a native Judean king to an external foreign ruler, ending Judah's self-determination.
• "imposed on the land a fine...one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold": This section highlights the severe economic consequences of Judah's defeat. It was not just a political shift but a devastating financial burden that crippled the nation, indicating that foreign subjugation meant both loss of political freedom and economic exploitation.

2 Kings 23 33 Bonus section

• Jehoahaz's brief reign of only three months (2 Kgs 23:31) contrasts sharply with the longer reigns of his predecessors and successors, highlighting the volatile political climate and Judah's instability at the time. This short duration can be seen as a sign of divine displeasure and judgment upon him and the nation.
• The prophet Jeremiah lamented Jehoahaz's fate, referring to him by his alternate name, Shallum, and prophesying that he would die in the land of his captivity and never return to Judah (Jer 22:10-12). This adds a prophetic dimension to the events recorded in 2 Kings, indicating that God's word foretold these specific calamities.
• Riblah became a notorious site for the demise and judgment of Judean kings. Years later, King Zedekiah and his sons would also face brutal judgment there at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kgs 25:6-7, Jer 39:5-7), underscoring its historical significance as a place where the sovereignty of Judah was violently dismantled.

2 Kings 23 33 Commentary

2 Kings 23:33 succinctly captures a pivotal moment in Judah's history: its transition from a theoretically independent kingdom to a tributary state under foreign domination. This verse demonstrates the immediate aftermath of Josiah's death, showing the swift erosion of Judah's sovereignty and God's hand in allowing this foreign power to exercise judgment upon His people. The imprisonment of Jehoahaz at Riblah, far from Jerusalem, symbolized the impotence of Judah's monarchy and the physical removal of God's anointed leader by pagan force. The heavy fine imposed underscored not only the immense cost of defiance but also the divine discipline unfolding. This subjugation by Egypt set a precedent for future, even harsher, domination by Babylon, emphasizing the consequences of the nation's spiritual apostasy and reliance on human strength over divine guidance. It serves as a reminder that God can use external forces, even pagan kings like Pharaoh Neco, to accomplish His purposes of discipline and judgment upon a wayward people.