2 Kings 23 34

2 Kings 23:34 kjv

And Pharaohnechoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room of Josiah his father, and turned his name to Jehoiakim, and took Jehoahaz away: and he came to Egypt, and died there.

2 Kings 23:34 nkjv

Then Pharaoh Necho made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in place of his father Josiah, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. And Pharaoh took Jehoahaz and went to Egypt, and he died there.

2 Kings 23:34 niv

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.

2 Kings 23:34 esv

And Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the place of Josiah his father, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz away, and he came to Egypt and died there.

2 Kings 23:34 nlt

Pharaoh Neco then installed Eliakim, another of Josiah's sons, to reign in place of his father, and he changed Eliakim's name to Jehoiakim. Jehoahaz was taken to Egypt as a prisoner, where he died.

2 Kings 23 verses

2 Kings 23 34 Meaning

The verse describes a pivotal moment in the history of the Kingdom of Judah following the death of King Josiah. It details how Pharaoh Neco, the king of Egypt, asserted his dominance by deposing Josiah's son, Jehoahaz (who had been made king by the people of Judah), and instead installed another of Josiah's sons, Eliakim, on the throne. Pharaoh Neco solidified his authority by changing Eliakim's name to Jehoiakim, a clear mark of vassalage and suzerainty. Furthermore, Jehoahaz was taken as a captive to Egypt, where he subsequently died, symbolizing Judah's loss of autonomy and the beginning of its final decline into foreign subjugation.

2 Kings 23 34 Context

This verse occurs at a critical juncture in Judah's history, directly after the death of the righteous King Josiah in battle against Pharaoh Neco at Megiddo (2 Kings 23:29). Josiah had led significant religious reforms, purifying Judah from idolatry (2 Kings 23:4-25), yet his sudden demise left the kingdom vulnerable. The people had initially chosen Jehoahaz, Josiah's son, to succeed him, reflecting a desire to maintain Judah's independence. However, Pharaoh Neco's swift intervention, as described in verse 34, immediately demonstrates the reversal of fortune and the crushing weight of foreign power upon Judah. This event signals the definitive end of Judah's era of autonomy and righteousness, paving the way for further Babylonian incursions and the ultimate exile, largely a consequence of the continued apostasy of the people after Josiah's reign (2 Kings 23:26-27).

2 Kings 23 34 Word analysis

• Pharaoh Neco (פַּרְעֹה נְכוֹ - Par'oh Nekho): Neco II was an Egyptian pharaoh of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty who reigned from 610 to 595 BC. His name signifies a specific historical figure and ruler, indicating a powerful foreign authority asserting its dominance over Judah. His direct involvement highlights the severe decline of Judah's political independence.
• made Eliakim (וַיַּמְלֵךְ אֶת־אֶלְיָקִים - va'yamlech et Eliyakim): The verb "made king" (וַיַּמְלֵךְ) is causative, emphasizing Neco's direct and forceful role in setting up the Judean monarch, not simply acknowledging a prior choice. Eliakim was another son of Josiah.
• the son of Josiah (בֶּן־יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ - ben Yo'shiyahu): Identifies Eliakim's lineage, connecting him directly to the previous Judean king. This established a line of succession, though one now controlled by a foreign entity.
• king in place of Josiah his father (תַּחַת יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ אָבִיו - tachath Yo'shiyahu aviv): While Josiah was indeed dead, Jehoahaz had already reigned for three months. Neco's action here effectively overrode the people's earlier decision and established his absolute power to dictate the Judean succession.
• and changed his name to Jehoiakim (וַיַּסֵּב אֶת־שְׁמוֹ יְהוֹיָקִים - va'yassev et sh'mo Yehoyakim): The act of changing a name by a suzerain power was a definitive and widely recognized symbol of subjugation and control in the ancient Near East. It declared ownership and allegiance. "Eliakim" (אֶלְיָקִים) means "God raises up," while "Jehoiakim" (יְהוֹיָקִים) means "Yahweh raises up" or "Yahweh establishes." Though both names invoke a deity for "raising up," the crucial point is that Neco, not God or Judah, dictated the new name, signifying Eliakim's identity and authority were now ultimately derived from Pharaoh.
• But he took Jehoahaz away (וְאֵת יְהוֹאָחָז לָקָח - v'et Yehoyakhaz laqach): The word "took away" (לָקַח - laqach) signifies a forceful removal, an act of capture. Jehoahaz, known as Shallum in Jeremiah, had been Judah's chosen king. Neco's removal of him highlights the complete overturning of Judah's national will.
• and he came to Egypt and died there (וַיָּבֹא מִצְרַיִם וַיָּמָת שָׁם - vayyavo Mitsrayim vayyamat sham): This phrase seals Jehoahaz's tragic fate, dying in exile in the very land from which God had delivered Israel generations before. This serves as a grim foreboding of the widespread exile and death that would soon befall Judah as a nation, demonstrating the dire consequences of disobedience.

2 Kings 23 34 Bonus section

This incident by Pharaoh Neco parallels and foreshadows Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon's later actions in installing Zedekiah (Mattaniah) and changing his name in 2 Kings 24:17. Both acts cemented foreign domination, demonstrating the power of the conquering empire to dictate not only leadership but also identity within the conquered kingdom. The brief, three-month reign of Jehoahaz chosen by the people represents Judah's last independent choice of a king. Its swift overthrow by a foreign power clearly marks the beginning of the end for the southern kingdom. While Eliakim (Jehoiakim) was of the legitimate Davidic line, his installation by a foreign power meant his reign began under a dark cloud of dependency, leading to his later rebellion and Judah's continued decline. The contrast between "Eliakim" ("God raises up") and "Jehoiakim" ("Yahweh raises up") could also subtly hint at the transfer of perceived "ownership" of the king's elevation from a generic deity to the specific covenant God of Israel, now under the Egyptian suzerainty. This period also reflects the increasing competition between Egypt and the rising Babylonian empire, with Judah caught directly in the geopolitical crosshairs.

2 Kings 23 34 Commentary

This concise verse dramatically captures the moment Judah definitively lost its self-rule. Pharaoh Neco's actions—depositing Jehoahaz, installing Eliakim, and symbolically renaming him Jehoiakim—were not merely political maneuvering; they were potent demonstrations of imperial control that utterly stripped Judah of its sovereignty. The renaming, a common practice among conquering powers, served as a tangible sign that the Judean king's authority now stemmed from Pharaoh, effectively making Judah a puppet state. The tragic death of Jehoahaz in Egypt, away from his ancestral land, underscored the severe judgment falling upon Judah. This incident served as a stark precursor to the greater judgment of Babylonian exile, illustrating that God had withdrawn His protective hand from Judah's unfaithful kingship, making them subject to the will of human empires as a consequence of their persistent sin, particularly idolatry and rejecting God's law following Josiah's reforms. This event also echoes God's overarching sovereignty, as He allows and even uses foreign kings to accomplish His divine purposes of judgment and discipline for His covenant people.