2 Kings 23:33

33 And Pharao Nechao bound him at Rebla, which is in the land of Emath, that he should not reign in Jerusalem: and he set a fine upon the land, of a hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold.

2 Kings 23:33 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 23:33

And Pharaohnechoh put him in bands at Riblah in the land of
Hamath
Places in Syria; Hamath was formerly a kingdom in Syria, and Riblah is said by Jerom ^F3 to be Antioch of Syria, near to which was the fountain of Daphne; and in the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem on ( Numbers 34:11 ) . Daphne is put for Riblah; and Josephus ^F4 says Antioch was by Daphne of Syria; and in the Apocrypha:

``Which when Onias knew of a surety, he reproved him, and withdrew himself into a sanctuary at Daphne, that lieth by Antiochia.'' (2 Maccabees 4:33)

Daphne is said to be by Antioch; with which place Pompey was greatly delighted, because of the pleasantness of it, and the abundance of waters about it ^F5: hither, it is probable, Jehoahaz went with an army to avenge his father's death on the king of Egypt, or to assist the king of Babylon, or both; and here Pharaoh met with him, and took him, and bound him; he seems to be of a martial spirit, from ( Ezekiel 19:3 )

that he might not reign in Jerusalem;
whither afterwards the king of Egypt came, and took it; and so Herodotus ^F6 says that after he had conquered the Syrians at Migdol, he took Cadytis, a great city of Syria, which seems to be Jerusalem, the holy city;

and put the land to a tribute of one hundred talents of silver, and
a talent of gold;
the land of Judah; and one hundred talents, according to Bunting ^F7, amounted to 37,500 pounds of our money; and a talent of gold, according to Brerewood ^F8, was 4,500 pounds; but Bishop Cumberland ^F9 makes it 5,067 pounds, three shillings, and ten pence; a talent of gold could not be so large in Homer's time, since he speaks of seven of them given at once in a way of hospitality ^F11.

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 Comment. in Ezekiel. xlvii. fol. 261. C.
F4 Antiqu. l. 17. c. 2. sect. 3.
F5 Rufi Fest. Breviar. Eutrop. Hist. Rom. l. 6.
F6 Ut supra. (Chronic. Secil. 18. p. 568.)
F7 Ut supra, (Travels) p. 288.
F8 De Ponder & Pret. Vet. Num. c. 4.
F9 Scripture Weights and Measures, ch. 4. p. 21.
F11 Odyss. 9. ver. 258. & Odyss. 24. ver. 321.

2 Kings 23:33 In-Context

31 Joachaz was three and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem: the name of his mother was Amital, the daughter of Jeremias, of Lobna.

32 And he did evil before the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done.

33 And Pharao Nechao bound him at Rebla, which is in the land of Emath, that he should not reign in Jerusalem: and he set a fine upon the land, of a hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold.

34 And Pharao Nechao made Eliacim, the son of Josias, king in the room of Josias his father: and turned his name to Joakim. And he took Joachaz away and carried him into Egypt, and he died there.

35 And Joakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharao, after he had taxed the land for every man, to contribute according to the commandment of Pharao: and he exacted both the silver and the gold of the people of the land, of every man according to his ability: to give to Pharao Nechao.