2 Kings 23:31-35

Jehoahaz’s Reign and Captivity

31 ¹Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was ²Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

32 And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, ³according to all that his fathers had done.

33 And ⁴Pharaoh Neco put him in bonds at ⁵Riblah in the land of ⁶Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem, and laid on the land a tribute of a hundred talents^[a] of silver and a talent of gold.

34 And ⁷Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the place of Josiah his father, and ⁸changed his name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz away, ⁹and he came to Egypt and died there.

35 And Jehoiakim ¹⁰gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh, but he taxed the land to give the money according to the command of Pharaoh. He exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, from everyone according to his assessment, to give it to Pharaoh Neco.

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. 23:31 [1 Chr. 3:15; Jer. 22:11]
• 2. 23:31 ch. 24:18
• 3. 23:32 [ch. 24:9, 19]
• 4. 23:33 [See ver. 29 above]
• 5. 23:33 ch. 25:6, 20, 21; Jer. 39:5, 6; 52:9, 10, 26, 27
• 6. 23:33 See 1 Kgs. 8:65
• 7. 23:34 [See ver. 29 above]
• 8. 23:34 [ch. 24:17; Dan. 1:7]
• 9. 23:34 Jer. 22:11, 12; [Ezek. 19:3, 4]
• 10. 23:35 ver. 33

Footnotes

• [a] 23:33 A 'talent' was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms