2 Kings 23:33

33 And Pharaoh Neco put him in bonds at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem, and laid upon the land a tribute 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 Jeho'ahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamu'tal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

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

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

34 And Pharaoh Neco made Eli'akim the son of Josi'ah king in the place of Josi'ah his father, and changed his name to Jehoi'akim. But he took Jeho'ahaz away; and he came to Egypt, and died there.

35 And Jehoi'akim gave 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 every one according to his assessment, to give it to Pharaoh Neco.