Eliakim. Name changed, to assert Pharaoh-nechoh's authority. in the room. Refusing to recognize the People's appointment of 2 Kings 23:30 . died there. As Jeremiah (2 Kings 22:11 , 2 Kings 22:12 ) foretold. read more
2 Kings 23:34. Turned his name to Jehoiakim— It was usual for conquerors to change the names of the persons whom they vanquished in war, in testimony of their absolute power over them. Thus we find the king of Babylon changing the name of Mattaniah into Zedekiah, when he constituted him king of Judah; ch. 2 Kings 24:17. Archbishop Usher has further remarked, that the king of Egypt gave Eliakim the name of Jehoiakim, (that is, "the God of Israel hath, or shall make it to prosper,") thereby to... read more
E. Jehoahaz’s Evil Reign 23:31-35Jehoahaz, whose other name was Shallum, was the middle of Josiah’s three sons, all of whom ruled Judah after Josiah. Jehoahaz was the people’s choice (2 Kings 23:31), but he reigned for only three months in 609 B.C.When Pharaoh Neco defeated Josiah at Megiddo (2 Kings 23:29), Judah fell under Egyptian control. Neco summoned Josiah’s successor Jehoahaz to meet him at Riblah. This town stood about 65 miles north of Damascus in central Aramea. The meeting took... read more
Religious Reform. Josiah’s Death2. The prophets] Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah lived about this time. Read in their ears] cp. the similar proceeding related in Nehemiah 8:4.; 3. By a pillar] or, ’upon a platform’: cp. Nehemiah 11:144. The priests of the second order] probably to be corrected into ’the second priest’ (as in 2 Kings 25:18), i.e. the high priest’s deputy. Grove] see on 2 Kings 21:7. 5. The planets] or, ’the signs of the zodiac’ The word is said to mean ’mansions,’ the stars... read more
(34) Turned his name to Jehoiakim.—A slight change. Eliakim is “El setteth up;” Jehoiakim, “Jah setteth up.” Necho meant to signify that the new king was his creature. Eliakim, the elder son, may have paid court to Necho; or the Egyptian may have deposed Jehoahaz, as elected without his consent, and perhaps as likely to prove a stronger king than his brother. Necho may have fancied a resemblance between the name Yahû (i.e., Jah; so it was then pronounced) and Aah, the name of the Egyptian... read more
JOSIAHB.C. 639-6082 Kings 22:1-20; 2 Kings 23:1-37Jos., "Ant.," X 4:1."In outline dim and vast Their fearful shadows cast The giant forms of Empires, on their way To ruin: one by one They tower, and they are gone."- KEBLEIF we are to understand the reign of Josiah as a whole, we must preface it by some allusion to the great epoch-marking circumstances of his age, which explain the references of contemporary prophets, and which, in great measure, determined the foreign policy of the pious... read more
VI. FINAL APOSTASY OF JUDAH AND THE CAPTIVITY 1. Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim CHAPTER 23:31-37 1. The three months’ reign of Jehoahaz (2 Kings 23:31-33 ; 2 Chronicles 36:1-2 ) 2. Jehoiakim made king (2 Kings 23:34-37 ; 2 Chronicles 36:4-5 ) Chronicles tells us that immediately after the death of Josiah, the people of the land took Jehoahaz (which means “Jehovah holds up”) and made him king. He was not the LORD’s choice, but the people’s choice. He was not the eldest son and therefore the... read more
JOSIAH'S COVENANT AND JUDGMENT OF IDOLATRY (vv.1-20) Being king in Judah and therefore the representative of all the people, Josiah realised his responsibility of involving them all in hearing the Word of God. Beginning with the elders, he called the people to the house of the Lord. Thus, elders, priests, prophets and the common people were gathered (vv.1-2). There Josiah himself read all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which would include the five books of Moses. The king then made... read more
JUDAH UNDER JOSIAH HIS IMMEDIATE PREDECESSORS (2 Kings 21:1-26 ) Manasseh’s history shows that a good father does not always make a good son. The summary of his reign (2 Kings 21:1-9 ) ranks him with Ahaz, as the two wickedest kings Judah had known. Note that the same punishment which had fallen on Israel is soon to overtake Judah (2 Kings 21:13 ), and this despite Manasseh’s “humbleness,” as indicated in 2 Chronicles 33:11-19 . The brief reign of Amon (2 Kings 21:19-26 ) was in character... read more
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Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 23:31-37
End of Judah’s independence (23:31-37)Pharaoh Necho now considered himself to be the controller of Judah, and would not accept the king chosen by the people of Judah. The unfortunate Jehoahaz was thrown into prison and later taken to Egypt, where he eventually died. Necho made Jehoahaz’s older brother Jehoiakim king instead, and placed a heavy tax on Judah (31-37).It soon became clear why the people of Judah had not chosen Jehoiakim as king. He was a proud, cruel and oppressive ruler, who... read more