Pharaoh Necho

Biblical Record

"Pharaoh" is a title for the king of Egypt, and "Necho" is his personal name. In general history he is identified as Necho II of Egypt's Twenty-sixth Dynasty.

According to 2 Kings 23:29–35, Necho led his army up toward the Euphrates River. King Josiah of Judah went out to oppose him and was killed at Megiddo. Necho then imprisoned Jehoahaz, whom the people had made king, at Riblah in the land of Hamath. He imposed on Judah a tribute of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold, and he made Eliakim king, changing his name to Jehoiakim. Jehoahaz was taken to Egypt and died there. Jehoiakim taxed the people to pay Necho.

2 Chronicles 35:20–24 recounts the same events in greater detail. Necho was on his way to fight at Carchemish. He sent messengers to Josiah, warning him not to stand in his way, "for God commanded me to make haste" (2 Chronicles 35:21). Josiah disguised himself and went out to fight, was struck by archers, and was carried to Jerusalem, where he died. Second Chronicles 36:3–4 likewise records the deposition of Jehoahaz and the accession of Jehoiakim.

Jeremiah 46:2 refers to "the army of Pharaohnecho king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish," defeated by Nebuchadnezzar in the fourth year of Jehoiakim. Second Kings 24:7 records that afterward "the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land."

Significance in the Bible

Necho illustrates how Judah lost its sovereignty while caught between great powers such as Egypt and Babylon. The death of the reforming king Josiah and the subsequent installation of Judah's kings by foreign powers belong to the course of events leading to Judah's fall. Necho is not mentioned in the New Testament.

Interpretation and Issues

• Purpose of the campaign: Translations of 2 Kings 23:29 differ on this point; among Korean versions, for example, the Korean Revised Version (Revised Edition) reads "to attack the king of Assyria," while the New Korean Standard Version reads "to help the king of Assyria." In light of ancient records such as the Babylonian Chronicles, many scholars hold that Necho intended to aid a weakened Assyria against Babylon.
• Necho's words: The Chronicler describes Necho's warning as "the words of Necho from the mouth of God" (2 Chronicles 35:22). Interpretations of this verse differ. Some read it as showing that God's will can be conveyed even through a foreign king; others read it as pointing to Josiah's fault in failing to seek God's will.
• Chronology: Josiah's death is commonly dated to about 609 BC and the Battle of Carchemish to about 605 BC, though scholars differ.
• Accounts such as a canal project or a voyage around Africa are preserved in extrabiblical sources such as Herodotus and do not appear in the biblical text.

In Korean Churches

In Korean Protestant churches, Necho is seldom treated on his own; he is mentioned mainly in sermons and Bible studies on the life and death of King Josiah. In such settings he is presented alongside themes such as discerning God's will and the end of a faithful leader.