2 Kings 23 Commentary

Updated: Sat, 03/14/2026 - 13:50 By admin

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THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL

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(NOTE: Many consider Amaziah and Hezekiah as "good" kings)

SEE ALSO:
ESV chart - kings of Israel - more information
ESV chart - kings of Judah - more information
Another Chart with Variable Dates for Reigns of King

2 Kings 23:1 Then the king sent, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.

the king: De 31:28 2Sa 6:1 2Ch 29:20 30:2 34:29,30-33

Then the king sent, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.

2 Kings 23:2 The king went up to the house of the LORD and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests and the prophets and all the people, both small and great; and he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD.

both small and great: Heb. from small even unto great, Ge 19:11 1Sa 5:9 30:2 2Ch 15:13 Es 1:5 Job 3:19 Ps 115:13 Ac 26:22 Rev 20:12
he read: De 31:10-13 2Ch 17:9 Ne 8:1-8 9:3 13:1
the book: 2Ki 22:8 De 31:26 1Ki 8:9

The king went up to the house of the LORD and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests and the prophets and all the people, both small and great; and he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD.

2 Kings 23:3 The king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to carry out the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant.

stood: 2Ki 11:14,17 2Ch 23:13 34:31,32
made a covenant: Ex 24:7,8 De 5:1-3 29:1,10-15 Jos 24:25 2Ch 15:12-14 23:16 2Ch 29:10 Ezr 10:3 Ne 9:38 10:28-39 Jer 50:5 Heb 8:8-13 12:24 Heb 13:20
to walk: De 8:19
his commandments: De 4:45 5:1 6:1 Ps 19:7-9
with all their heart: De 6:5 10:12 11:13 Mt 22:36,37
And all: Ex 24:3 Jos 24:24 2Ch 34:32,33 Ec 8:2 Jer 4:2

The king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to carry out the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant.

2 Kings 23:4 Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the doorkeepers, to bring out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, for Asherah, and for all the host of heaven; and he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel.

priestss of the second order: These were either such as occasionally supplied the high priests's office, or those of the second course or order established by David. See the References. 1Ch 24:4-19 Mt 26:3 27:1
the keepers: 2Ki 22:4 1Ch 26:1-19
to bring: 2Ki 21:3,7 2Ch 33:3,7 34:3,4
Baal: 2Ki 17:16 Jdg2:13 1Ki 16:31 18:19,26,40 19:18 Isa 27:9 Jer 7:9
Kidron: 2Sa 15:23 Joh 18:1, Cedron
Bethel: 1Ki 12:29 Ho 4:15 Am 4:4

Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the doorkeepers, to bring out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, for Asherah, and for all the host of heaven; and he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel.

2 Kings 23:5 He did away with the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had appointed to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah and in the surrounding area of Jerusalem, also those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and to the moon and to the constellations and to all the host of heaven.

put down: Heb. caused to cease
the idolatrous priests: Heb. Chemarim. Ho 10:5 *marg: "Foretold. Zep 1:4, 5."
planets: or, twelve signs, or constellations, So the Vulgate {duodecim signa,} "the twelve signs," i.e., the zodiac; which is the most probable meaning of the word {mazzaloth,} from the Arabic {manzeel,} a {caravanserai,} house, or dwelling, as being the apparent dwellings of the sun in his annual course; and the Targumists and Rabbins often employ the words {tereysar mazzalaya,} to denote the signs of the zodiac.
all the host: 2Ki 21:3,4 Jer 8:1,2 44:17-19

He did away with the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had appointed to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah and in the surrounding area of Jerusalem, also those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and to the moon and to the constellations and to all the host of heaven.

2 Kings 23:6 He brought out the Asherah from the house of the LORD outside Jerusalem to the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and ground it to dust, and threw its dust on the graves of the common people.

the grove: Or rather, Asherah, or Astarte. 2Ki 21:7 Jdg3:7 1Ki 14:23 16:33 Jer 17:2
and burned: Ex 32:20 De 7:25 9:21
the graves: 2Ki 10:27 2Ch 34:4

He brought out the Asherah from the house of the LORD outside Jerusalem to the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and ground it to dust, and threw its dust on the graves of the common people

2 Kings 23:7 He also broke down the houses of the male cult prostitutes which were in the house of the LORD, where the women were weaving hangings for the Asherah.

the sodomites: Ge 19:4,5 1Ki 14:24 15:12 22:46 2Ch 34:33 Ro 1:26,27
where: Ex 35:25,26 Eze 8:14 16:16 Ho 2:13
hangings: Heb. houses

He also broke down the houses of the male cult prostitutes which were in the house of the LORD, where the women were weaving hangings for the Asherah.

2 Kings 23:8 Then he brought all the priests from the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba; and he broke down the high places of the gates which were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on one’s left at the city gate.

from: etc. The northern and southern borders of Judah.
Geba: Jos 21:17 1Ki 15:22 1Ch 6:60 Isa 10:29 Zec 14:10
Beersheba: Ge 21:31 26:23 Jdg20:1 1Ki 19:3

Then he brought all the priests from the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba; and he broke down the high places of the gates which were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on one’s left at the city gate.

2 Kings 23:9 Nevertheless the priests of the high places did not go up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but they ate unleavened bread among their brothers.

the priests: Eze 44:10-14 Mal 2:8,9
but they did: 1Sa 2:36 Eze 44:29-31

Nevertheless the priests of the high places did not go up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but they ate unleavened bread among their brothers.

2 Kings 23:10 He also defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter pass through the fire for Molech.

Topheth: Isa 30:33 Jer 7:31,32 19:6,11-13, Tophet
the valley: Jos 15:8 2Ch 28:3 33:6 Jer 19:2 32:35 Mt 5:22 *Gr:
might make: 2Ki 16:3 17:17 21:6 Lev 18:21 De 18:10 Jer 32:35 Eze 16:21 20:26,31 Eze 23:37-39

He also defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter pass through the fire for Molech

H M - Hinnom. The highlight of King Josiah's reforms was his elimination of child sacrifice by defiling the valley of Hinnom where children had regularly been forced to pass through the fire burning in the outstretched arms of the "god" Molech. The valley was made the garbage dump of the city and kept continually burning, giving it the perpetual appearance of an eternal lake of fire. The valley's name finally became the name gehenna meaning "hell," the lake of fire "prepared for the devil" and all those who reject God's salvation through Jesus Christ (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:15).

2 Kings 23:11 He did away with the horses which the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entrance of the house of the LORD, by the chamber of Nathan-melech the official, which was in the precincts; and he burned the chariots of the sun with fire.

the sun: 2Ki 23:5 2Ch 14:5 34:4 Eze 8:16
house of the Lord: Throughout the East, the horse because of his swiftness and utility, was dedicated to the sun; and the Greeks and Romans feigned that the chariot of the sun was drawn by four horses, Pyrous, Eous, Aithon, and Phlegon: and hence also chariots were dedicated to that luminary. Jarchi says, that those who adored the sun had horses, which they mounted every morning, to go out to meet him at his rising. The kings of Judah had imitated these idolatrous customs, and kept the horses of the sun even at the entrance of the temple of the Lord!
chamberlain: or, eunuch, or officer

He did away with the horses which the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entrance of the house of the LORD, by the chamber of Nathan-melech the official, which was in the precincts; and he burned the chariots of the sun with fire

2 Kings 23:12 The altars which were on the roof, the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, the king broke down; and he smashed them there and threw their dust into the brook Kidron.

on the top: De 22:8 Jer 19:13 Zep 1:5
which Manasseh: 2Ki 21:5,21,22 2Ch 33:5,15
brake them down from thence: or, ran from thence
cast: 2Ki 23:6

The altars which were on the roof, the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, the king broke down; and he smashed them there and threw their dust into the brook Kidron.

2 Kings 23:13 The high places which were before Jerusalem, which were on the right of the mount of destruction which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom the abomination of the sons of Ammon, the king defiled.

the mount of corruption: that is, the mount of Olives, Houbigant, deriving the Hebrew {mashchith} from {mashach,} "to anoint," reads "the Mount of Olives." Jarchi, following the Chaldee, also says this was the Mount of Olives; for this is the mount {hammishchah,} of unction: but because of the idolatrous purposes for which it was used, the Scripture changed the appellation to the mount of {hammashchith,} corruption.
Solomon: 1Ki 11:7 Ne 13:26
Ashtoreth: Jdg2:13 10:6 1Sa 7:4 12:10 1Ki 11:5,33
Chemosh: Nu 21:29 Jdg11:24 Jer 48:7,13,16
Milcom: Zep 1:5, Malcham

The high places which were before Jerusalem, which were on the right of the mount of destruction which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom the abomination of the sons of Ammon, the king defiled

2 Kings 23:14 He broke in pieces the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherim and filled their places with human bones.

he brake: Ex 23:24 Nu 33:52 De 7:5,25,26 2Ch 34:3,4 Mic 1:7
images: Heb. statues
the bones of men: 2Ki 23:16 Nu 19:16,18 Jer 8:1,2 Eze 39:12-16 Mt 23:27,28

He broke in pieces the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherim and filled their places with human bones

2 Kings 23:15 Furthermore, the altar that was at Bethel and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin, had made, even that altar and the high place he broke down. Then he demolished its stones, ground them to dust, and burned the Asherah.

the altar: 2Ki 10:31 1Ki 12:28-33 14:16 15:30 21:22
stamped: 2Ki 23:6

Furthermore, the altar that was at Bethel and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin, had made, even that altar and the high place he broke down. Then he demolished its stones, ground them to dust, and burned the Asherah.

BSB Josiah, having been successful with reform in Judah, now pursued similar activity to the north in Israel, where Assyria had control. Josiah removed altars and images of false deities.

2 Kings 23:16 Now when Josiah turned, he saw the graves that were there on the mountain, and he sent and took the bones from the graves and burned them on the altar and defiled it according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these things.

burned: 1Ki 13:1,2,32 Mt 24:35 Joh 10:35
who proclaimed: The Septuagint and Hexaplar Syriac at Paris insert, "when Jeroboam stood by the altar at the feast. And turning about, he cast his eyes on the sepulchre of the man of God"--

Now when Josiah turned, he saw the graves that were there on the mountain, and he sent and took the bones from the graves and burned them on the altar and defiled it according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these things.

HM - polluted it. This event was the fulfillment of a remarkable prophecy (1 Kings 13:2) uttered 350 years before.

BSB - In fulfillment of the prophecy brought to Jeroboam I by the "man of God" over 300 years before, Josiah burned the bones of the false priests on the altar which Jeroboam had erected, and then he destroyed the altar and its high place (cf. 1 Kin. 13:1-3).

2 Kings 23:17 Then he said, “What is this monument that I see?” And the men of the city told him, “It is the grave of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things which you have done against the altar of Bethel.”

sepulchre: 1Ki 13:1,30,31

Then he said, “What is this monument that I see?” And the men of the city told him, “It is the grave of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things which you have done against the altar of Bethel

2 Kings 23:18 He said, “Let him alone; let no one disturb his bones.” So they left his bones undisturbed with the bones of the prophet who came from Samaria.

the bones of the prophet: 1Ki 13:1-22,31

He said, “Let him alone; let no one disturb his bones.” So they left his bones undisturbed with the bones of the prophet who came from Samaria

2 Kings 23:19 Josiah also removed all the houses of the high places which were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made provoking the LORD; and he did to them just as he had done in Bethel.

the houses: 2Ki 17:9 1Ki 12:31 13:32
the cities: 2Ch 30:6-11 31:1 34:6,7
the kings: 2Ki 8:18 1Ki 16:33 Mic 6:16
to provoke the Lord: 2Ki 17:16-18 21:6 Ps 78:58 Jer 7:18,19 Eze 8:17,18

Josiah also removed all the houses of the high places which were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made provoking the LORD; and he did to them just as he had done in Bethel

2 Kings 23:20 All the priests of the high places who were there he slaughtered on the altars and burned human bones on them; then he returned to Jerusalem.

he slew: or, he sacrificed, 2Ki 10:25 11:18 Ex 22:20 De 13:5 1Ki 13:2 18:40 Isa 34:6 Zec 13:2,3
burned: 2Ch 34:5

All the priests of the high places who were there he slaughtered on the altars and burned human bones on them; then he returned to Jerusalem

2 Kings 23:21 Then the king commanded all the people saying, “Celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God as it is written in this book of the covenant.”

Keep: 2Ch 35:1-19
as it is written: Ex 12:3-20 Lev 23:5-8 Nu 9:2-5 28:16-25 De 16:1-8

Then the king commanded all the people saying, “Celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God as it is written in this book of the covenant

2 Kings 23:22 Surely such a Passover had not been celebrated from the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel and of the kings of Judah.

Surely: 2Ch 35:18,19
of the kings: 2Ch 30:1-3,13-20 35:3-17

Surely such a Passover had not been celebrated from the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel and of the kings of Judah

2 Kings 23:23 But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, this Passover was observed to the LORD in Jerusalem.

But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, this Passover was observed to the LORD in Jerusalem

2 Kings 23:24 Moreover, Josiah removed the mediums and the spiritists and the teraphim and the idols and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might confirm the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD.

Moreover: "His eighteenth year ending."
the workers: 2Ki 21:3,6 1Sa 28:3-7 Isa 8:19 19:3 Ac 16:16-18 Rev 22:15
images: or, teraphim, Ge 31:19 Jdg17:5 18:17,18 Ho 3:4
that he might: Lev 19:31 20:27 De 18:10-12 Isa 8:20 Ro 3:20 Jas 1:25
the book: 2Ki 22:8-13 2Ch 34:14-19

Moreover, Josiah removed the mediums and the spiritists and the teraphim and the idols and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might confirm the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD

2 Kings 23:25 Before him there was no king like him who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him.

unto him: 2Ki 18:5
that turned: 2Ki 23:3 De 4:29 6:5 1Ki 2:4 8:48 15:5 Jer 29:13
according: Ne 10:29 Mal 4:4 Joh 1:17 7:19

Before him there was no king like him who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him

bsb 0 This verse classifies Josiah as one of the greatest kings of Judah because he tried to bring Judah back to God. His reign was characterized by peace, prosperity, reform, and revival. Josiah was made king by the people at the age of eight (22:1), and his long reign continued from 640 to 609 B.C., when he lost his life in a battle against the Egyptians at Megiddo (23:29). In keeping with his efforts to bring genuine ordered reform and revival to Judah, Josiah ordered that the long-neglected observance of the Passover be reinstituted (23:21-23). The record states that a Passover had not been kept as carefully since the days of the prophet Samuel. Thus the reign of Josiah was characterized by revival in Judah, i.e., a renewal of commitment to God.

2 Kings 23:26 However, the LORD did not turn from the fierceness of His great wrath with which His anger burned against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked Him.

Notwithstanding: 2Ki 21:11-13 22:16,17 24:2,4 2Ch 36:16 Jer 3:7-10 15:1-4

However, the LORD did not turn from the fierceness of His great wrath with which His anger burned against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked Him

2 Kings 23:27 The LORD said, “I will remove Judah also from My sight, as I have removed Israel. And I will cast off Jerusalem, this city which I have chosen, and the temple of which I said, ‘My name shall be there.’”

I will remove: 2Ki 17:18,20 18:11 21:13 24:3 25:11 De 29:27,28 Eze 23:32-35
out of my sight: Ps 51:11 Jer 31:37 33:24 La 2:7
My name: 2Ki 21:4,7 1Ki 8:29 9:3

The LORD said, “I will remove Judah also from My sight, as I have removed Israel. And I will cast off Jerusalem, this city which I have chosen, and the temple of which I said, ‘My name shall be there

2 Kings 23:28 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

the rest: 2Ki 20:20

Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

2 Kings 23:29 In his days Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt went up to the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates. And King Josiah went to meet him, and when Pharaoh Neco saw him he killed him at Megiddo.

Pharaohnechoh: Pharaoh-nechoh, called [Nekos,] Necos, the son of Psammiticus, by Herodotus, was now was now marching "to make war upon the Medes and Babylonians, who had dissolved the Assyrian empire," the king of the latter being the famous Nabopollasar, who had also become king of Assyria. 2Ki 23:33,34,35 2Ch 35:20-24 Jer 46:2
Euphrates: 2Ki 24:7 2Ch 35:20 Jer 46:2
Josiah went: 2Ch 35:20-23
slew him: 2Ki 22:20 Ec 8:14 9:1,2 Isa 57:1,2 Ro 11:33
Megiddo: Megiddo, called [Magdolon,] Magdolum, by Herodotus, was situated in the tribe of Manasseh, west of Jordan, in the valley of Jezreel, and not far fron Hadad-Rimmon, or Maximianopolis. This shews that Josiah reigned over the country formerly possessed by the ten tribes; and it is also probable, that Nechoh had landed his troops at or near Cesarea of Palestine. 2Ki 9:27 Jos 17:11 Jdg1:27 5:19 1Ki 4:12 Zec 12:11, Megiddon, Rev 16:16, Armageddon
he had seen him: 2Ki 14:8,11

In his days Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt went up to the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates. And King Josiah went to meet him, and when Pharaoh Neco saw him he killed him at Megiddo.

BSB - The year of this event was 609 B.C. The new Babylon, under a king named Nabopolassar (see chart, "Kings of Babylon," 2 Kin. 24:1), had finally brought the mighty Assyrian Empire to an end. Ashur, the capital city, fell to the Babylonians in 614 B.C., and after two years of bitter fighting Nineveh fell in 612 B.C. The fall of Nineveh vindicated the predictions of Zephaniah (Zeph. 2:13ff.). However, a small remnant of Assyrian forces were in temporary possession of Haran. The Egyptian Pharaoh Necho, in the year 609 B.C., was marching to the aid of these Assyrians in an attempt to stop Babylon from becoming the new world leader. Pharaoh Necho wanted Egypt to regain world prominence instead of Babylon. Josiah did not wish Egypt to assist the long-standing enemies of Judah, so he attempted to stop Pharaoh Necho at Megiddo but was killed in the effort. His body was returned to Jerusalem for burial.

RSB - Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt (609-594) went up to the king of Assyria to help him against Nabopolassar, king of Babylon. Additional details are found in 2 Chron. 35:20-24.

2 Kings 23:30 His servants drove his body in a chariot from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem and buried him in his own tomb. Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah and anointed him and made him king in place of his father.

servants: 2Ki 9:28 1Ki 22:33-38 2Ch 35:24
the people: 2Ki 14:21 21:24 2Ch 36:1,2-4

His servants drove his body in a chariot from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem and buried him in his own tomb. Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah and anointed him and made him king in place of his father.

2 Kings 23:31 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

Jehoahaz: 1Ch 3:15 Jer 22:11, Shallum
Hamutal: 2Ki 24:18

Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah

2 Kings 23:32 He did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

2Ki 21:2-7,21,22

He did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done

2 Kings 23:33 Pharaoh Neco imprisoned him at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and he imposed on the land a fine of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

put him: 2Ch 36:3,4 Eze 19:3,4
Riblah: Theodoret (in Jer ch. 46,) expressly affirms that Riblah or Reblatha was in his time called Emesa. [Kome de estin he Reblatha tes nun kaloumenes Emeses.] Emesa was a city of Syria, situated on the Orontes, and, according to the Antonine Itinerary, 18 miles from Laodicea ad Libanum. It is now called Homs, or Hems, about eight hours, or twenty-four miles S.E. of Hamah or Hamath, in the road to Damascus. The present town only occupies about one quarter of the space contained within the ancient walls, which apparently date from the time of the Saracens. Here is nothing remarkable, except a Roman sepulchre, and a large castle in ruins. 2Ki 25:6 Nu 34:11 Jer 39:5,6 52:9,10,26,27
Hamath: Nu 13:21 1Ki 8:65
that he might not reign: or, because he reigned
put: etc. Heb. set a mulct upon the land. 2Ki 18:14 Ex 21:22 2Ch 36:3 Pr 19:19

Pharaoh Neco imprisoned him at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and he imposed on the land a fine of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

RSB - Vs. 23:33 Riblah. About 75 mi (104 km) N of Damascus. See also 25:6-7, 18-21. The tribute was about 120,000 oz (3.75 tons, or 3.4 metric tons) of silver and 1,200 oz (75 lb, or 34 kg) of gold.

2 Kings 23:34 Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the place of Josiah his father, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz away and brought him to Egypt, and he died there.

Eliakim: Jos 18:18 2Ch 36:3,4
the son: 1Ch 3:15
turned: 2Ki 24:17 Ge 41:45 Da 1:7
Jehoiakim: "Called Jakim, Mt 1:11."
he came: Jer 22:11,12 Eze 19:3,4

Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the place of Josiah his father, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz away and brought him to Egypt, and he died there.

2 Kings 23:35 So Jehoiakim gave the silver and gold to Pharaoh, but he taxed the land in order to give the money at the command of Pharaoh. He exacted the silver and gold from the people of the land, each according to his valuation, to give it to Pharaoh Neco.

the silver: 2Ki 23:33
taxed: 2Ki 15:19,20

So Jehoiakim gave the silver and gold to Pharaoh, but he taxed the land in order to give the money at the command of Pharaoh. He exacted the silver and gold from the people of the land, each according to his valuation, to give it to Pharaoh Neco

RSB - Vs. 23:35 Jehoiakim became a vassal to Egypt for four years, exacting the tribute from all the people (though he built a luxurious palace for himself, Jer. 22:13-14). See notes on Jer. 25:1 and Dan. 1:1.

2 Kings 23:36 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Zebidah the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah.

Jehoiakim: 1Ch 3:15 2Ch 36:5 Jer 1:3
Rumah: Josephus here reads Abuma; but he also speaks of Ruma, a village of Galilee.

Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Zebidah the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah

2 Kings 23:37 He did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

he did: Jer 22:13-17 26:20-23 36:23-26,31 Eze 19:5-9
all that: 2Ch 28:22-25 33:4-10,22,23

He did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

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