Necho

29In Josiah's time, Pharaoh Neco, the king of Egypt, marched north to the Euphrates River. He went to help the king of Assyria. King Josiah went out to stop him. Neco met him at Megiddo and killed him there.

In his days Pharaohnechoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him; and he slew him at Megiddo, when he had seen him.

NotePharaoh was the title for the king of Egypt, like the word king. Assyria was a strong country far to the northeast. The Euphrates is a very big river there. Megiddo was a town in the north of Israel.

30Josiah's servants carried his body from Megiddo in a chariot. They brought him to Jerusalem and buried him in his own tomb. Then the people of the land chose his son Jehoahaz. They poured oil on him to show he was the new king. He took his father's place.

And his servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulchre. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father’s stead.

Note"The people of the land" means the leading families of Judah. Pouring oil on a new king's head was the way to show he was chosen.

31Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for only three months. His mother was Hamutal, daughter of Jeremiah, from the town of Libnah.

Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

NoteThe king's mother was important in Judah. That is why her name is written down.

32He did what the LORD said was evil, just as his family before him had done.

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

33Pharaoh Neco locked Jehoahaz up at Riblah, in the land of Hamath, so he could not rule in Jerusalem. Neco also made the land pay him a hundred talents of silver and one talent of gold.

And Pharaohnechoh put him in bands at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and put the land to a tribute of an hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold.

NoteA talent was a heavy weight of silver or gold. One talent weighed about as much as a small child. A hundred talents was a huge amount of money. Riblah was a town far north, where Neco's army camped.

34Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim, another son of Josiah, king in his father's place. He changed Eliakim's name to Jehoiakim. Then he took Jehoahaz away to Egypt, and Jehoahaz died there.

And Pharaohnechoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room of Josiah his father, and turned his name to Jehoiakim, and took Jehoahaz away: and he came to Egypt, and died there.

NoteChanging a person's name showed you were the boss over him. Neco did this to show that he ruled Judah now.

35Jehoiakim paid the silver and gold to Pharaoh. To get it, he made the people of the land pay taxes. Each person paid based on how much he owned. All of it went to Pharaoh Neco.

And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh; but he taxed the land to give the money according to the commandment of Pharaoh: he exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, of every one according to his taxation, to give it unto Pharaohnechoh.

NoteA tax is money people must pay to their ruler. Jehoiakim took it from his own people to pay Egypt.

20After all this, Josiah had the temple in good order. Then Necho, king of Egypt, marched out to fight at Carchemish by the Euphrates River. Josiah went out to stop him.

After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Charchemish by Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him.

NoteCarchemish was a far city up north, past Israel. The Euphrates is a very long river there. Egypt's army had to march past Josiah's land to get there.

21Necho sent messengers to Josiah. They said, "Why are you fighting me, king of Judah? I did not come to fight you today. I came to fight another royal family. God told me to hurry. Stop standing against God, who is with me, or he will destroy you."

But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have war: for God commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not.

NoteA royal family means a king and the family that rules with him. Necho meant he was going to fight a different king, not Josiah.

22But Josiah would not turn back. He put on a disguise so he could fight. He did not listen to Necho's words, which came from God. He went to fight on the plain of Megiddo.

Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.

NoteJosiah dressed like a normal soldier so nobody would spot the king. Megiddo was a wide flat place where armies often fought.

23The archers shot King Josiah with arrows. The king said to his servants, "Take me away. I am badly hurt."

And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded.

NoteArchers were soldiers who fought with bows and arrows.

24So his servants lifted him out of his chariot. They put him in his other chariot and brought him to Jerusalem. There he died. They buried him in a tomb where his family was buried. All Judah and Jerusalem cried for Josiah.

His servants therefore took him out of that chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had; and they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died, and was buried in one of the sepulchres of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

NoteA chariot was a cart with wheels pulled by horses. Kings rode in them to battle. Families were buried together in caves cut into rock.

1The people of the land chose Jehoahaz, the son of Josiah. They made him king in Jerusalem in place of his father.

Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s stead in Jerusalem.

NoteThe people of the land means the people of Judah. Judah was the small country around Jerusalem.

2Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for three months.

Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.

NoteThree months is a very short time to be king. Most kings ruled for many years.

3The king of Egypt took him off the throne in Jerusalem. He made the land pay a fine of a hundred talents of silver and one talent of gold.

And the king of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem, and condemned the land in an hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

NoteA talent was a heavy weight of metal, about seventy-five pounds. A hundred talents of silver was a huge pile of money. The fine was money Judah had to pay to show Egypt was in charge.

4The king of Egypt made Eliakim, the brother of Jehoahaz, king over Judah and Jerusalem. He changed Eliakim's name to Jehoiakim. Then Necho took Jehoahaz away to Egypt.

And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and turned his name to Jehoiakim. And Necho took Jehoahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.

NoteGiving someone a new name showed you were the boss of him. The king of Egypt was showing who was really in charge.

1This is the message the LORD gave to Jeremiah about the other nations.

The word of the LORD which came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Gentiles;

NoteA prophet was someone who told people what God said. The King James word "Gentiles" means all the nations that were not Israel.

2The message was about Egypt, and about the army of Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt. That army lost a battle at a city called Carchemish, by the Euphrates River. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, beat them. This happened in the fourth year that Jehoiakim son of Josiah was king of Judah.

Against Egypt, against the army of Pharaohnecho king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon smote in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah.

NotePharaoh was the title for the king of Egypt, like the word king. Babylon was a big, strong country far away to the east. Judah was the small land where God's people lived. Back then people counted years by how long their king had ruled.

3Get your shields ready, the small ones and the big ones. March out to fight!

Order ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle.

4Hitch up the horses. Riders, climb on. Line up with your helmets on. Polish your spears. Put on your armor.

Harness the horses; and get up, ye horsemen, and stand forth with your helmets; furbish the spears, and put on the brigandines.

NoteArmor was hard clothing that kept a fighter safe. Soldiers polished their spears to keep the points sharp and bright.

5But what do I see? They are scared. They are running away. Their best fighters are beaten. They run fast and never look back. Fear is all around them, says the LORD.

Wherefore have I seen them dismayed and turned away back? and their mighty ones are beaten down, and are fled apace, and look not back: for fear was round about, saith the LORD.

6The fast ones cannot get away. The strong ones cannot escape. Up north, by the Euphrates River, they trip and fall.

Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; they shall stumble, and fall toward the north by the river Euphrates.

7Who is this rising up like a river that floods? Its water swirls and churns.

Who is this that cometh up as a flood, whose waters are moved as the rivers?

NoteEvery year the big river in Egypt rose and spread over the land. Egypt's army is pictured spreading out the very same way.

8Egypt rises up like a flooding river, with churning water. Egypt says, "I will rise up and cover the earth. I will destroy the city and the people in it."

Egypt riseth up like a flood, and his waters are moved like the rivers; and he saith, I will go up, and will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof.

9Charge, horses! Race wildly, chariots! Let the strong fighters march out. Bring the Ethiopians and Libyans who carry shields. Bring the Lydians who bend the bow.

Come up, ye horses; and rage, ye chariots; and let the mighty men come forth; the Ethiopians and the Libyans, that handle the shield; and the Lydians, that handle and bend the bow.

NoteChariots were carts pulled by horses. Fighters rode in them in battle. Ethiopia, Libya and Lydia were lands near Egypt. Soldiers from there fought in Egypt's army.

10This day belongs to the Lord GOD of hosts, the God who leads armies. It is the day he pays back his enemies. The sword will eat until it has had enough. It will drink their blood until it is full. The Lord GOD of hosts will hold a sacrifice up north, by the Euphrates River.

For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.

NoteA sacrifice was an animal given to God as a gift. Here the word only makes a picture of the battle. The sword eating and drinking is a picture too. It means many people died.

11Go up to Gilead and get balm, dear daughter Egypt. You will try many medicines, but none will work. You will not get well.

Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin, the daughter of Egypt: in vain shalt thou use many medicines; for thou shalt not be cured.

NoteGilead was a land known for trees that made healing balm. Calling a country "daughter" was a normal way to talk then. It simply means the people of Egypt. Balm is a medicine that comes from a tree.

12The nations have heard how you were shamed. Your crying fills the land. One strong fighter trips over another. Both of them fall down together.

The nations have heard of thy shame, and thy cry hath filled the land: for the mighty man hath stumbled against the mighty, and they are fallen both together.