2 Kings 23:31 - Meaning and Application

Jerusalem never saw a good day after Josiah was laid in his grave. Trouble came one after another until, within twenty-two years, the city was completely destroyed. Here we get a brief account of two of Josiah’s sons. The first is found here as a prisoner, and the second as a subject paying tribute to the king of Egypt, and both are in that state at the very start of their reigns.

The king of Egypt had killed Josiah. He had not meant to attack Judah at first, but Josiah had opposed him, and now it seems he turned all his force against Josiah’s family and kingdom. If Josiah’s sons had walked in his ways, they would have benefited from his faithfulness. But because they went another way, they suffered for his rashness.

Jehoahaz, a younger son, was first made king by the people of the land. They likely chose him because he seemed more active and warlike than his older brother. They may have hoped he would stand against the king of Egypt and avenge his father’s death. The people may have cared more about honoring Josiah than about continuing his reforms, and the result showed it.

Jehoahaz lived badly. Though he had a good upbringing, a good example, and, we may suppose, many prayers offered for him, he still did evil in the Lord’s sight. It is likely he had already begun to do so while his father was still alive, because his reign was too short to reveal much of his character. He followed the path of his wicked fathers. He had little time to do much, but he had already chosen his models, shown whose steps he meant to follow, and made it clear what kind of life he wanted. That is why Scripture counts him as one who did all the evil of those he aimed to imitate. Young people must be very careful whom they choose as their example. A mistake there can ruin them (Philippians 3:17-18).

Since he lived badly, it is no surprise that he fared badly. He reigned only three months, and then he was made a prisoner and remained so until his death. The king of Egypt seized him, put him in chains, and carried him to Egypt, fearing he might cause trouble. There Jehoahaz soon died (2 Kings 23:33-34). He is the young lion Ezekiel speaks of in his lament for the princes of Israel, one who learned to catch prey and devour people, which was the evil he did before the Lord. But the nations heard of him, caught him in their pit, and brought him in chains to the land of Egypt (Ezekiel 19:1-4). See also Jeremiah 22:10-12.

Eliakim, another son of Josiah, was made king by the king of Egypt. The text does not say he was made king in Jehoahaz’s place, because Jehoahaz’s reign was so short it was barely worth mentioning. Instead, it says he was made king in Josiah’s place. Until now, the crown of Judah had always passed from father to son, never, until this time, from one brother to another. That had happened once in Ahab’s family, but never before in David’s line.

The king of Egypt also showed his power by changing Eliakim’s name. He called him Jehoiakim, a name that still referred to the Lord, because he did not mean to force him to give up the religion of his country. As the saying goes, each nation walks in the name of its own god, and he was left to do so. The king of Babylon did not act this way with the names he changed (Daniel 1:7).

Of Jehoiakim we are told, first, that the king of Egypt made him poor by demanding a huge tribute, 100 talents of silver and a talent of gold (2 Kings 23:33). He had to squeeze this from his subjects with great difficulty and send it to Pharaoh (2 Kings 23:35). The Israelites had once plundered the Egyptians, but now the Egyptians plundered Israel. See what terrible changes sin brings.

We are also told that this hardship did not make him better. Even with these warnings from God’s providence, warnings that should have humbled and corrected him, he still did evil in the Lord’s sight (2 Kings 23:37). So he brought on himself even greater judgments, because God sends heavier ones when lighter ones do not accomplish their purpose.