Neco
A person of the divided monarchy of Israel and Judah, first named at 2 Kings 23:29.
What we know — and how we know it
Unknown artistUnknown artist — CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
ArchaeologyThe Babylonian Chronicle records Necho's crushing defeat by Nebuchadnezzar at Carchemish in 605 BC — the same rout the prophet Jeremiah names — fixing the event and the pharaoh in dated Mesopotamian records.
Where in scripture
2 Kings2 ChroniclesJeremiahIn his days Pharaoh Necoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates; and king Josiah went against him; and Pharaoh Necoh killed him at Megiddo, when he had seen him.
2 Kings 23:29
Pharaoh Necoh put him in bonds at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and put the land to a tribute of one hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold.
2 Kings 23:33
Pharaoh Necoh 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 he came to Egypt and died there.
2 Kings 23:34
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, from everyone according to his assessment, to give it to Pharaoh Necoh.
2 Kings 23:35
After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Neco king of Egypt went up to fight against Carchemish by the Euphrates, and Josiah went out against him.
2 Chronicles 35:20
Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and didn’t listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.
2 Chronicles 35:22
The king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. Neco took Joahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.
2 Chronicles 36:4
Of Egypt: concerning the army of Pharaoh Necoh king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon struck in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah.
Jeremiah 46:2
Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, a public-domain translation.
In their own words — 1 recorded saying
“But he sent representatives to him, saying, What have I to do with you, O king of Judah? I have not come against you this day, but against those with whom I am at war; and God has given me orders to go forward quickly: keep out of God's way, for he is with me, or he will send destruction on you.” — 2 Chronicles 35:21
Speaker attribution: Clear Bible MACULA (CC BY 4.0). Wording: Bible in Basic English (public domain).