Jehoahaz (King of Judah)

Technical Profile

• Name Meaning: Hebrew Yəhô’āḥāz (“Yahweh has grasped/held”), a theophoric royal name invoking Israel’s God.
• Period/Era: Divided Kingdom (late 7th century BC)
• Main References: 2 Kings 23:30–34; 2 Chronicles 36:1–4; Jeremiah 22:10–12
• Key Connections: Son of Josiah; brother of Jehoiakim; installed amid Egyptian influence after Josiah’s death.

Who was Jehoahaz (King of Judah)?

Jehoahaz was a king of Judah who reigned three months in Jerusalem after the death of his father Josiah.
He was made king by “the people of the land,” but his rule was short-lived under regional imperial pressure.
Pharaoh Neco removed him and replaced him with his brother Eliakim (Jehoiakim).
He was taken to Egypt, where he died, ending his reign in exile.

Key Events & Achievements

• Accession: The people installed him as king in Jerusalem following Josiah’s death (2 Kings 23:30; 2 Chron. 36:1).
• Deposition by Egypt: Pharaoh Neco deposed him at Riblah and imposed tribute on Judah (2 Kings 23:33).
• Exile: He was taken to Egypt and did not return to Judah (2 Kings 23:34; Jer. 22:10–12).

Life Lesson & Legacy

Jehoahaz’s reign illustrates Judah’s diminished political autonomy in the Divided Kingdom as foreign powers controlled royal succession.

Key Verse

"Pharaoh Neco put him in bonds at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem, and laid on the land a tribute of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold." — 2 Kings 23:33, ESV