²⁹ While Josiah was king, Pharaoh Necho^(A) king of Egypt went up to the Euphrates River to help the king of Assyria. King Josiah marched out to meet him in battle, but Necho faced him and killed him at Megiddo.^{(B) 30} Josiah’s servants brought his body in a chariot^(C) from Megiddo to Jerusalem and buried him in his own tomb. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah and anointed him and made him king in place of his father.

Jehoahaz King of Judah^(D)

³¹ Jehoahaz^(E) was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother’s name was Hamutal^(F) daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah. ³² He did evil^(G) in the eyes of the Lord, just as his predecessors had done. ³³ Pharaoh Necho put him in chains at Riblah^(H) in the land of Hamath^(I) so that he might not reign in Jerusalem, and he imposed on Judah a levy of a hundred talents^[a] of silver and a talent^[b] of gold. ³⁴ Pharaoh Necho made Eliakim^(J) son of Josiah king in place of his father Josiah and changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz and carried him off to Egypt, and there he died.^{(K) 35} Jehoiakim paid Pharaoh Necho the silver and gold he demanded. In order to do so, he taxed the land and exacted the silver and gold from the people of the land according to their assessments.^(L)

Jehoiakim King of Judah^(M)

³⁶ Jehoiakim^(N) was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Zebidah daughter of Pedaiah; she was from Rumah. ³⁷ And he did evil^(O) in the eyes of the Lord, just as his predecessors had done.

²² Josiah, however, would not turn away from him, but disguised^(A) himself to engage him in battle. He would not listen to what Necho had said at God’s command but went to fight him on the plain of Megiddo.

¹¹ On that day the weeping^(A) in Jerusalem will be as great as the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.^(B)