Original Word: פַרְעֹה נְכֹה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Par`oh Nkoh
Pronunciation: pah-ROH neh-KOH
Phonetic Spelling: (par-o' nek-o')
KJV: Pharaoh-necho, Pharaoh-nechoh
NASB: Pharaoh Neco
Word Origin: [of Egyptian derivation]

1. Paroh-Nekoh (or -Neko), an Egyptian king

Paroh-Nekoh or, an Egyptian king

Or Parpoh Nkow {par-o' nek-o'}; of Egyptian derivation; Paroh-Nekoh (or -Neko), an Egyptian king:

Word Origin
from Paroh and Neko
Definition
an Eg. king
NASB Translation
Pharaoh Neco (5).

Identity and Chronological Setting

Pharaoh Neco (also spelled Neco II) ruled Egypt’s Twenty-Sixth (Saïte) Dynasty from about 610–595 BC. His reign overlaps the final decades of the Kingdom of Judah, immediately before the Babylonian exile. The Scriptural record therefore presents him as a pivotal foreign monarch through whom the Lord worked to accomplish judgment and to shift the balance of Near-Eastern power.

Biblical Appearances

The name occurs five times in the Hebrew text: 2 Kings 23:29, 2 Kings 23:33, 2 Kings 23:34, 2 Kings 23:35, Jeremiah 46:2. These passages collectively portray three decisive moments:

1. The death of King Josiah at Megiddo.
2. The deposition of Josiah’s son Jehoahaz and enthronement of Jehoiakim.
3. The defeat of Egypt at Carchemish, fulfilling prophetic warning.

Selected quotations:
• 2 Kings 23:29 — “During his reign Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt marched up to help the king of Assyria at the Euphrates River, and King Josiah went out to confront him; but Pharaoh Neco met Josiah and killed him at Megiddo.”
• 2 Kings 23:33 — “Pharaoh Neco imprisoned Jehoahaz at Riblah in the land of Hamath, to keep him from reigning in Jerusalem, and he imposed on the land a tribute of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.”
• Jeremiah 46:2 — “Concerning Egypt: about the army of Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt, which was defeated by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Carchemish on the Euphrates River, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah.”

Military Campaigns and Geopolitical Role

Neco attempted to shore up the fading Assyrian Empire against Babylonian expansion. His army’s northward march invited confrontation with Josiah, who sought to protect Judah’s independence and perhaps to honor covenant obligations described in Deuteronomy. The encounter ended in Josiah’s death, signaling the beginning of Judah’s rapid decline. Neco’s subsequent victory at Megiddo did not guarantee Egyptian supremacy; within a few years Nebuchadnezzar crushed Neco at Carchemish (Jeremiah 46:2), marking Babylon’s rise and Egypt’s retreat.

Dealings with Judah’s Kings

After Megiddo, Neco exercised direct influence over Judah:
• He removed Jehoahaz after only three months and deported him to Egypt, where he died (2 Kings 23:34).
• He renamed Eliakim “Jehoiakim” and installed him as a vassal king, demanding heavy tribute (2 Kings 23:35).

This political rearrangement fulfilled earlier warnings that disobedience would place Judah under foreign yokes (Deuteronomy 28:47–48). It also set the stage for Babylon’s later siege, for Jehoiakim would switch allegiances and provoke Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 24:1).

Prophetic Significance

Jeremiah proclaimed judgment on Egypt in Jeremiah 46. The prophecy specifically targets “Pharaoh Neco” and foretells Egypt’s defeat, portraying the LORD as the ultimate commander of international events. The fulfillment at Carchemish affirmed both the authority of divine revelation and the certainty of covenant curses when nations oppose God’s purposes.

Spiritual and Ministry Insights

1. God’s Sovereignty Over Nations: The rise and fall of Egypt and Babylon demonstrate that earthly powers are subordinate to the LORD’s redemptive plan.
2. Consequences of Disregarding God’s Word: Josiah’s premature death underscores that even a righteous leader’s zeal must remain tethered to divine guidance.
3. The Reliability of Prophecy: The precise outcome at Carchemish validates the prophetic office and encourages believers to trust every promise and warning in Scripture.
4. Stewardship of Leadership: Jehoiakim’s oppressive taxation to satisfy Pharaoh Neco models the hardship imposed when rulers serve human masters rather than God, challenging present-day leaders to seek first the kingdom of God.

Archaeological Corroboration

Inscriptions such as the Babylonian Chronicles confirm a Pharaoh’s defeat at Carchemish in 605 BC. Although these extra-biblical records do not name Neco explicitly, they align with the biblical timetable, reinforcing the historical reliability of the narrative.

Legacy in Redemptive History

Pharaoh Neco stands as an instrument through whom the Lord accelerated Judah’s path toward exile and, ultimately, toward the promised restoration that would culminate in the Messiah. His brief prominence reminds readers that every monarch, however powerful, serves a role within God’s overarching design to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.

נְכֹ֜ה נְכֹ֤ה נְכֹ֧ה נְכֹֽה׃ נְכוֹ֙ נכה נכה׃ נכו nə·ḵōh nə·ḵōw neCho neChoh nəḵōh nəḵōwInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts