Concerning Egypt: This is the message against the army of Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt, which was defeated at Carchemish on the Euphrates River by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah … - Jeremiah 46:2

Today’s Scripture Reading (April 21, 2020): Jeremiah 46

In 610 B.C.E, Psamtik I, Pharaoh over all of the lands of Egypt, died. His death was likely traumatic for the Egyptians. Psamtik had reigned over Egypt for 54 years, and he had reunited the Egyptian territories under his rule. Following his death, his son, Necho II, picked up where his father had left off. Specifically, it seems that with a united Egypt behind him, Necho turned his attention to the threats that existed outside of the region. Egypt had suffered during the reign of the Assyrians, and it seems likely that Necho II wanted to make sure that that never happened again. By this time, the Assyrian Empire was in severe decline, but Necho also saw that another Empire was on the rise; the Babylonians. And so Necho looked at his world and immediately decided that if Egypt was to remain secure, he needed to take control of and secure Carchemish. This city existed on the border of what is now Turkey and Syria.

It was on his way to Carchemish in 609 B.C.E. that Necho II met with King Josiah. Necho didn’t want a conflict with the Judean King, but Judah stood in his pathway as he tried to get to Carchemish. And Josiah died in battle trying to stop Necho from traveling through the Judean countryside on their way to Carchemish. It seems that Necho paused at this moment in history. Necho returned to Egypt, and a couple of months later, he began his trek north once again and discovered that the Judeans had placed the popular Shallum, who reigned under the name Jehoahaz, on the throne of the country. Shallum was made king in spite of the fact that he was two years younger than his brother Eliakim; both were the sons of Josiah. For whatever reason, Necho seemed to be displeased with the choice, and he immediately deposed Jehoahaz, who had reigned for only three months, in favor of his older brother. Eliakim took the throne of Judah under the name of Jehoiakim, and it seems that Necho continued his journey to Carchemish, which was still under the control of the declining Assyrian Empire.

And this was the situation into which Jeremiah decides to wade. As he looks at the Egyptian army gathered at Carchemish, he announces that everything that the Egyptians have gone through, the death of Josiah and the deposing of Jehoahaz, is all for naught. Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon will defeat them. And that defeat would happen four years after Necho had killed Josiah and deposed and taken captive Jehoahaz. In 605 B.C.E., Babylon’s attack at Carchemish seemed to surprise the Egyptian army and chased them south, eventually ending up at Jerusalem.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 47