2 kings 23:35 - 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.

Generated Verse: 2 kings 23:35

What does "2 kings 23:35" mean?


This verse from 2 Kings 23:35 explains how King Jehoiakim of Judah raised the tribute money demanded by Pharaoh Necho of Egypt. Let's break it down:

"Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh;": Jehoiakim paid the tribute (a form of tax or forced payment) to Pharaoh Necho. This was payment to maintain his position as a vassal king under Egyptian rule.

"but he taxed the land to give the money according to the commandment of Pharaoh.": To pay this tribute, Jehoiakim didn't use his personal wealth alone. Instead, he imposed a tax on the people of Judah. This tax was levied because Pharaoh Necho demanded this amount.

"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.": This emphasizes that Jehoiakim forced the people to pay. He didn't ask for donations; he exacted (demanded and took forcefully) the silver and gold. The phrase "according to his assessment" means that Jehoiakim likely had a system (fair or not) to determine how much each person owed, based on their wealth or property. He then gave that collected amount to Pharaoh Necho.

In summary, the verse tells us that Jehoiakim paid the tribute demanded by Pharaoh Necho, but to do so, he heavily taxed the people of Judah, taking their silver and gold to fulfill the Pharaoh's demands.

This verse reveals several things:

Judah was under Egyptian control: Pharaoh Necho had the power to demand tribute from Jehoiakim.
Jehoiakim was a weak and perhaps unpopular ruler: He was willing to burden his own people to maintain his power under foreign rule.
Economic hardship: The people of Judah likely suffered financially due to these heavy taxes.

The passage paints a picture of political subjugation and economic exploitation. This likely contributed to the growing unrest within Judah, which would eventually lead to its downfall under the Babylonian Empire.

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