H5224 H5224
Necho II, Egyptian pharaoh contemporary with Josiah (611-605 BC)
This proper name refers to the Egyptian pharaoh Necho II who reigned during the final years of Judah's independence. He killed King Josiah at Megiddo when Josiah tried to block his march north (2 Kings 23:29). The name derives from Egyptian 'Nkw' (Nekawō), also appearing in Assyrian records as 'Nikû.' Scripture consistently identifies him with his royal title 'Pharaoh Necho,' underscoring his significance in the geopolitical upheavals that preceded Babylon's conquest of Jerusalem. His defeat of Josiah marked a tragic turning point for Judah.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Necho appears in Chronicles and Jeremiah always in connection with military campaigns and Judah's vassalage. The consistent rendering across languages (Neko, Néco, Necho) reflects the transmission of this Egyptian royal name through Hebrew into multiple translation traditions. All three occurrences link him to pivotal moments: Josiah's death, the installation of puppet kings, and the battle of Carchemish (Jeremiah 46:2) where Babylonian power eclipsed Egyptian influence. 3×
AR["نَخُو"]·ben["নেকো", "নেকোর"]·DE["[נכו]"]·EN["Necho"]·FR["Néco"]·heb["נכו"]·HI["नेको", "नेको-के"]·ID["Nekho"]·IT["Neco"]·jav["Nékho"]·KO["네코가", "네코의", "느고가"]·PT["Nekho", "Neko"]·RU["Нехо"]·ES["Neko"]·SW["Neko"]·TR["Neko", "Neko'nun"]·urd["نکو", "نکو-کی"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† נְכוֹ, נְכֹה n.pr.m. Necho (II), king of Egypt (Egyptian Nkw, i.e. (SteindorffBAS i. 346 f.) Nekawō; Assyrian Nikû Id.ib. SchrCOT 2 K 23:29 is grandfather of Bibl. Necho);—contemp. of Josiah and Nebuchad. [b.c. 611–605]: נְכוֹ 2 Ch 35:20 (𝔊 Φαραω Νεχαω), נְכֹה 2 Ch 35:22; 36:4 (𝔊 Φαραω Νεχαω); פַּרְעֹת נְכוֹ Je 46:2, פַּרְעֹה נְכֹה 2 K 23:29, 33, 34, 35 (all 𝔊 id.).