Why did Jehoahaz do evil in the sight of the LORD according to 2 Kings 23:32? Biblical Statement “And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, just as his fathers had done.” (2 Kings 23:32) Immediate Context of 2 Kings 23:32 Jehoahaz (also called Shallum, cf. Jeremiah 22:11) reigned only three months in 609 BC, directly after the godly King Josiah’s death. The author of Kings, writing under divine inspiration, provides the standard evaluation formula used for every monarch of Judah and Israel: each reign is weighed against the covenant standards of Deuteronomy 12 and Exodus 20. Jehoahaz fails that test. Parallel Account 2 Chron 36:1-4 supplies confirming data: the people themselves set Jehoahaz on the throne, Pharaoh Necho II removed him, and he “did evil in the sight of the LORD.” Chronicles, written to post-exilic readers, reinforces the theological judgment already expressed in Kings. Spiritual Climate at the End of Josiah’s Reforms Josiah’s sweeping reforms (2 Kings 22–23) outwardly purged Judah of idolatry, but Jeremiah’s preaching shows the populace’s hearts remained stubborn (Jeremiah 3:10; 11:7-8). After Josiah’s death at Megiddo (609 BC), the people quickly reverted to syncretism. Jehoahaz, formed by this national mood during his youth, merely reflected and accelerated that relapse. Familial and Court Influences Though a son of Josiah, Jehoahaz was not the crown prince; his older brother Eliakim (Jehoiakim) was. The royal court, priests aligned with high-place worship, and influential nobles who resented Josiah’s centralization at Jerusalem all favored a return to the pre-reform status quo. Such alliances shaped Jehoahaz’s policy choices. Political Pressure From Egypt After Assyria’s collapse, Egypt pushed northward. Necho II’s campaign is corroborated by the Babylonian Chronicle BM 21946 (“Nebuchadnezzar Chronicle,” col. ii). Judah lay on the invasion route. By acceding to the throne without Egyptian approval, Jehoahaz positioned himself as potential opposition. To secure Egypt’s favor—or perhaps to curry pagan allies—he may have re-opened forbidden high places and cultic sites dedicated to Egyptian or Canaanite deities, provoking the divine verdict of evil. Evidence From Archaeology Lachish Astracon 4 echoes the unrest of the period; scarab seals from the late 7th century BC bearing Egyptian motifs attest cultural influence in Judah. These finds support the biblical portrait of Egyptian dominance and syncretistic temptation. No artifact has disproved Kings’ chronology; rather, the stratigraphy of City of David Area G shows a burn layer matching Babylon’s 586 BC destruction, demonstrating the accuracy of the prophetic trajectory initiated in Jehoahaz’s day. Covenant Definition of “Evil” “Evil” (Heb ra‘) in Kings is covenantal, not merely ethical. It denotes idolatry, injustice, and disregard for prophetic revelation (Deuteronomy 31:29). Jehoahaz apparently: • Re-installed high-place worship (forbidden, Deuteronomy 12:2-4). • Ignored the newly found “Book of the Law” (2 Kings 22:8-13). • Tolerated or sponsored social oppression; Jeremiah’s early oracles (Jeremiah 22) indict Shallum for neglecting justice toward the poor. Rejection of Prophetic Voice Jeremiah 22:11-12 records God’s direct word that Jehoahaz would die in exile because he “did not obey My voice.” The king hardened his heart against prophetic counsel—echoing the pattern of earlier apostate kings (cf. 2 Kings 17:14). Personal Responsibility and the Doctrine of Human Depravity Scripture holds each ruler personally accountable (Ezekiel 18:20). Jehoahaz’s lineage or political constraints do not negate his willful choice. Romans 1:21—though centuries later—describes the timeless downward spiral: “For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him.” Jehoahaz repeats that pattern. Divine Sovereignty and Judicial Hardening 2 Kings consistently ties a king’s evil to God’s sovereign plan to execute covenant curses (Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28). After Josiah delayed judgment (2 Kings 22:19-20), Jehoahaz’s swift apostasy triggered the overdue reckoning. Thus, his evil is both freely chosen and divinely permitted to advance redemptive history toward the exile, foreshadowing the ultimate restoration in Christ. Consequences Realized Pharaoh Necho deported Jehoahaz to Egypt, fulfilling the prophetic word. Judah paid heavy tribute (2 Kings 23:33-34), signaling that trust in foreign powers would fail—a living parable of Psalm 146:3. Lessons for Today • External reforms without heart conversion are fleeting (Matthew 15:8). • Leadership sets moral tone; private compromise becomes public policy. • National apostasy invites God’s discipline but also showcases His unfolding plan culminating in the risen Messiah, who alone secures lasting righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). Summary Answer Jehoahaz did evil because he abandoned Josiah’s covenantal reforms, embraced idolatrous and unjust practices under Egyptian influence, rejected prophetic correction, and exercised his fallen will in hostility toward God. His brief, tragic reign illustrates the covenant principle that every generation—and every ruler—must personally submit to Yahweh, lest judgment fall and history march on toward the ultimate King, Jesus Christ. |
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