Necho

Necho — spelled "Neco" in the UPDV — is the pharaoh of Egypt whose campaign against Carchemish brings him into fatal conflict with Josiah of Judah and afterward into direct control of the Judean throne.

March against Carchemish

The first appearance frames Neco's purpose as a northern campaign rather than an attack on Judah: "After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Neco king of Egypt went up to fight against Carchemish by the Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him" (2Ch 35:20). Josiah intercepts the Egyptian advance even though it is not directed at his own kingdom.

Word from the mouth of God

The Chronicler's account treats Neco's warning to Josiah as more than diplomacy. Josiah refuses to step aside: "Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and didn't listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo" (2Ch 35:22). The narrative attributes the words Neco spoke to a divine source, and Josiah's failure is described as not listening to them.

Installer of Jehoiakim

After Josiah's death, Neco asserts control over Judah's succession. He removes the people's choice and installs his own appointee, renaming him: "And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. And Neco took Joahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt" (2Ch 36:4). Neco both sets the throne and deports the displaced king to Egypt.