THE REIGN OF JEHOAHAZ (31-34).
(34) Jehoahaz. — Called Shallum (Jeremiah 22:11; 1 Chronicles 3:15), which may have been his name before his accession. (Comp. 2 Kings 23:34; 2 Kings 24:17.) Hitzig suggested that he was so called by Jeremiah in allusion to his brief reign, as if he were a second Shallum (2 Kings 15:13). It is against this that Shallum was not a Judean prince, but an obscure adventurer who usurped the throne of Samaria a hundred and fifty years previously, so that the allusion would not be very clear.
Hamutal. — “Akin to dew.” (Comp. Abital, “father of dew,” or perhaps, “the father is dew.”) Tal, however, may be a divine name; the meaning then is, “Tal is a kinsman.” (Comp. Hamuel, “El is a kinsman.”)
(34) Turned his name to Jehoiakim. — A slight change. Eliakim is “El setteth up;” Jehoiakim, “Jah setteth up.” Necho meant to signify that the new king was his creature. Eliakim, the elder son, may have paid court to Necho; or the Egyptian may have deposed Jehoahaz, as elected without his consent, and perhaps as likely to prove a stronger king than his brother. Necho may have fancied a resemblance between the name Yahû (i.e., Jah; so it was then pronounced) and Aah, the name of the Egyptian moon-god. (See Note on 1 Chronicles 4:18.)
And he came to Egypt, and died there. — LXX. and Vulg. as Chronicles: and he brought him to Egypt (by a slight change of the pointing in the Hebrew.) Jeremiah had foretold the fact (Jeremiah 22:10-12).