Hophra: the ally who did not come

RulerEgypt

Hophra (Apries, reigned 589–570 BC), grandson of Neco, is the pharaoh Zedekiah of Judah turned to when he broke his oath to Babylon (Ezekiel 17:15). When Nebuchadnezzar's army closed on Jerusalem the Egyptians did march out, and the Babylonians lifted the siege to meet them (Jeremiah 37:5), but Egypt withdrew without a battle, and Jerusalem fell. The dispirited remnant of Judah then fled to Egypt, carrying the prophet Jeremiah with them to Tahpanhes, where he foretold that Nebuchadnezzar would yet come (Jeremiah 43:8–13; 44:30). The ISBE notes that excavations at Tahpanhes and Memphis uncovered Hophra's own palace, and that Hophra, as Jeremiah said, was finally overthrown and strangled in a revolt. (Source: ISBE 1915, "Pharaoh-hophra.")

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Jeremiah 44:30bsb
This is what the LORD says: Behold, I will deliver Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hands of his enemies who seek his life, just as I delivered Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the enemy who was seeking his life.”
Ezekiel 17:15bsb
But this king rebelled against Babylon by sending his envoys to Egypt to ask for horses and a large army. Will he flourish? Will the one who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and yet escape?’
Jeremiah 37:5bsb
Pharaoh’s army had left Egypt, and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard the report, they withdrew from Jerusalem.

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