Necho II

Necho II (also Neco or Pharaoh Necho) was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 26th dynasty (reigned c. 610–595 B.C.) who marched his army north along the coast of Palestine to support the Assyrian remnant against the Babylonians. When Josiah king of Judah attempted to intercept him at Megiddo, Necho warned him that his quarrel was not with Judah, but Josiah fought and was fatally wounded (2 Kgs. 23:29; 2 Chr. 35:20–24). After Megiddo, Necho deposed Josiah's successor Jehoahaz, imposed tribute, and placed Jehoiakim on the throne (2 Kgs. 23:33–35). He was decisively defeated by Nebuchadnezzar at the battle of Carchemish in 605 B.C., ending Egyptian aspirations in the Levant (Jer. 46:2).