Bible Encyclopedias
Hophra

The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia

King of Egypt at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. The name occurs but once in the Bible (Jeremiah 44:30); in the other passages where this king is referred to (Jeremiah 37:5,7,11; Ezekiel 29:2 et seq.) he is called "Pharaoh." He is to be identified with the 'Οάφρης of Manetho and the 'Απρίης of Herodotus and Diodorus. Hophra was the fourth king of the twenty-sixth dynasty, the son of Psammetichus II. and grandson of Necho. When Jerusalem was besieged by Nebuchadnezzar, Hophra marched to the assistance of the Jews, and the siege was interrupted for a short time (Jeremiah 37:5,7,11). According to Herodotus (2:161), Hophra also helped the Tyrians against Nebuchadnezzar, and had a certain degree of success. It is very likely that the words of Ezekiel 29:18 refer to this event. Jeremiah (44:30) and Ezekiel (29:2-) predicted the fall of Hophra and Egypt through the Babylonians; but according to historical statements these predictions were not fulfilled. Hophra was dethroned by Amasis and strangled by the mob (Herodotus, 2:169).

E. G. H.
M. Sel.
Bibliography Information
Singer, Isidore, Ph.D, Projector and Managing Editor. Entry for 'Hophra'. 1901 The Jewish Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/​encyclopedias/​eng/​tje/​h/hophra.html. 1901.