Who is…
Hophra

also known as: Apries, Wahibre Haaibre

This is the Pharaoh Hophra (called by the Greek historian Herodotus) king of Egypt in the time of Zedekiah, King of Judah (Jeremiah 37:5; 44:30; Ezek. 29:6, 7).

He succeeded his father, Psamtik II (Psammetichus II), and was the grandson of Necho II (the pharaoh who killed King Josiah at Megiddo in 609 BC). His mother was Takhuit, and he ruled from the capital at Sais in the western Nile Delta.

His son is Khedebneithirbinet II.

Hophra reigned from 589–570 BC in the 26th dynasty of Egypt.

He attempted to protect Jerusalem from Nebuchadnezzar II’s invasion—sending troops to assist (Jeremiah 37:5; 34:21). Egyptian forces advanced, temporarily lifting the siege of Jerusalem (as described in Jeremiah 37:5, 7, 11). However, the Egyptians were soon withdrawn due to the overwhelming force of the Babylonians. Subsequently, Jerusalem and its Temple were destroyed after an 18 month-long siege (587 or 586 BC) and Jews were deported to Babylon.

Later Nebuchadnezzar II tried to invade Egypt (582 BC), but Hophra’s army was able to drive the Babylonians back. This is recorded in the Tahpanhes records.1

Hophra’s sister Ankhnesneferibre was made a new wife of the false god Amun at Thebes.

After Jerusalem’s fall, many Jewish refugees, including the prophet Jeremiah (who was taken against his will), fled to Egypt (Jeremiah 43:5–7). Hophra’s Egypt became a refuge for Judeans post-586 BC, leading to communities (e.g., at Elephantine) that persisted for centuries. This migration carried both cultural exchanges and prophetic warnings.

Ezekiel 29–32 contains extended prphecies against Egypt and its pharaoh (often addressed as “Pharaoh king of Egypt”), portraying him as a “great dragon” in the Nile whose arrogance would lead to downfall. These prophecies emphasize Divine judgment on Egypt’s hubris and unreliability as an ally, predicting scattering and diminished power—though not total destruction. Scholars generally identify the pharaoh in these chapters with Hophra, given the timeline (e.g., Ezekiel 29:1 dated to 587 BC).

Disastrous Libyan/Cyrene campaign (circa 570 BC)

In an attempt to aid Libyan allies against Greek colonists at Cyrene (in modern Libya), Hophra sent a large force, largely composed of Egyptian troops. The expedition ended in heavy defeat. Surviving Egyptian soldiers, resentful of the heavy losses and perceived favoritism toward Greek mercenaries, mutinied. They proclaimed one of Hophra’s generals, Amasis (Ahmose II), as king. This sparked a civil war.

Deposed

Hophra initially retained some power, possibly as a co-ruler with Amasis under popular pressure. However, tensions escalated. Hophra attempted a comeback with his mercenary forces (including Greeks and Carians). He was defeated, captured, and eventually handed over to his Egyptian opponents.

Death

According to Herodotus (Histories of the Jews 2.169), the people strangled him, though Amasis later provided a royal burial out of respect. Some accounts suggest he was killed while on a ship or after being taken to Sais.

His death fulfilled the prophecy in Jeremiah 44:30:

“Thus says the Lord: Behold, I will give Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies and into the hand of those who seek his life, as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, his enemy who sought his life.”

Hophra’s story illustrates the futility of foreign alliances over reliance on God, a recurring theme in the prophets during the Babylonian crisis.

Archaeology

MONUMENTS AND INSCRIPTIONS: Cartouches on statues, stelae, and building elements from Sais and other sites. A notable recent discovery (2021) is a large sandstone victory stela (about 2.3 meters tall) found by a farmer near Ismailia in the eastern Nile Delta. It features a winged sun disk, Hophra’s cartouche, and 15 lines of hieroglyphs likely commemorating an eastern military campaign. Egyptian authorities link it to his reign, providing tangible evidence of his activities.

NESUHOR STATUE INSCRIPTION: Mentions Hophra dealing with rebellious foreign mercenaries (including “Asiatics” and Greeks), offering insight into internal security issues.

OTHER ARTIFACTS include statue bases (sometimes later overwritten by Amasis), obelisks, and minor inscriptions. Greek mercenaries under earlier Saite kings left graffiti (e.g., at Abu Simbel), reflecting the military culture Hophra inherited.

1. Mohamed Abd El-Maksoud and Dominique Valbelle, “Une stèle de l'an 7 d'Apriès découverte sur le site de Tell Défenneh” [A stele from the 7th year of Apries, discovered at the site of Tell Defenneh], Revue d'Égyptologie (2013), Volume 64, pp. 1–13.