Pharaohhophra is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Pharaohhophra was a king of Egypt, known outside the Bible as Apries. He appears in the Book of Jeremiah, which places him on the throne of Egypt during the period when the Babylonians invaded Judah. His reign forms the backdrop for the final scenes of Jeremiah’s ministry, as the prophet contended with Judeans who had fled to Egypt seeking safety from the Babylonian onslaught.
In Jeremiah 44, the word of the LORD comes to the prophet concerning the Jews dwelling in Egypt, and it is against this setting that Pharaohhophra is named. The LORD declares through Jeremiah that He will give Pharaohhophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of those who seek his life. The certainty of this judgment is underscored by a comparison: just as God gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, so would He give Pharaohhophra into the hand of his foes.
This is the single occasion in the King James Bible where Pharaohhophra is mentioned, and he appears not as an actor but as the subject of a divine oracle. The passage presents him as a proud ruler whose security would prove illusory. The same God who judged Judah’s king would judge Egypt’s king, demonstrating that no throne stands beyond the reach of the LORD’s decree. Scripture says of him only what the oracle declares: that he would be delivered into the hands of those who sought his life.
The Name
The name “Pharaohhophra” is the King James rendering of an Egyptian royal name, and the source note identifies this king as Apries. The element “Pharaoh” is the familiar Egyptian title for the king, not a personal name in itself. The meaning of the full name is not clearly recoverable from the biblical text, and the Hebrew form preserves an Egyptian name rather than offering a transparent Hebrew meaning. It is best to say plainly that Scripture does not supply an interpretation of this name, and no reliable meaning should be assigned to it beyond its identification with the Egyptian ruler Apries.
A Closing Thought
Pharaohhophra stood at the head of a great empire, yet the oracle of God placed him in the same sentence as Zedekiah, a king whose kingdom had already fallen. Power and prominence offer no shelter from the LORD’s purposes. This is a sobering word, but also a comforting one: the God who governs the rise and fall of kings is the same God who speaks, warns, and calls His people to trust Him rather than the arm of flesh. Let us rest our hope not in princes or nations, but in the LORD alone.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- Jeremiah 44:30 — Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give Pharaohhophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of them that seek his life; as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, his enemy, and that sought his…