Jehoahaz was king of Judah and son of king Josiah and Hamautal, daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah (1 Chronicles 3:15; 2 Kings 23:32; Jeremiah 22:11). Albright has dated his reign to 609 BC, a date Thiele concurs with. His name at birth was Shallum.

He was elected to succeed his father on the throne, although he was two years younger than his brother Eliakim, and assumed the throne name of Jehoahaz. He disregarded the reforms of his father Josiah, according to the author of Kings. Necho II marched with an army against Jerusalem, captured Jehoahaz, enforced a tribute of 100 talents of silver and unknown amount of gold upon the kingdom, and appointed his older brother Eliakim as king, who took the throne name Jehoiakim. Jehoahaz was taken captive to Egypt, where he became the first king of Judah to die in exile.