(Hophʹra) [from Egyptian, meaning “The Heart of Ra [the sun-god] Endures”].

In the Greek Septuagint (Jer 51:30, corresponding to 44:30 in most versions), he is called Ou·a·phreʹ. Pharaoh Hophra is called Apries by Herodotus. Hophra is believed to have reigned for 19 years. However, according to Herodotus (II, 161), he reigned for 25 years.

After the Jews fled to Egypt in 607 B.C.E., Jehovah said by the mouth of Jeremiah: “Here I am giving Pharaoh Hophra, the king of Egypt, into the hand of his enemies and into the hand of those seeking for his soul.” (Jer 44:1, 26, 30) This was to be a sign of imminent calamity to come over the Jews dwelling in Egypt. (Jer 44:29) According to Herodotus (II, 161-169), Hophra (Apries) undertook a disastrous expedition to Cyrene to help the Libyans against the Greeks in the sixth century B.C.E. Hophra’s troops revolted against him and set up Ahmose II (Amasis) as rival king. Even then, Hophra was so arrogant that he “supposed that not even a god could depose him from his throne.” However, he was taken prisoner and finally was killed by being strangled.