Pekah King of Israel

2022-11-25

One of Pekahiah’s captains, Pekah the son of Remaliah, overthrew his master in Samaria. He continued in the evil religious tradition of Jeroboam.

Pekah killed 120,000 valiant men of Judah in one day because of the wickedness of the people. The king was in league with Rezin king of Syria and went up against Judah, but they could not take it. Pekah and his alliances spoke against Judah, “Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal: Thus saith the Lord GOD, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass” (Isaiah 7:6-7).

Tiglathpileser king of Assyria seized many cities including the entire land of Naphtali during Pekah’s reign. The people of these areas were taken captive to Assyria.

Hoshea son of Elah killed Pekah and became king instead. In the Annals of Tiglath-Pileser III, it says:

I received from him. Israel (lit.: “Omri-Land” Bit Humria)... all its inhabitants (and) their possessions I led to Assyria. They overthrew their king Pekah (Pa-qa-ha) and I placed Hoshea... as king over them. I received from them 10 talents of gold, 1,000 (?) talents of silver as their tribute and brought them to Assyria. (James B. Prichard, Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament, 3rd Edition with Supplement).

This is a part of the Kings of Israel series. To go back to the table of contents, proceed here.