Pekah
Pekah was a captain who assassinated Pekahiah to become king of Israel, reigning during the empire's decline. He allied with Rezin of Syria against Judah in the Syro-Ephraimite war, provoking King Ahaz to summon Assyria. During his reign Tiglath-Pileser carried away large portions of northern Israel into captivity, and Pekah himself was slain in a conspiracy by Hoshea.
Biography
- Occupation
- King of Israel
- Father
- Remaliah
- Era
- Divided Kingdom
- Nationality
- Israelite
Family
Did You Know?
Pekah joined with Rezin of Syria to attack Judah in the Syro-Ephraimite War, and it was this crisis that prompted Isaiah's great prophecy to King Ahaz of the sign of Immanuel (Isaiah 7).
During his reign Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria carried off the populations of Gilead, Galilee, and Naphtali (2 Kings 15:29) - the first major deportation of the northern tribes.
Pekah met the same end he had dealt others: he came to power by conspiracy and was killed in one, assassinated by Hoshea, who became Israel's last king.
Key Chapters
Key Passages
Pekah and the Assyrian Captivity
2 Kings 15:27-31
Under Pekah, Assyria begins deporting Israel's tribes, and he is killed by Hoshea.
27n the two and fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekah the son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned twenty years.