Topical Bible: Citizens: Wicked: Pekah

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Pekah, son of Remaliah, is a significant figure in the history of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, known for his wickedness and rebellion against God. His reign is marked by political intrigue, idolatry, and conflict, reflecting the spiritual decline of Israel during this period.

Background and Ascension to Power

Pekah was originally a captain in the army of King Pekahiah of Israel. In a violent coup, Pekah assassinated Pekahiah and seized the throne, as recorded in 2 Kings 15:25: "Then Pekah son of Remaliah, one of his chief officers, conspired against him. Taking fifty men of Gilead with him, he assassinated Pekahiah, along with Argob and Arieh, in the citadel of the king’s palace at Samaria. So Pekah killed Pekahiah and reigned in his place."

Reign and Wickedness

Pekah's reign lasted for twenty years, during which he continued the idolatrous practices that had plagued Israel. The Bible explicitly states his evil actions in 2 Kings 15:28: "And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit."

Pekah's rule was characterized by his alliance with Rezin, king of Aram, against Judah. This coalition aimed to resist the growing threat of Assyria, but it ultimately led to further conflict and suffering for Israel. The prophet Isaiah references this alliance in Isaiah 7:1: "Now it came to pass in the days of Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to wage war against Jerusalem, but they could not overpower it."

Downfall and Assassination

Pekah's reign ended in violence, mirroring the way it began. He was assassinated by Hoshea, who would become the last king of Israel. This event is recorded in 2 Kings 15:30: "Then Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah son of Remaliah. He attacked and killed him, and reigned in his place, in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah."

Legacy

Pekah's legacy is one of rebellion and idolatry, contributing to the eventual downfall of the Northern Kingdom. His actions exemplify the broader theme of Israel's unfaithfulness to God, leading to divine judgment and exile. The prophet Hosea, who ministered during this time, captures the spiritual state of Israel, including the reign of Pekah, in Hosea 13:16: "Samaria will bear her guilt, for she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to pieces, and their pregnant women ripped open."

Pekah's life and reign serve as a cautionary tale of the consequences of turning away from God and the inevitable judgment that follows persistent wickedness.

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2 Kings 15:25
But Pekah the son of Remaliah, a captain of his, conspired against him, and smote him in Samaria, in the palace of the king's house, with Argob and Arieh, and with him fifty men of the Gileadites: and he killed him, and reigned in his room.
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Library

How Zachariah Shallum, Menahem Pekahiah and Pekah Took the ...
... he went thence, and came to the city Tiphsah; but the citizens that were in ... Now this
Pekah held the government twenty years, and proved a wicked man and a ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 11 how zachariah shallum.htm

The Antiquities of the Jews
... As Also What He Did For The Punishment Of The Wicked. ... How Pekah Died By The Treachery
Of Hoshea Who Was A ... Nation Of The Jews And Made Them Citizens Of Those ...
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