Overview
The Bible addresses pekah across 29 verses, drawn from the Old Testament. These passages cluster most in Isaiah, 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles. Closely related themes include Ephraim, Tribe Of, Syria, Armies and Remaliah. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Ahaz, Uzziah, David and Isaiah.
Key Bible verses about pekah
Old Testament
2 Kings
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.
In 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.
And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and smote him, and slew him, and reigned in his stead, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.
And the rest of the acts of Pekah, and all that he did, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
2 Chronicles
Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter. Damascus: Heb. Darmesek
For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. valiant: Heb. sons of valour
Isaiah
And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it.
And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind. is confederate: Heb. resteth on
Then said the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field; Shearjashub: that is, The remnant shall return highway: or, causeway
And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah. neither: Heb. let not thy heart be tender
Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying,
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: vex: or, waken
Thus saith the Lord GOD, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.
For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people. that: Heb. from a people
And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established. If: or, Do ye not believe? it is because ye are not stable
Moreover the LORD spake again unto Ahaz, saying, Moreover: Heb. And the LORD added to speak
Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. ask it: or, make thy petition deep
But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD.
And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. shall call: or, thou, O virgin, shalt call
Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.
For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.
For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria. the riches: or, he that is before the king of Assyria shall take away the riches, etc
The LORD spake also unto me again, saying,
Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's son;
Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks:
And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel. stretching: Heb. fulness of the breadth of thy land shall be the stretchings out of his wings
Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. people and: or, people, yet
Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.
People in the Bible and pekah
Biblical figures whose stories intersect with this theme.
In the Bible dictionary
Studying pekah for yourself
- Begin with 2 Kings 15:25, then read the passages below in canonical order.
- Compare how Isaiah, 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles each treat the theme.
- Consider the lives of Ahaz, Uzziah and David and how their stories intersect with it.
- Widen the study to related themes: Ephraim, Tribe Of, Syria, Armies and Remaliah.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say about pekah?
The Bible addresses pekah across 29 verses, drawn from the Old Testament. These passages cluster most in Isaiah, 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles. Closely related themes include Ephraim, Tribe Of, Syria, Armies and Remaliah. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Ahaz, Uzziah, David and Isaiah.
How many Bible verses are about pekah?
The Bible references pekah in 29 verses (King James Version).
Where does the Bible first mention pekah?
In canonical order, the first of these passages is 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.”
Which people in the Bible are associated with pekah?
Ahaz, Uzziah, David, Isaiah and Shear-Jashub.
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