2 Kings 15:27-31

13. Pekah’s evil reign in Israel 15:27-31

Though the writer did not clarify this point, it seems that Pekah had been ruling over Israel in Gilead since 752 B.C., the year Menahem assassinated Shallum. This must be the case in view of the writer’s chronological references. [Note: See Edwin R. Thiele, The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings, pp. 118-40.] He wrote that in the fifty-second year of Azariah, Pekah became king over Israel in Samaria. Apparently Pekah never accepted Menahem’s claim to Israel’s throne and set up a rival government on the east side of the Jordan River in Gilead. In 740 B.C. he assassinated Pekahiah in Samaria, moved there, and reigned until 732 B.C.

Part of Pekah’s reason for opposing Menahem seems to have been a difference in foreign policy. Menahem was willing to submit to Assyrian control (2 Kings 15:19-20). Pekah evidently favored a harder line of resistance since he made a treaty with Rezin, the king of Damascus, against Assyria. This resulted in Tiglath-Pileser invading Israel, along with Philistia and Aram, in 734-732 B.C. (2 Chronicles 28:5-8). He captured much of Israel’s territory (2 Kings 15:29) and deported many Israelites to Assyria about 733 B.C.

"This was to be the beginning of the elimination of Israel as an independent state." [Note: Wiseman, p. 256.]

Israel’s defeat encouraged Hoshea to assassinate Pekah and succeed him in 732 B.C. Tiglath-Pileser claimed to have had a hand in setting Hoshea on Israel’s throne. [Note: James B. Pritchard, ed., Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament, p. 284.] Obviously Assyria was in control of affairs in Israel at this time.