◄ 2 Kings 15:27 ►
In the fifty-second year of Azariah's reign over Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria twenty years.
Study Bible
In the fifty-second year of Azariah’s reign over Judah
Azariah, also known as Uzziah, was a king of Judah whose reign is noted for its length and prosperity. His reign is recorded in 2 Kings 15:1-7 and 2 Chronicles 26. Azariah's long reign provided stability in Judah, contrasting with the frequent changes of leadership in Israel. His reign is marked by military success and building projects, but also by his pride, which led to his downfall and leprosy (2 Chronicles 26:16-21). This timeframe situates the events in the Northern Kingdom of Israel within the broader context of Judah's history.

Pekah son of Remaliah became king of Israel
Pekah was a military officer who assassinated King Pekahiah to seize the throne (2 Kings 15:25). His rise to power reflects the political instability and frequent coups in the Northern Kingdom during this period. Pekah's reign is characterized by alliances and conflicts with surrounding nations, including Aram and Assyria. His name, meaning "open-eyed," may suggest a perception of vigilance or insight, though his actions led Israel further into idolatry and conflict.

and he reigned in Samaria twenty years
Samaria was the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, established by Omri (1 Kings 16:24). It was a center of political and religious activity, often associated with idolatry and syncretism. Pekah's twenty-year reign was marked by significant challenges, including the Syro-Ephraimite War, where he allied with Rezin of Aram against Judah (Isaiah 7:1-9). This period saw increasing Assyrian pressure, leading to the eventual fall of Samaria in 722 BC. Pekah's reign is a reminder of the consequences of turning away from God, as prophesied by prophets like Hosea and Amos.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Azariah (Uzziah)
King of Judah during whose reign Pekah became king of Israel. Azariah is noted for his long reign and his initial faithfulness to God, though he later fell into sin.

2. Pekah son of Remaliah
Became king of Israel and reigned in Samaria for twenty years. His reign was marked by idolatry and political instability.

3. Samaria
The capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, where Pekah reigned. It was a center of idolatrous worship and political intrigue.

4. Israel (Northern Kingdom)
The kingdom over which Pekah ruled. It was characterized by a series of short-lived dynasties and frequent conflicts with Judah and surrounding nations.

5. Judah (Southern Kingdom)
The kingdom ruled by Azariah, known for its Davidic lineage and occasional periods of religious reform.
Teaching Points
The Consequences of Idolatry
Pekah's reign is a reminder of the dangers of turning away from God. His idolatry led to political instability and eventual downfall. Believers are called to remain faithful to God and avoid the pitfalls of idolatry in all its forms.

The Importance of Godly Leadership
The contrast between Azariah's initial faithfulness and Pekah's idolatry highlights the impact of leadership on a nation. Christians are encouraged to pray for and support leaders who uphold godly values.

Trusting in God's Sovereignty
Despite the chaos and conflict during Pekah's reign, God's sovereign plan was at work. Believers can find comfort in knowing that God is in control, even in turbulent times.

The Role of Prophets
Prophets like Isaiah played a crucial role in guiding and warning the people. Christians should value and heed the teachings of Scripture, which serve as a prophetic voice in our lives today.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Pekah's reign reflect the spiritual state of Israel during this period, and what lessons can we learn about the consequences of idolatry?

2. In what ways does the political instability in Israel during Pekah's reign serve as a warning for modern societies?

3. How can we apply the lessons from Azariah's and Pekah's leadership to our own roles in leadership, whether in the church, community, or family?

4. What does the involvement of prophets like Isaiah during this time teach us about the importance of seeking and listening to God's guidance?

5. How can we trust in God's sovereignty and remain faithful during times of political or personal turmoil, drawing from the experiences of Israel and Judah?
Connections to Other Scriptures
2 Kings 15:29
This verse describes the consequences of Pekah's reign, including the Assyrian invasion, which highlights the political instability and divine judgment on Israel.

Isaiah 7:1-9
This passage provides a prophetic context during Pekah's reign, where Isaiah speaks to King Ahaz of Judah about the threat posed by Pekah and Rezin of Aram.

2 Chronicles 28:5-6
Chronicles the military defeats suffered by Judah at the hands of Pekah, illustrating the broader conflict between Israel and Judah.
Sermons
Some Lessons from the History of KingsD. Thomas 2 Kings 15:1-38
People
Abel, Ahaz, Amaziah, Amram, Aram, Argob, Arieh, Azaliah, Azariah, David, Elah, Gadi, Gileadites, Hoshea, Jabesh, Jecholiah, Jecoliah, Jehu, Jeroboam, Jerusha, Jotham, Maacah, Menahem, Naphtali, Nebat, Pekah, Pekahiah, Pul, Remaliah, Rezin, Shallum, Tappuah, Tiglathpileser, Tirzah, Uzziah, Zachariah, Zadok, Zechariah
Places
Abel-beth-maacah, Assyria, Damascus, Galilee, Gilead, Hazor, Ibleam, Ijon, Janoah, Jerusalem, Kedesh, Samaria, Syria, Tirzah
Topics
Azariah, Azari'ah, Fiftieth, Fifty, Fifty-second, Judah, Pekah, Reign, Reigned, Remaliah, Remali'ah, Ruling, Samaria, Sama'ria, Twenty
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Kings 15:1-38

     5366   king

2 Kings 15:27-28

     8739   evil, examples of

Library
The Twelve Minor Prophets.
1. By the Jewish arrangement, which places together the twelve minor prophets in a single volume, the chronological order of the prophets as a whole is broken up. The three greater prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, stand in the true order of time. Daniel began to prophesy before Ezekiel, but continued, many years after him. The Jewish arrangement of the twelve minor prophets is in a sense chronological; that is, they put the earlier prophets at the beginning, and the later at the end of the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Meditations Before Dinner and Supper.
Meditate that hunger is like the sickness called a wolf; which, if thou dost not feed, will devour thee, and eat thee up; and that meat and drink are but as physic, or means which God hath ordained, to relieve and cure this natural infirmity and necessity of man. Use, therefore, to eat and to drink, rather to sustain and refresh the weakness of nature, than to satisfy the sensuality and delights of the flesh. Eat, therefore, to live, but live not to eat. There is no service so base, as for a man …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

A Living Book
[Illustration: (drop cap T) Symbol of "Asshur", the principal Assyrian idol.] There is only one Book that never grows old. For thousands of years men have been writing books. Most books are forgotten soon after they are written; a few of the best and wisest are remembered for a time. But all at last grow old; new discoveries are made; new ideas arise; the old books are out of date; their usefulness is at an end. Students are the only people who still care to read them. The nations to which the …
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making

In Galilee at the Time of Our Lord
"If any one wishes to be rich, let him go north; if he wants to be wise, let him come south." Such was the saying, by which Rabbinical pride distinguished between the material wealth of Galilee and the supremacy in traditional lore claimed for the academies of Judaea proper. Alas, it was not long before Judaea lost even this doubtful distinction, and its colleges wandered northwards, ending at last by the Lake of Gennesaret, and in that very city of Tiberias which at one time had been reputed unclean! …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

The Prophet Micah.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS. Micah signifies: "Who is like Jehovah;" and by this name, the prophet is consecrated to the incomparable God, just as Hosea was to the helping God, and Nahum to the comforting God. He prophesied, according to the inscription, under Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. We are not, however, entitled, on this account, to dissever his prophecies, and to assign particular discourses to the reign of each of these kings. On the contrary, the entire collection forms only one whole. At …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

The Prophet Hosea.
GENERAL PRELIMINARY REMARKS. That the kingdom of Israel was the object of the prophet's ministry is so evident, that upon this point all are, and cannot but be, agreed. But there is a difference of opinion as to whether the prophet was a fellow-countryman of those to whom he preached, or was called by God out of the kingdom of Judah. The latter has been asserted with great confidence by Maurer, among others, in his Observ. in Hos., in the Commentat. Theol. ii. i. p. 293. But the arguments …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.), …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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