פֶּקַח
Pekach, an Israelite king
Definition
פֶּקַח (Pekach) is the name of a specific Israelite king who reigned over the northern kingdom of Israel for twenty years (2 Kings 15:27). He is identified as the son of Remaliah and is infamous for leading a significant military coalition with King Rezin of Aram against Judah, an event known as the Syro-Ephraimite War (2 Kings 16:5, Isaiah 7:1). His reign, characterized by idolatry and political turmoil (2 Kings 15:28), ended when he was assassinated by Hoshea son of Elah, who then seized the throne (2 Kings 15:30).
Biblical Usage
This proper noun is used exclusively in historical narratives about the kings of Israel, primarily in 2 Kings 15-16. It consistently refers to King Pekah, son of Remaliah, detailing his conspiracy, reign, military campaigns, and eventual assassination. The usage is strictly identificatory, providing no variation in meaning across its occurrences. Key passages outlining his story include 2 Kings 15:25-31 and 16:5.
Etymology
The name פֶּקַח (Pekach) is derived from the Hebrew root פָּקַח (paqach, H6491), meaning 'to open' (especially the eyes), 'to be watchful,' or 'to awaken.' It is related to words for sight and perception. As a personal name, it likely carried a sense of 'watchfulness' or 'one who has opened eyes,' possibly expressing a hope for discernment or vigilance.
Semantic Range
King Pekah's story is theologically significant as part of the narrative of Israel's steady decline and eventual fall. His idolatrous reign (2 Kings 15:28) exemplifies the covenant disobedience that led to divine judgment, as prophesied. His alliance with Aram against Judah (the Syro-Ephraimite War) sets the stage for the pivotal Immanuel prophecy in Isaiah 7, where God promises protection to the Davidic line in Jerusalem despite the threat. Understanding Pekah's role enriches the reading of both the historical books and the prophetic context of Isaiah.
In the ancient Near East, personal names often held meaningful attributes or expressed hopes about the child's character or destiny. A name like Pekah ('watchful') fits this pattern. As a king in the politically volatile northern kingdom of Israel, where dynastic change was often achieved through violent conspiracy (as Pekah himself did to his predecessor, 2 Kings 15:25), the name's connotation of vigilance may have been seen as particularly apt or ironic.
No direct synonyms as a proper name. Theologically, his narrative role is similar to other idolatrous northern kings like: יָרָבְעָם (Jeroboam, H3379) — the first king of the north who set the pattern of idolatry; and הוֹשֵׁעַ (Hoshea, H1954) — the king who assassinated Pekah and was the last ruler of Israel before the Assyrian exile.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
Full methodology & sources →