Pekahiah
Menahem's son and successor, slain by Pekah. Reigned 759-757 B.C.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Pekahiah
Pekahiah pek-a-hi'-a, pe-ka'-ya (peqachyah, "Yah hath opened" (the eyes) (2Ki 15:23-26); Phakesias; Codex Alexandrinus Phakeias): ⇒See a list of verses on PEKAHIAH in the Bible. 1. Accession: Son of Menahem, and 17th king of Israel. He is said to have succeeded his father in the "50th year of Azariah" (or Uzziah), a synchronism not free from difficulty if his accession is placed in 750-749 (see MENAHEM; UZZIAH). Most date lower, after 738, when an Assyrian inscription makes Menahem pay tribute to Tiglath-pileser (compare 2Ki 15:19-21). ⇒See also the McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia. 2. Regicide in Israel: Pekahiah came to the throne enveloped in the danger which always accompanies the successor of an exceptionally strong ruler, in a country where there is not a settled law of succession. Within two years of his accession he was murdered in a foul manner--the 7th king of Israel who had met his death by violence (the others were Nadab, Elah, Tibni, Jehoram, Zechariah and Shallum). The chief conspirator was Pekah, son of Remaliah, one of his captains, with whom, as agent in the…
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Pekahiah
King of Israel for two years, son and successor of Menahem (2 Καὶ 15*-*),” Two dates fixed by Assyrian records determine with unusual closeness the years of his reign. The inscriptions of Tiglath-pileser ΠῚ. show that Mena- hem was alive in 738, and that Pekabiah’s suc- cessor, Pekah, was dethroned in 734-733. It follows in all probability that the years 737 and 736 include the whole or the greater part of Pekabiah’s reign. The synchronism of 2K 15 is improbable. It is unlikely that Azariah of Judah was living in 737, since az was king in 734 and the reign of Jotham comes between.—The internal condition of Israel in this reign has all its features in common with Hosea’s general picture of the period (see HoseEA). Nor can there be any doubt what the critical question of foreign policy was,—whether the attitude to Assyria should one of sub- mission, or one of resistance in co-operation with other Syrian states. The absence of Tiglath- pileser in the north allowed time for negotiation and debate. Pekahiah’s assassination by his mili- tary adjutant or attendant may have been planned in c…
Smith's Bible Dictionary on Pekahiah
(whose eyes Jehovah opened), son and successor of Menahem was the 17th king of the separate kingdom of Israel, B.C. 759-757. After a brief reign of scarcely two years a conspiracy was organized against him by Pekah, who murdered him and seized the throne.
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia