Pekah
A king of Israel in its final years, who came to the throne by killing Pekahiah with fifty men of Gilead. He allied with Rezin of Aram against Judah, and their attempt to force Ahaz into the coalition brought Assyria down on them both. Tiglath-Pileser took Galilee, Gilead and Naphtali and deported their people — the first great exile of the northern kingdom. Pekah was himself killed in a conspiracy led by Hoshea, the last king of Israel.
What we know — and how we know it
Unknown artistUnknown artist — Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
ArchaeologyThe annals of Tiglath-Pileser III claim the Assyrian king deposed 'Paqaha' (Pekah) and set 'Ausi' (Hoshea) over Israel — the coup Kings records.
Where in scripture
2 Kings2 ChroniclesIsaiahPekah the son of Remaliah, his captain, conspired against him and attacked him in Samaria, in the fortress of the king’s house, with Argob and Arieh; and with him were fifty men of the Gileadites. He killed him, and reigned in his place.
2 Kings 15:25
In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekah the son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria for twenty years.
2 Kings 15:27 — Reigns over Israel
In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath Pileser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria.
2 Kings 15:29 — Assyria takes the land
In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign.
2 Kings 16:1
Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war. They besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him.
2 Kings 16:5
For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed in Judah one hundred twenty thousand in one day, all of them valiant men, because they had forsaken Yahweh, the God of their fathers.
2 Chronicles 28:6
In the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it.
Isaiah 7:1
Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, a public-domain translation.