2 Chronicles 28 6

2 Chronicles 28:6 kjv

For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.

2 Chronicles 28:6 nkjv

For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed one hundred and twenty thousand in Judah in one day, all valiant men, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.

2 Chronicles 28:6 niv

In one day Pekah son of Remaliah killed a hundred and twenty thousand soldiers in Judah?because Judah had forsaken the LORD, the God of their ancestors.

2 Chronicles 28:6 esv

For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed 120,000 from Judah in one day, all of them men of valor, because they had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers.

2 Chronicles 28:6 nlt

In a single day Pekah son of Remaliah, Israel's king, killed 120,000 of Judah's troops, all of them experienced warriors, because they had abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors.

2 Chronicles 28 verses

2 Chronicles 28 6 Meaning

2 Chronicles 28:6 details a devastating defeat suffered by the kingdom of Judah during the reign of wicked King Ahaz. In a single battle, King Pekah of Israel killed a staggering one hundred and twenty thousand of Judah's most skilled soldiers. The explicit reason given for this catastrophic loss is Judah's profound act of apostasy—they had deliberately abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors. This verse unequivocally highlights divine judgment as the direct consequence of national unfaithfulness.

2 Chronicles 28 6 Context

2 Chronicles 28 records the reign of King Ahaz of Judah (735-715 BCE), a period characterized by profound wickedness and national decline. Ahaz "walked in the ways of the kings of Israel" (v. 2), committing acts such as making cast images for Baals, burning his own children in the valley of Ben Hinnom, and worshiping other gods. This spiritual rebellion provoked God's wrath. Consequently, as described in verse 5, "the Lord his God gave him into the hand of the king of Syria," and into the hand of the king of Israel (Pekah). Verse 6 specifically details the horrific military defeat by Pekah. This defeat was part of the Syro-Ephraimite War (c. 734-732 BCE), where Pekah of Israel and Rezin of Syria formed a coalition against Assyria and sought to force Judah to join them. Ahaz, despite the prophet Isaiah's counsel to trust in the Lord (Isa 7), chose instead to rely on Assyria, bringing even greater long-term distress to Judah (2 Chr 28:20-21). The Chronicler emphasizes that the severe military defeat was not a mere historical coincidence or strategic failure, but a direct, divine consequence of Judah's persistent forsaking of their covenant relationship with the Lord.

2 Chronicles 28 6 Word analysis

• Pekah: (פֶּקַח, Peqach). King of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. His name means "opened" or "open-eyed." Here, he acts as God's instrument of judgment against Judah.
• the son of Remaliah: A consistent biblical identifier for Pekah (e.g., 2 Kgs 15; Isa 7). Remaliah (רְמַלְיָהוּ, Remalyahu) likely means "Yahweh has uplifted."
• slew: (הִכָּה, hikkah, from the root נָכָה, nakah). Means "to strike, smite, wound, kill." It conveys a decisive, violent, and fatal act, underscoring the completeness of the destruction.
• in Judah: Refers to the Southern Kingdom, highlighting that this conflict was between two Israelite nations, but divinely ordained as punishment.
• one hundred and twenty thousand: (מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף, me'ah v'esrim elef). A monumental number of casualties, indicating a devastating and catastrophic loss of life for Judah, showcasing the immense scale of divine judgment.
• in one day: (בְּיוֹם אֶחָד, b'yom echad). Emphasizes the swiftness and intensity of the defeat, a single decisive blow that highlights God's immediate and powerful judgment.
• all valiant men: (כֻּלָּם בְּנֵי חָיִל, kullam b'nei chayil, lit. "all of them sons of strength/valor"). This signifies that Judah's defeat was not due to a lack of skilled or courageous soldiers but occurred despite their martial prowess, underlining that their human strength was rendered ineffective by God's judgment.
• because: (כִּי, ki). A pivotal causal conjunction directly linking the catastrophic military defeat to Judah's spiritual state. It asserts a divine reason for the disaster, moving beyond political or military explanations.
• they had forsaken: (עָזְבוּ, azevu, from root עָזַב, azav). Means "to abandon, leave, desert, relinquish." It implies a deliberate, conscious act of turning away from a relationship or duty. In this context, it describes an active and grievous act of spiritual unfaithfulness.
• the Lord: (יְהוָה, YHWH). The sacred covenant name of God, indicating a breach of the deepest and most fundamental relationship. Forsaking YHWH, their deliverer and sustainer, was the ultimate betrayal.
• the God of their fathers: (אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתָם, Elohei avotam). This phrase evokes the historical covenant, recalling God's faithfulness to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses, and His numerous deliverances of Israel. To forsake "the God of their fathers" implies rejecting their spiritual heritage, their divine identity, and centuries of God's grace. It accentuates the depth of Judah's spiritual rebellion and ingratitude.

Words-group analysis:

• "Pekah the son of Remaliah slew...": This sets up the instrument of divine judgment. Pekah, though seemingly an adversary, acts as God's rod of discipline, illustrating God's sovereignty over kings and nations.
• "one hundred and twenty thousand in one day, all valiant men": This powerful collection of details stresses the overwhelming nature of the catastrophe. The sheer scale, rapid execution, and the high quality of the defeated soldiers indicate a loss that transcended normal military capabilities, pointing solely to divine intervention as the cause.
• "because they had forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers": This is the definitive theological explanation for the calamity. It foregrounds God's covenant with His people and the consequences of violating it. It transforms a historical event into a profound lesson on the wages of spiritual rebellion, demonstrating God's justice in relation to Judah's idolatry and apostasy.

2 Chronicles 28 6 Bonus section

The chronicler's narrative throughout 1 & 2 Chronicles operates with a consistent "Deuteronomistic" theology, which means historical events are interpreted through the lens of covenant obedience and disobedience. Victory and blessing are directly linked to faithfulness to YHWH, while defeat and hardship are tied to unfaithfulness. This explicit causal link in 2 Chr 28:6 (using "because") is a prime example of this interpretive framework. The intent was not just to record history but to provide theological instruction and encourage fidelity to the post-exilic community. Furthermore, the mentioning of "valiant men" underscores a principle seen elsewhere in Scripture: human strength, military numbers, or strategic genius cannot ultimately prevail against God's sovereign will, especially when that will is to bring judgment (e.g., Psa 33:16-17; Zec 4:6). The severity of the defeat in one day highlights the swiftness of divine reckoning when patience wears thin.

2 Chronicles 28 6 Commentary

2 Chronicles 28:6 serves as a severe and direct theological interpretation of Judah's military disaster under King Ahaz. The Chronicler does not simply report a historical event but explicitly assigns its cause to Judah's apostasy. The astronomical casualty figure and the description of the slain as "valiant men" remove any doubt that the defeat was a consequence of human weakness or lack of skill. Instead, the focus is squarely on divine judgment. Judah had abandoned the "God of their fathers," a phrase steeped in covenantal history, underscoring the gravity of their betrayal against the One who had established and faithfully upheld their national existence for generations. This verse teaches that God holds His covenant people accountable, and sustained disobedience to Him ultimately leads to profound and often devastating consequences. Even instruments like King Pekah are merely tools in God's hands to fulfill His righteous judgments, illustrating His sovereignty over human affairs and the outworking of His justice. This stark reality serves as a perpetual reminder that national and individual well-being are inextricably linked to fidelity to the Creator.