2 Kings 15 28

2 Kings 15:28 kjv

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

2 Kings 15:28 nkjv

And he did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin.

2 Kings 15:28 niv

He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.

2 Kings 15:28 esv

And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin.

2 Kings 15:28 nlt

But Pekah did what was evil in the LORD's sight. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.

2 Kings 15 verses

2 Kings 15 28 Meaning

2 Kings 15:28 describes Pekah's reign over Israel, specifically highlighting a significant state of duress within his twenty-year rule. The phrase "he was besieged in Samaria" points to a period of intense pressure on the Northern Kingdom, likely due to external threats, particularly the encroaching Assyrian empire under Tiglath-Pileser III. This implies a weakening of royal authority and the confinement of Pekah's influence to the capital city, signaling a time of national distress and instability that ultimately contributed to his downfall. The mention of his "twenty years" of reign completes the summary of his tumultuous rule.

2 Kings 15 28 Context

2 Kings 15 documents a period of extreme political instability, rapid succession, and moral decay in both the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Within Israel, particularly, it's an era marked by regicide, short reigns, and persistent idolatry, moving towards its eventual destruction. Pekah's reign (mentioned in 2 Kgs 15:27-31) falls amidst this turmoil. He was a usurper who killed his predecessor Pekahiah. His reign is primarily characterized by his alliance with Rezin of Aram against Judah (the Syro-Ephraimite War, Isa 7) and the significant encroachment of the Assyrian Empire under Tiglath-Pileser III, who systematically reduced Israelite territory and deported its population (2 Kgs 15:29). The mention in verse 28 that he "was besieged in Samaria" reflects the immense pressure and the beleaguered state of the Northern Kingdom, with its influence and territory shrinking dramatically under foreign threat, effectively isolating the capital even before its ultimate fall. This foreshadows the imminent collapse of the kingdom.

2 Kings 15 28 Word analysis

• וַיָּצַר (vayyatstsair): This is a verb in the waw-consecutive imperfect form from the root צָרַר (tsarar), which means "to tie up, to be narrow, to restrict, to show hostility." In the Hiphil stem, it often means "to besiege, to distress." While grammatically it could mean Pekah besieged others, given the historical context and most translations, it's understood here passively: "he was brought into straits," "he was hemmed in," or "he was besieged." This reflects the diminished status of his reign and the kingdom due to Assyrian pressure and territorial losses, even if Samaria itself wasn't under an active, prolonged physical siege at this exact moment from which he would emerge to reign for twenty years. It depicts his authority as being constrained and isolated to the capital amidst hostile forces, summarizing a dominant condition of his rule.
• עַל־שֹׁמְרֹון (al-Shomron): "Upon Samaria" or "against Samaria." Samaria was the capital city of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Its vulnerability and the confinement of the king to it underscore the weakening of the entire nation under Pekah. This phrase connects the pressure directly to the heart of the kingdom.
• וַיִּמְלֹךְ (vayyimlokh): From the root מָלַךְ (malakh), "to reign." This is a standard verb used for kingship throughout the Books of Kings.
• עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל (al-Yisrael): "Over Israel." This indicates his sphere of rule, the Northern Kingdom, which by this point was often referred to as Israel or Ephraim.
• עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה (esrim shanah): "Twenty years." This reiterates the length of his reign, first mentioned in 2 Kings 15:27. This duration is notably longer than many other short reigns during this period of instability. However, historical and Assyrian records present a much shorter period for Pekah's rule, suggesting that the biblical twenty years might account for coregencies, an extended military career, or an overlapping chronology in the turbulent political landscape. The biblical author records the chronological length from the divine perspective, emphasizing that despite the chaos, God is sovereign over the rise and fall of kings and their appointed times.

2 Kings 15 28 Bonus section

The seemingly conflicting duration of Pekah's reign (twenty years in 2 Kgs and typically around six years in Assyrian records) has led to scholarly discussion about co-regencies, fragmented chronologies, or perhaps that the twenty years includes his military activity prior to becoming sole monarch, encompassing the "tyranny of Pekah" mentioned by Josephus. The biblical account, however, focuses on his official kingly rule as God intended to present it. The historical details provided here (Assyrian pressures, internal instability) explain why he was "besieged" and illustrate the tragic path of the Northern Kingdom towards its complete dismantling as a result of rejecting the Lord.

2 Kings 15 28 Commentary

2 Kings 15:28 serves as a concise summary of the political state of Israel under Pekah. The mention of his long "twenty years" of rule, initiated through usurpation (2 Kgs 15:27), stands in stark contrast to the profound weakness expressed by the phrase "he was besieged in Samaria." This is not necessarily referring to a literal, continuous siege of the capital city throughout his reign, but rather the pervasive pressure exerted by the rising Assyrian Empire. Tiglath-Pileser III's campaigns during Pekah's time drastically reduced Israel's territory (2 Kgs 15:29), effectively isolating Samaria and confining the king's power.

Pekah, despite his long official tenure, ruled a nation in decline, constantly threatened and experiencing significant losses of land and people. This verse captures the reality of a once-powerful kingdom now struggling for survival, reflecting the ongoing divine judgment upon Israel for its persistent idolatry and rejection of God's covenant. The vulnerability highlighted in this verse sets the stage for Pekah's eventual assassination and the subsequent downfall of the Northern Kingdom less than a generation later. It underscores that worldly power and longevity of rule do not guarantee stability or divine favor without covenant faithfulness. Even amidst seemingly long reigns, the biblical narrative often highlights the underlying decay brought about by ungodly leadership.