2 Kings 16:5 kjv
Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him.
2 Kings 16:5 nkjv
Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, came up to Jerusalem to make war; and they besieged Ahaz but could not overcome him.
2 Kings 16:5 niv
Then Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem and besieged Ahaz, but they could not overpower him.
2 Kings 16:5 esv
Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, came up to wage war on Jerusalem, and they besieged Ahaz but could not conquer him.
2 Kings 16:5 nlt
Then King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah of Israel came up to attack Jerusalem. They besieged Ahaz but could not conquer him.
2 Kings 16 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 7:1 | When Ahaz son of Jotham... was king of Judah, Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not overpower it. | Direct parallel account; failed siege. |
| Isa 7:3 | Then the LORD said to Isaiah, "Go out to meet Ahaz... and say to him, ‘Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid...’" | God's instruction to Isaiah concerning Ahaz's fear during the siege. |
| Isa 7:7 | This is what the Sovereign Lord says: "It will not take place, it will not happen." | God's prophetic assurance that the invasion will fail. |
| Isa 8:9-10 | Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted; propose your plan, but it will not stand, for God is with us. | Reassurance that enemies' plans against God's people will fail. |
| 2 Chron 28:5-7 | Therefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Aram... into the hand of the king of Israel... | Parallel account; initial successes of the invaders elsewhere in Judah. |
| 2 Chron 28:17-18 | For the Edomites had again invaded Judah and carried away captives, and the Philistines had raided towns in the lowlands and the Negev of Judah and captured Beth Shemesh... | Broader context of Ahaz's reign, other invasions. |
| 2 Ki 16:3-4 | He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel... he even sacrificed his son... he offered sacrifices... | Ahaz's wickedness and idolatry preceding the invasion, why judgment came. |
| 2 Ki 16:7 | Ahaz sent messengers to say to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, "I am your servant and vassal. Come up and save me..." | Ahaz's unfaithfulness in seeking Assyrian help instead of God. |
| Ps 46:1 | God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. | Divine protection for Jerusalem despite the siege. |
| Ps 125:1-2 | Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken... As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people... | Metaphor for God's protection of His city and people. |
| Prov 21:30-31 | There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel against the LORD... The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD. | Reinforces God's sovereignty over military outcomes. |
| Ps 33:10-11 | The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever... | God's ultimate control over the plans of nations and kings. |
| Lam 1:5 | Her foes have become her masters; her enemies are at ease. The LORD has brought her grief because of her many sins. Her children have gone into exile... | Contrast: when Jerusalem was eventually overcome due to persistent sin. |
| 2 Ki 19:32-34 | "Therefore this is what the LORD says concerning the king of Assyria: ‘He will not enter this city or shoot an arrow here... For I will defend this city and save it for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’" | God's protection of Jerusalem from Sennacherib, paralleling the failure to overcome. |
| Zech 12:2-3 | "I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that makes all the surrounding peoples reel... I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples." | Jerusalem as an immovable object to hostile nations in prophecy. |
| Dan 4:35 | All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?" | God's absolute sovereignty over earthly rulers and kingdoms. |
| Jer 1:18-19 | "Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land... They will fight against you but will not overcome you..." | Prophetic assurance to Jeremiah, reflecting the inability to overcome God's purpose. |
| Matt 16:18 | And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. | Spiritual parallel: divine protection against ultimate spiritual adversaries. |
| Exod 15:9-10 | The enemy boasted, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake them...’ But you blew with your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead... | God frustrating powerful enemies through His breath/power. |
| Deut 2:30 | But Sihon king of Heshbon refused to let us pass through. For the LORD your God had made his spirit stubborn... to give him into your hands... | God's divine hand in hardening hearts, leading to specific outcomes. |
| Joel 2:20 | "I will remove the northern horde far from you, driving them into a parched and barren land..." | Prophetic image of divine repulsion of invading armies. |
2 Kings 16 verses
2 Kings 16 5 Meaning
This verse describes a pivotal event in the reign of Ahaz, king of Judah: an invasion by a coalition of northern kingdoms. Rezin, king of Aram (Syria), and Pekah, son of Remaliah, king of Israel (the Northern Kingdom of Ephraim), united their forces and marched upon Jerusalem with the intent of waging war and laying siege to the city. Despite their formidable combined strength and the successful encirclement of Jerusalem, the verse explicitly states their ultimate failure: "they could not overcome him" (referring to Ahaz, or more broadly, Jerusalem). This signifies a divine limitation on their power, preventing them from capturing the Davidic capital.
2 Kings 16 5 Context
2 Kings chapter 16 begins with Ahaz, king of Judah, who reigned for sixteen years. Immediately, the text highlights his grievous spiritual failure: unlike his father David or grandfather Uzziah, he did "not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD his God" (2 Ki 16:2), but rather walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, including practices such as sacrificing his own son (2 Ki 16:3) and burning incense in idolatrous places (2 Ki 16:4). Verse 5, therefore, sets the stage for a divine test or judgment in the context of Ahaz's severe apostasy.
Historically, this event marks the beginning of the Syro-Ephraimite War (around 734 BCE). The Assyrian Empire, under Tiglath-Pileser III, was expanding its power, threatening the independent states of the Near East. In response, King Rezin of Aram (Damascus) and King Pekah of Israel (Ephraim) formed a defensive alliance. They attempted to pressure Ahaz of Judah to join their anti-Assyrian coalition. When Ahaz refused, they attacked Judah, aiming to depose him and replace him with a more compliant ruler, the "son of Tabeel" (Isa 7:6), thus forcing Judah into their alliance. The verse details their combined military action—they "came up to Jerusalem to wage war"—and their initial success in besieging the capital. However, it significantly concludes by emphasizing their failure to conquer the city. This unexpected inability to "overcome him" serves as a direct point of divine intervention, demonstrating God's preservation of Jerusalem and the Davidic dynasty, despite Ahaz's profound unfaithfulness, likely in accordance with His covenant promises to David. This sets the immediate background for Isaiah's prophecies in chapters 7 and 8, where God, through Isaiah, offers Ahaz a sign and instructs him to trust in the Lord, which Ahaz rejects (2 Ki 16:7-9).
2 Kings 16 5 Word analysis
- Then Rezin: Rezin (רְצִין, Rĕṣîn) was the last independent king of Aram-Damascus, a significant regional power. His alliance with Pekah highlights the geopolitical shifts of the late 8th century BCE as local kingdoms banded together against the growing threat of Assyria.
- king of Aram: Aram (אֲרָם, ʼĂrâm), modern Syria, specifically the kingdom centered in Damascus, was a frequent adversary of both Israel and Judah throughout their histories. This shows a long-standing pattern of conflict between these regional powers.
- and Pekah: Pekah (פֶּקַח, Peqaḥ) was a king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Ephraim). His full name is provided as "son of Remaliah," emphasizing his human origin and placing him within his lineage, not divinely appointed. His participation highlights the internal divisions among God's people (Northern vs. Southern Kingdoms).
- son of Remaliah: This is a common Hebrew identifier (patronymic), distinguishing Pekah from others.
- king of Israel: Refers to the Northern Kingdom, separate from Judah, indicating their fractured national state despite a shared ancestry.
- came up to Jerusalem: "Came up" reflects the geographical ascent to Jerusalem, situated on a high plateau. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, Yĕrûšālayim), the capital of Judah, held immense religious and political significance as the City of David and the location of the Temple. Its status made it the primary target.
- to wage war: This signifies their clear aggressive intent: not merely a raid but a full-scale military campaign with the aim of conquest.
- And they besieged: "Besieged" (וַיָּצֻרוּ, vayyāṣuru, from the root צוּר, ṣûr, "to besiege") means to surround a city or stronghold with military forces to cut off supplies and communication, aiming for its eventual surrender or assault. This was a common method of ancient warfare.
- Ahaz: Ahaz (אָחָז, ʼĀḥāz) was the unfaithful king of Judah at this time. He is a stark contrast to previous righteous kings, yet Jerusalem is still protected for God's sake and David's covenant.
- but they could not overcome him: "Could not overcome" (לֹא יָכְלוּ, lōʼ yāḵəlû, "they were not able/could not") is a crucial phrase. It implies an inability beyond their military strength. This highlights divine intervention or restraint. Despite their power and strategic objective, they were supernaturally prevented from achieving total victory over the city, preserving the Davidic line and the location of the temple.
2 Kings 16 5 Bonus section
The failed siege described in 2 Kings 16:5 (and paralleled in Isa 7:1) marks a pivotal moment in Judah's history. It served as a divine test for King Ahaz, a test he ultimately failed by choosing to seek help from Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria instead of relying on the Lord, as God had specifically exhorted him through the prophet Isaiah (Isa 7:4, 9). The very inability of Aram and Israel to "overcome" Jerusalem, despite Ahaz's wicked reign and their strategic advantage, underscored God's commitment to His covenant with David, ensuring the continuity of the Davidic dynasty until the Messiah. This act of divine preservation set the stage for later, even more dramatic, demonstrations of God's protection of Jerusalem, most notably during Sennacherib's siege in Hezekiah's time (2 Ki 18-19), emphasizing a consistent theological principle that Jerusalem's security stemmed from God's presence within it, not merely from its physical fortifications or its king's righteousness.
2 Kings 16 5 Commentary
2 Kings 16:5 concisely encapsulates the commencement of the Syro-Ephraimite War against Judah, focusing specifically on the siege of Jerusalem. The detailed listing of the aggressor kings—Rezin of Aram and Pekah of Israel—underscores the formidable nature of the combined threat facing Ahaz's Judah. Their intent "to wage war" against Jerusalem confirms their goal of conquest and, as per Isaiah's account, regime change in Judah. Despite their strategic positioning and military might in besieging the capital, the final phrase, "but they could not overcome him," serves as a profound theological statement rather than just a military report. This failure was not due to Ahaz's military prowess (he was severely unfaithful) but reflects God's covenant faithfulness to David, which protected Jerusalem, the city where God had chosen to place His name. This Divine restraint, detailed further in Isaiah 7-8, demonstrates God's sovereignty over the affairs of nations, thwarting human plans when they clash with His enduring purposes, even amidst His people's disobedience. This serves as a vital historical precursor to Ahaz's decision to trust in Assyria instead of the Lord, revealing a persistent pattern of human faithlessness contrasting with divine steadfastness.