This verse shows the beginning of a tumultuous reign that would influence God’s people for generations.
When Scripture declares that “In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, Ahaz the son of Jotham, king of Judah, became king.” (2 Kings 16:1), it sets the stage by anchoring Ahaz’s ascent to the throne in a specific historical period. Pekah, who is mentioned here, ruled as king of Israel in the north, while Judah was the southern kingdom with its capital in Jerusalem. By explicitly identifying it as the seventeenth year of Pekah, the verse reminds us that God’s story unfolds in real human history, with actual leaders who reigned at definite times.
The verse also locates Ahaz within a royal lineage: he was “the son of Jotham” (2 Kings 16:1). Jotham ruled over Judah before him, often dated to around 750-735 BC. Further back, the family line descended from kings who ultimately traced their lineage to David, whose dynasty carried great significance throughout the Old Testament narrative (2 Samuel 7:12-16). Ahaz began his rule around 735 BC, in a time when political tensions with neighboring Aram (Syria) and the northern kingdom of Israel were on the rise.
Ahaz’s reign took place in Judah, a region located in the highlands of the southern Levant, centered on Jerusalem. Judah held a unique place as the seat of God’s temple, where devout worship of the LORD was meant to be preserved. However, as forthcoming verses reveal, Ahaz made significant compromises by forging international alliances, which brought spiritual and political challenges (2 Kings 16:7-9) some centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ in the New Testament era (Matthew 1:9).
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2 Kings 16:1 meaning
When Scripture declares that “In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, Ahaz the son of Jotham, king of Judah, became king.” (2 Kings 16:1), it sets the stage by anchoring Ahaz’s ascent to the throne in a specific historical period. Pekah, who is mentioned here, ruled as king of Israel in the north, while Judah was the southern kingdom with its capital in Jerusalem. By explicitly identifying it as the seventeenth year of Pekah, the verse reminds us that God’s story unfolds in real human history, with actual leaders who reigned at definite times.
The verse also locates Ahaz within a royal lineage: he was “the son of Jotham” (2 Kings 16:1). Jotham ruled over Judah before him, often dated to around 750-735 BC. Further back, the family line descended from kings who ultimately traced their lineage to David, whose dynasty carried great significance throughout the Old Testament narrative (2 Samuel 7:12-16). Ahaz began his rule around 735 BC, in a time when political tensions with neighboring Aram (Syria) and the northern kingdom of Israel were on the rise.
Ahaz’s reign took place in Judah, a region located in the highlands of the southern Levant, centered on Jerusalem. Judah held a unique place as the seat of God’s temple, where devout worship of the LORD was meant to be preserved. However, as forthcoming verses reveal, Ahaz made significant compromises by forging international alliances, which brought spiritual and political challenges (2 Kings 16:7-9) some centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ in the New Testament era (Matthew 1:9).