◄ 2 Kings 15:29 ►
In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, including all the land of Naphtali, and he took the people as captives to Assyria.
Study Bible
In the days of Pekah king of Israel
Pekah was the son of Remaliah and reigned over Israel in Samaria for twenty years. His reign is noted for its instability and idolatry, which ultimately led to the weakening of the northern kingdom. Pekah's rule was marked by political alliances and conflicts, including his opposition to the Assyrian empire. His reign is a continuation of the spiritual decline that characterized the northern kingdom after the division of Israel.

Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria
Tiglath-pileser III was a powerful and expansionist ruler of Assyria, reigning from 745 to 727 BC. He is known for his military campaigns and administrative reforms that strengthened Assyria's control over its territories. His involvement in Israel's affairs marks a significant moment in the history of the region, as Assyria's influence began to dominate the political landscape. This event is part of the larger narrative of Assyria's rise to power and its impact on the nations of the ancient Near East.

came and captured Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee
These locations represent key cities and regions in the northern kingdom of Israel. Ijon and Abel-beth-maacah were situated in the northernmost part of Israel, near the border with Aram (Syria). Janoah, Kedesh, and Hazor were significant cities in the region of Naphtali. Gilead was a region east of the Jordan River, known for its balm and rugged terrain. Galilee, a fertile and strategically important area, would later become significant in the New Testament as the region where Jesus conducted much of His ministry. The capture of these areas by Assyria signifies the beginning of the end for the northern kingdom, as it loses its territorial integrity and independence.

including all the land of Naphtali
Naphtali was one of the twelve tribes of Israel, located in the northern part of the kingdom. The tribe's territory was known for its beauty and fertility, as well as its strategic importance. The loss of Naphtali to Assyria was a devastating blow to Israel, both economically and militarily. This event fulfills earlier warnings given by prophets about the consequences of Israel's disobedience and idolatry.

and he took the people as captives to Assyria
The deportation of the Israelites to Assyria was a common practice by the Assyrians to prevent rebellion and assimilate conquered peoples. This event marks the beginning of the exile for the northern kingdom, a pivotal moment in Israel's history. The loss of identity and homeland would have profound spiritual and cultural implications for the Israelites. This captivity is a precursor to the later Babylonian exile of Judah and serves as a backdrop for the prophetic messages of hope and restoration found in the Old Testament.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Pekah
King of Israel during the time of the Assyrian invasion. His reign was marked by idolatry and political instability.

2. Tiglath-pileser
King of Assyria, known for his military campaigns and expansion of the Assyrian Empire. His invasion of Israel was a significant event in the history of the Northern Kingdom.

3. Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, Galilee
Cities and regions in the Northern Kingdom of Israel that were captured by Tiglath-pileser. These areas were part of the tribal inheritance of Naphtali.

4. Naphtali
One of the tribes of Israel whose land was taken by the Assyrians. This event marked a significant loss for the Northern Kingdom.

5. Assyria
A dominant empire during this period, known for its powerful military and conquests. The deportation of the Israelites to Assyria was part of their strategy to control conquered territories.
Teaching Points
Consequences of Disobedience
The capture of these cities and the deportation of the people highlight the consequences of Israel's persistent idolatry and disobedience to God. It serves as a reminder of the importance of faithfulness to God's commandments.

God's Sovereignty in Judgment
The Assyrian invasion was not just a political event but also a fulfillment of God's judgment against Israel. It underscores God's sovereignty over nations and His use of world events to accomplish His purposes.

Hope Amidst Judgment
While this passage speaks of judgment, it also sets the stage for future hope and redemption, as seen in the prophecies of Isaiah. Believers can find comfort in knowing that God's plans ultimately lead to restoration.

The Importance of Repentance
The fall of these cities serves as a call to repentance. It encourages believers to examine their own lives and turn away from anything that leads them away from God.
Bible Study Questions
1. What were the spiritual and political conditions in Israel that led to the Assyrian invasion, and how can we apply these lessons to our own national and personal lives today?

2. How does the capture of the land of Naphtali relate to the prophecy in Isaiah 9:1, and what does this teach us about God's plan for redemption?

3. In what ways does the account of Israel's exile challenge us to remain faithful to God in the face of cultural pressures?

4. How can we see God's sovereignty at work in the events of 2 Kings 15:29, and how does this understanding affect our trust in Him during difficult times?

5. Reflect on a time when you experienced consequences for disobedience. How did that experience lead you to a deeper understanding of repentance and God's grace?
Connections to Other Scriptures
2 Kings 17:6
This verse describes the further deportation of Israelites by the Assyrians, leading to the fall of Samaria and the end of the Northern Kingdom.

Isaiah 9:1
This prophecy speaks of the land of Naphtali and Zebulun, which were humbled by the Assyrians, but also foretells a future hope and restoration.

Hosea 13:16
Hosea prophesies the destruction and exile of Samaria, which aligns with the events described in 2 Kings 15:29.
Sermons
CaptivityJ. Parker, D. D.2 Kings 15:29
Some Lessons from the History of KingsD. Thomas 2 Kings 15:1-38
People
Abel, Ahaz, Amaziah, Amram, Aram, Argob, Arieh, Azaliah, Azariah, David, Elah, Gadi, Gileadites, Hoshea, Jabesh, Jecholiah, Jecoliah, Jehu, Jeroboam, Jerusha, Jotham, Maacah, Menahem, Naphtali, Nebat, Pekah, Pekahiah, Pul, Remaliah, Rezin, Shallum, Tappuah, Tiglathpileser, Tirzah, Uzziah, Zachariah, Zadok, Zechariah
Places
Abel-beth-maacah, Assyria, Damascus, Galilee, Gilead, Hazor, Ibleam, Ijon, Janoah, Jerusalem, Kedesh, Samaria, Syria, Tirzah
Topics
Abel, Abel-beth-maacah, A'bel-beth-ma'acah, Abelbethmaachah, Abel-beth-maachah, Asshur, Assyria, Beth, Captive, Captured, Carried, Deported, Galilee, Gilead, Hazor, Ijon, I'jon, Including, Janoah, Jan-o'ah, Kedesh, Maacah, Naphtali, Naph'tali, Pekah, Pileser, Removeth, Taketh, Tiglath, Tiglathpileser, Tiglath-pileser, Tig'lath-pile'ser
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Kings 15:29

     5208   armies
     7212   exile
     7216   exile, in Assyria
     7233   Israel, northern kingdom
     7266   tribes of Israel
     8728   enemies, of Israel and Judah

2 Kings 15:1-38

     5366   king

Library
The Twelve Minor Prophets.
1. By the Jewish arrangement, which places together the twelve minor prophets in a single volume, the chronological order of the prophets as a whole is broken up. The three greater prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, stand in the true order of time. Daniel began to prophesy before Ezekiel, but continued, many years after him. The Jewish arrangement of the twelve minor prophets is in a sense chronological; that is, they put the earlier prophets at the beginning, and the later at the end of the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Meditations Before Dinner and Supper.
Meditate that hunger is like the sickness called a wolf; which, if thou dost not feed, will devour thee, and eat thee up; and that meat and drink are but as physic, or means which God hath ordained, to relieve and cure this natural infirmity and necessity of man. Use, therefore, to eat and to drink, rather to sustain and refresh the weakness of nature, than to satisfy the sensuality and delights of the flesh. Eat, therefore, to live, but live not to eat. There is no service so base, as for a man …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

A Living Book
[Illustration: (drop cap T) Symbol of "Asshur", the principal Assyrian idol.] There is only one Book that never grows old. For thousands of years men have been writing books. Most books are forgotten soon after they are written; a few of the best and wisest are remembered for a time. But all at last grow old; new discoveries are made; new ideas arise; the old books are out of date; their usefulness is at an end. Students are the only people who still care to read them. The nations to which the …
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making

In Galilee at the Time of Our Lord
"If any one wishes to be rich, let him go north; if he wants to be wise, let him come south." Such was the saying, by which Rabbinical pride distinguished between the material wealth of Galilee and the supremacy in traditional lore claimed for the academies of Judaea proper. Alas, it was not long before Judaea lost even this doubtful distinction, and its colleges wandered northwards, ending at last by the Lake of Gennesaret, and in that very city of Tiberias which at one time had been reputed unclean! …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

The Prophet Micah.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS. Micah signifies: "Who is like Jehovah;" and by this name, the prophet is consecrated to the incomparable God, just as Hosea was to the helping God, and Nahum to the comforting God. He prophesied, according to the inscription, under Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. We are not, however, entitled, on this account, to dissever his prophecies, and to assign particular discourses to the reign of each of these kings. On the contrary, the entire collection forms only one whole. At …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

The Prophet Hosea.
GENERAL PRELIMINARY REMARKS. That the kingdom of Israel was the object of the prophet's ministry is so evident, that upon this point all are, and cannot but be, agreed. But there is a difference of opinion as to whether the prophet was a fellow-countryman of those to whom he preached, or was called by God out of the kingdom of Judah. The latter has been asserted with great confidence by Maurer, among others, in his Observ. in Hos., in the Commentat. Theol. ii. i. p. 293. But the arguments …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.), …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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