2 Kings 15:29

2Ki 15:29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria.

Ver. 29. Came Tiglathpileser.] Which name of his signifieth, say some, the removing of captives: {a} others making him to be son to Pul, {2Ki 15:19} say that he was therefore called Tiglathpulassir. Why he came now against Israel, see Isa 7:1 2Ki 16:7.

And carried them captive.] Whither they were carried, see 1Ch 5:5-6. Neither ever returned they: see Isa 9:1.

{a} Captivitas. Mirabiles legationes. - Pagnin.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ki_15:29

And carried them captive to Assyria.

Captivity

A very humbling expression! But this is an aspect of providence we cannot afford, if we be wise men, to ignore. Tiglath-pileser, King of Assyria, came and carried away all these people captive to Assyria--simply carried them. When men have lost their soul, their spirit, their fire, they are simply carted away like so many hundredweights and tons of dead matter. We are not men if we have lost manliness--in other words, if we have lost the indwelling Spirit of God, the force eternal, the seal Divine; we are not then conquered, because to be conquered would imply some measure of calculated and rational resistance--we are simply carried away, borne off, as men might carry dead matter. This is the lot of all nations that forget God: this is the lot of every man whose heart ceases to be the sanctuary of the living Spirit: he is but so much bulk; name him in pounds avoirdupois, report him in so many inches and feet of stature and girth;--he has grieved the Spirit; he has quenched the Spirit; henceforth he is to be driven as one of a herd of dumb cattle; he is to be carried as if he were but so much flesh. (J. Parker, D. D.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ki 15:29. In the days of Pekah came Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, &c. — He is supposed by some to have been the son and successor of Sardanapalus, who restored the kingdom of Assyria, and possessed it after it bad been dismembered by Belesis and Arbaces: but our learned Prideaux, who begins his valuable connection of the Old and New Testaments at this period, makes him to be the same with Arbaces, who, together with Belesis, headed the conspiracy against Sardanapalus, and fixed his royal seat at Nineveh, the ancient residence of the Assyrian kings, as Belesis fixed his at Babylon, and there governed his newly-erected kingdom for nineteen years. And took Ijon, &c., and Gilead, and Galilee, and all Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria — Thus Pekah lost a great part of his kingdom. And by this judgment God punished him for his attempt upon Judah and Jerusalem. For it was then foretold by Isaiah, that within two or three years after he had made that attempt, before a child then born should be able to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Samaria should be taken away before the king of Assyria; and here we have the accomplishment of that prediction. It may be proper to observe here, that the kingdom of the ten tribes was not destroyed at one time. The first invasion of their country, and prelude to their destruction, was made by Pul, who took away an immense booty, and drained them of their wealth; probably also carrying captive some of the people that dwelt on the east of Jordan. The second was by this Tiglath-pileser, who carried away the inhabitants of the northern parts, with the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh, 1Ch 5:26. The third and last was by Shalmaneser, who took Samaria, and carried into captivity the rest of the Israelites, 2Ki 17:1-23.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15:29-30 With his second western campaign (734–732 BC), Tiglath-pileser . . . attacked Israel again. Pekah had allied himself with King Rezin of Aram in an ill-conceived anti-Assyrian coalition (see Isa 9:1). As a result of this invasion, Tiglath-pileser captured and conquered much of Israel’s northern and eastern territory. • Pekah’s doomed political policies caused dissension in Israel that led to his assassination by Hoshea, whose action was probably intended to placate the Assyrian king and preserve the northern kingdom. In his annals, Tiglath-pileser claimed that he put Hoshea on the throne and received his heavy tribute. • The twentieth year of Jotham, counting from the beginning of his co-regency with his father Uzziah in Judah, was 732 BC, the year of his death.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

For God stirred up Pul and Tiglath-Pileser against Israel for their sins, 1 Chron. 5:26.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

PEKAH'S REIGN. (Kg2 15:27-31)

in the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath-pileser--This monarch, who succeeded Pul on the throne of Assyria, is the only one of all the kings who does not give his genealogy, and is therefore supposed to have been an usurper. His annals have been discovered in the Nimroud mound, describing this expedition into Syria. The places taken are here mentioned as they occurred and were conquered in the progress of an invasion.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 29. Came Tiglath-pileser] He is supposed to have been the successor of Sardanapalus: Dean Prideaux makes him the same with Arbaces, called by AElian Thilgamus, and by Usher Ninus junior; who, together with Belesis, headed the conspiracy against Sardanapalus, and fixed his seat at Nineveh, the ancient residence of the Assyrian kings; as did Belesis, who is called, in Isa 39:1, Baladan, fix his at Babylon.

Took Ijon] These places belonged to Israel; and were taken by Ben-hadad, king of Syria, when he was in league with Asa, king of Judah. See 1Kg 15:20. They were regained by Jeroboam the second; and now they are taken from Israel once more by Tiglath-pileser. From 1Ch 5:26, we learn that Pul and Tiglath-pileser, kings of Assyria, carried away into captivity the two tribes of Reuben, and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh; all that belonged to Israel, on the other side of Jordan. These were never restored to Israel.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

29. Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria] This is the second Assyrian king of this name; the first having flourished in the twelfth century b.c. For some of the facts connected with his history see note on verse 19 above. According to the Assyrian canon Tiglath-pileser reigned 18 years, from b.c. 745 to b.c. 727, and the conquests mentioned in this verse are supposed to have been made in b.c. 734.

Ijon] In the north of Palestine, in the tribe of Naphtali. It has been mentioned previously (1Ki_15:20) as ravaged by Benhadad’s captains. The towns here enumerated were exposed to the first attack of any enemy from the north.

Abel-beth-maachah] R.V. maacah. This city like Ijon lay in the extreme north of Israel, and was also plundered by Benhadad’s officers. It is spoken of as ‘a city and a mother in Israel’ (2Sa_20:19). It is elsewhere called Abel-maim.

Janoah] This place is mentioned nowhere else, and its site has not been determined. But, from the connexion in which it here occurs, it must have been situate in the northern part of the tribe of Naphtali.

Kedesh] This town was one of the cities of refuge, and situate in the tribe of Naphtali. Hence it is called Kedesh-Naphtali (Jdg_4:6). Here Barak lived, and in later times (1Ma_11:63; 1Ma_11:73) it is mentioned as the scene of a battle between Jonathan Maccabæus and the troops of Demetrius. The name indicates that from the first it was a ‘holy’ place.

Hazor] Another fortified city of the tribe of Naphtali. It stood on the high ground overlooking Lake Merom. It was a very important place before the Israelites entered Canaan (Jos_11:10). Jabin was the king thereof whose general Sisera was defeated by Deborah and Barak (Jdg_4:2; Jdg_4:17). It was strengthened by Solomon for the defence of his kingdom on the north (see 1Ki_9:15, note).

Gilead] The mountainous country on the east of the Jordan, extending from Bashan on the north to Moab and Ammon on the south.

Galilee] This name, though afterwards given to a wide district, was at first only applied to a portion of the country round about Kedesh-Naphtali. In it were the twenty cities which Solomon gave to Hiram king of Tyre, for helping him in his building of the temple, and his own house (1Ki_9:11). In the verse before us Galilee must refer only to the northern part of the district afterwards so named.

all the land of Naphtali] We can see, from this addition, where the ravages of Tiglath-pileser were made. He came into the northern portion of Israel on the west of Jordan, and on the east of the river overran a larger district, which from its mountainous character was more sparsely populated and so more easily reduced.

carried them captive to Assyria] This event is placed from the evidence of the Assyrian inscriptions in b.c. 734. To carry away great numbers of the population of a conquered district and settle them elsewhere was frequent with the Assyrian monarchs.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Tiglath-Pileser is the first among the Assyrian monarchs of Scripture whom we can certainly identify with a king mentioned in the monuments. According to the Assyrian Dr. he reigned from 745 B.C. to 727 B.C.; and the monuments show us this energetic and powerful prince (though, probably, an usurper), building and repairing palaces, levying armies, and carrying on successful wars against Merodach-Baladan in Babylonia, Rezin at Damascus, Hiram at; Tyre, the Medes, the Armenians, the natives of Northern Mesopotamia, and the Arabs who bordered upon Egypt. His Assyrian name, Tiglat-pal-zira, is composed of the elements tiglat, “adoration,” pal, “son,” and zira, a word of uncertain meaning.

Ijon and Abel-beth-maachah - On the position of some of the towns mentioned in this verse see the marginal reference and Jos 19:36. Janoah is not the Janohah of Jos 16:6 (modern Yanun, southeast of Nablous), but a city (Hunin?) near the Sea of Merom. Gilead is, probably, to be limited here to a small district of Peraea, lying to the east of Lake Merom, and in later times known as Gaulanitis (the reading of Septuagint here). If so, we must suppose two expeditions of Tiglath-Pileser against Pekah, the first mentioned here, and the second recorded in Chronicles and Isaiah (see the marginal reference “q;” 2Ki 16:9 note).

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

CHAPTER XV.

Assyria, at the invitation of Achaz, chap. xvi. 7. --- Theglathphalasar is probably the same who is called Ninus the younger, or Thilgam, (Ælian. animal. xii. 21.) by profane writers. He re-established the kingdom of Nineve in part, after the city had been taken, under his father Sardanapalus, by Arbaces, founder of the empire of the Medes, and by Belesus, narbonassar, or Baladan, who reigned at Babylon. Such was the state of the eastern empires at this time. (Calmet) --- Aion, or Ahion, (3 Kings xv. 20.) perhaps the Enan of Ezechiel xlviii. 1. (Haydock) --- Moacha, whither Seba had retreatd, 2 Kings xx. 14. Hebrew Abel-beth-maacha. --- Galaad, comprising all the east of the Jordan. (Calmet) --- Nephthali, to the north-west. (Haydock) --- Thus the Galileans and Nephthali were transported into Assyria, to repeople it after the late ravages. The tribe in Galaad were fixed on the river Gozan, 1 Paralipomenon v. 26.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Tiglath-pileser, or, Tilgath-pilneser, 2Ch 28:20, called in heathen authors Phulasar, or Phul-assur, the son of that Pul or Phul above, 2Ki 15:19.

Abel-beth-maachah; of which see 1Ki 15:20. Janoah; a city of Ephraim, Jos 16:6. Kedesh and Hazor; two cities of Naphtali, Jos 12:22; 19:36.

Gilead; all the land beyond Jordan, which was nigher to the Assyrian than the rest.

Galilee, to wit, the Upper Galilee, as may be gathered from the following words, all (or, even all)

the land of Naphtali; which seem to be added by way of explication or restriction, to show what Galilee he meant, even the Upper, in which Naphtali’s lot fell. See Poole "Isa 9:1".

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

29. Tiglath-pileser — From the various sources of information concerning this Assyrian monarch we learn that he was a usurper, and by a successful revolution became the founder of a new dynasty. He reigned about eighteen years, and was engaged most of the time in wars to recover the losses which the kingdom seems to have suffered through the weakness of his predecessors. His principal campaigns were in Babylonia, Syria, and Palestine. Unfortunately the monuments of this king, though numerous, have been wantonly defaced, mutilated, and in many instances destroyed, by his successors, and used to build and adorn later structures. Still they yield much evidence to confirm the Scripture records. Of his league with Ahaz, and his smiting the Syrian power, see 2Ki_16:7, ff.

Ijon — See note on 1Ki_15:20.

Abel-bethmaachah — See note on 2Sa_20:14. Janoah is identified by some with the Janohah of the tribe of Ephraim, (see Jos_16:6;) but as that lies far out of the line of Tiglath-pileser’s march, it is more commonly believed that this Janoah must have been in Northern Palestine, and not far from these other cities in connexion with which it is named; but no place of this name has yet been found in that locality,

Kedesh — See note on Jos_12:22.

Hazor — See note on Jos_11:1.

Gilead — The mountainous region east of the Jordan, (see note on Jdg_10:17,) from which, according to 1Ch_5:26, Tiglath-pileser carried away “the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh.”

Galilee — This name, signifying a circle, seems to have been originally applied to a circular plain in the vicinity of Kedesh, and in the time of Joshua was limited to the region around that ancient sanctuary of Naphtali. Gradually the name came to indicate a larger region, till at this invasion of Tiglath-pileser it embraced all the land of Naphtali, for these words, not being connected by and with the preceding, we take to be explanatory of Galilee. At a later period Galilee became the name of one of the three provinces into which Palestine was divided, and embraced all northern Palestine between Samaria and Syria. Keil regards the enumeration of names in this verse as “purely historical, that is, following the actual order of the conquests.

Tiglath-pileser first took the several partly fortified cities adjacent to the Sea of Merom, then turned to Gilead, conquered this district, and on his return thence the remaining part of Galilee, namely, the whole land of Naphtali.”

Carried them captive — This was the second Assyrian captivity of any considerable number of Israelites, the first having been under Pul. (1Ch_5:26;) but in the reign of the next king, Hoshea, all northern Israel was carried into exile. 2Ki_17:6.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

In the fiftieth year of Azariah King of Judah; really in the thirty-seventh year (see the comment on vers. 1, 8, and 27). Azariah is mentioned by Tiglath-pileser as contending with him in the year in which he took tribute from Menahem ("Eponym Canon," pp. 117-120), which is thought to have been B.C. 738. Apparently, he too was forced to pay tribute (ibid., pp. 117, 118, lines 2, 3) to the Assyrian monarch. Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned two years. So Josephus (l.s.c.). In the days of Pekah Feng of Israel came Tiglath-pileser King of Assyria. Tiglath-pileser"s records are not in the shape of annals, and are, moreover, in a very mutilated condition. He does not date events, like most Assyrian kings, by his regal years. His first expedition into Syria is thought, however, to have been in his third year, B.C. 743, but there is no evidence that, on this occasion, he proceeded further south than Damascus, where he took tribute from Rezin. Some years after this B.C. 738, according to Mr. G. Smith he penetrated to Palestine, wherehis chief enemy was Azariah King of Judah, who had united under his sway most of the tribes as far as Hamath. After chastising Azariah, he extended his dominion over most of the neighboring states and kingdoms; and it was at this time that (as related in ver. 19) he took tribute from Menahem. Subsequently (about B.C. 734) he made an expedition for the purpose of conquest, which receives very scant notice, in one inscription only. This is probably the expedition of the present passage. And took Ijon, and Abel-beth-maachah. These were places in the extreme north of the Israelite territory, in the vicinity of the Lake Merem, such as would naturally be among the first to fall before an Assyrian invader. (on their exact position, see the comment on 1Ki_15:20) And Janoah. Janoah is now generally regarded as identical with the modern Hunin, a village close by "an ancient fortress of great strength" (Robinson, "Later Researches," p. 371), in the hill country northwest of Merom. It is in a direct line between Abel-beth-maa-chah (Abil) and Kedesh (Cades), as we should expect from the present passage. And Kedesh, and Hazor. Kedesh is beyond all doubt the "Kedes" or "Cades," of today an important site in the same mountain district, rather more than six miles south of Hunin, and four from the "waters of Merom" (see Robinson, "Later Researches," pp. 366, 367). Hazer was in the near neighborhood of Kedesh, towards the south probably. The exact position is disputed. Robinson"s arguments in favor of El-Khu reibch are weighty; but the engineers employed by the Palestine Exploration Fund regard Khurbat-Harrah, between Kedesh and the Lake Merom, as a still more probable situation. And Gilead. "Gilead," in this connection, can scarcely be "the whole of the land to the east of the Jordan" (Keil, Bahr) the territory of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh, not of Naphtali. It is more likely to be a small district near Merom, perhaps the eastern coast of the lake (Gesenius), which was afterwards a part of Gaulouitis. The LXX, instead of Galaad, have Galaan. And Galilee; Hebrew hlyliGh. (see the comment on 1Ki_9:11, p. 190) The inscription of Tiglath-pileser, which appears to allude to this expedition, mentions "Galhi," and "Abel" (probably Abel-beth-maachah) as conquered at this time, and "added to Assyria." The places were, it says, on the border of the land of Beth-Omri (Samaria) (see the "Eponym Canon," p. 123, lines 6, 7). And carried them captive to Assyria. Deportation of captives was largely practiced by Tiglath-pileser, as appears from the "Eponym Canon," pp. 118-120, and 122.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

In the days of Pekah king of Israel

It can be stated clearly that this refers to the time of Pekah's reign. AT: "In the days of the reign of Pekah king of Israel" or "During the time that Pekah was king of Israel" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

Tiglath-Pileser

In 2 Kings 15:19 this man was called "Pul." (See: How to Translate Names)

Ijon ... Abel Beth Maacah ... Janoah ... Kedesh ... Hazor ... Gilead ... Galilee ... Naphtali

These are the names of cities or regions. (See: How to Translate Names)

He carried away the people to Assyria

Here "He" refers to Tiglath-Pileser and represents him and his army. Carrying the people to Assyria represents forcing them to go to Assyria. AT: "He and his army forced the people to go to Assyria (See: Synecdoche and Metaphor)

the people

It can be stated clearly which people these are. AT: "the people of those places" or "the people of Israel" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

Hoshea ... Elah

These are men's names. (See: How to Translate Names)

a conspiracy

A conspiracy is a secret plan by a group to do harm to someone or something.

He attacked him and killed him

"Hoshea attacked Pekah and killed him"

became king in his place

The phrase "in his place" is a metaphor meaning "instead of him." AT: "became king instead of Pekah" (See: Metaphor)

in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah

It can be stated clearly that this is the twentieth year of his reign. AT: "In year 20 of the reign of Jotham son of Uzziah" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information and Numbers)

they are written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel

This can be stated in active form. AT: "you can read about them in the book of the events of the kings of Israel" (See: Active or Passive)

translationWords

Assyria

Kedesh

Galilee

Naphtali

Hoshea

Jotham

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.