For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.

2 CHRONICLES 28:6KJV
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2 Chronicles 28:6 (KJV)

What does 2 Chronicles 28:6 mean?

2 Chronicles 28:6 says that Pekah, the son of Remaliah, killed 120,000 strong warriors in Judah in a single day because the people of Judah had abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors. This verse highlights a devastating defeat for Judah, directly linked to their turning away from God.

The setting is during the reign of King Ahaz of Judah, a time when the kingdom was facing attacks from its neighbors. Pekah, king of Israel (the northern kingdom), led a deadly assault against Judah. The chronicler is explaining that this massive loss was not just a military event but was seen as a consequence of Judah’s unfaithfulness to God.

The Hebrew behind 2 Chronicles 28:6

  • "Forsaken" (עָזַב, ʿāzav): This word means to leave or abandon. The verse uses it to explain that Judah’s defeat happened because they had abandoned the LORD (יְהוָה, YHWH), showing a cause-and-effect link between their actions and their suffering.
  • "Valiant" (חַיִל, ḥayil): This word refers to strength, ability, or valor. The men killed were not just ordinary soldiers but capable and courageous warriors, emphasizing the scale and tragedy of the loss.
  • "Slew" (הָרַג, hārag): This is a strong word for killing, indicating a violent and decisive defeat.

Why 2 Chronicles 28:6 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the defeat was not random or just due to military weakness but was understood as a direct result of Judah’s spiritual choices, connecting faithfulness to God with national security.
  • The mention of "valiant men" underscores the seriousness of the loss; Judah did not just lose numbers, but its best fighters, making the defeat even more significant.
  • The verse sets up the wider context of 2 Chronicles 28, where the chronicler repeatedly links Judah’s troubles to King Ahaz’s unfaithfulness, helping readers see the chronicler’s main theme about the consequences of abandoning God.

Where else these words appear

“Pekah” Hebrew H6492 · used in 11 verses

  • 2 Kings 15:25 But Pekah the son of Remaliah, a captain of his, conspired against him, and smote him in Samaria, in the palace of the king's house, with Argob and Arieh, and with him fifty men of the Gileadites: and he killed him, and reigned in his room.
  • 2 Kings 15:30 And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and smote him, and slew him, and reigned in his stead, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.
  • 2 Kings 15:37 In those days the LORD began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah.

“Remaliah” Hebrew H7425 · used in 13 verses

  • 2 Kings 15:25 But Pekah the son of Remaliah, a captain of his, conspired against him, and smote him in Samaria, in the palace of the king's house, with Argob and Arieh, and with him fifty men of the Gileadites: and he killed him, and reigned in his room.
  • 2 Kings 15:37 In those days the LORD began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah.
  • Isaiah 7:4 And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah.