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.

2 KINGS 15:29KJV
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2 Kings 15:29 (KJV)

What does 2 Kings 15:29 mean?

2 Kings 15:29 describes a major loss for the northern kingdom of Israel during Pekah’s reign. The Assyrian king Tiglathpileser seized towns and regions in the north and east, then carried people away to Assyria.

The list moves from individual towns to larger regions, including Gilead east of the Jordan River and Galilee to the west. “All the land of Naphtali” points to territory associated with one of Israel’s tribes in the north.

The Hebrew behind 2 Kings 15:29

  • “took” — לָקַח (laqach): This word can mean to take or seize. Here it describes the capture of places, not merely the taking of individual objects.
  • “carried them captive” — גָּלָה (galah): This word can describe people being removed from their homeland. It draws attention to the forced movement of people, alongside the loss of territory.

Why 2 Kings 15:29 matters

  • The verse distinguishes the northern kingdom of Israel from Judah to the south. Pekah is called “king of Israel,” and the places named were in or near the northern kingdom.
  • The loss was both geographic and human. Tiglathpileser “took” named places and “carried them captive,” showing that people as well as land were affected.
  • Assyrian pressure continued after Pekah’s reign. In 2 Kings 17:3–6, Assyria comes against Hoshea, and Samaria, the northern kingdom’s capital, eventually falls.

Where else these words appear

“Abelbethmaachah” Hebrew H62 · used in 2 verses

  • 1 Kings 15:20 So Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.

“Ijon” Hebrew H5859 · used in 3 verses

  • 1 Kings 15:20 So Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.
  • 2 Chronicles 16:4 And Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.

“Janoah” Hebrew H3239 · used in 3 verses

  • Joshua 16:6 And the border went out toward the sea to Michmethah on the north side; and the border went about eastward unto Taanathshiloh, and passed by it on the east to Janohah;
  • Joshua 16:7 And it went down from Janohah to Ataroth, and to Naarath, and came to Jericho, and went out at Jordan.

“Tiglathpileser” Hebrew H8407 · used in 6 verses

  • 2 Kings 16:7 So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me.
  • 2 Kings 16:10 And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship thereof.
  • 1 Chronicles 5:26 And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day.