Pekahiah

Pek´uh-hi´uh; Heb., “Yah[weh] opened [the eyes],” i.e., looked protectingly upon the child

The son of Menaham and king of Israel, the Northern Kingdom, ca. 738–737 BCE in its last, unstable period prior to the destruction of the capital, Samaria, in 722 BCE. After a brief reign he was assassinated by one of his officers, Pekah ben Remaliah, who then took the throne (2Kgs 15:23-26). Pekahiah and his father were pro-Assyrian. With his death an anti-Assyrian policy was implemented, leading to war with Judah.