Elah אֵלָה
Father of Hoshea, the last king of Israel
Who is Elah in the Bible?
Elah was the father of Hoshea, the last king of Israel, as mentioned in 2 Kings 15:30, 17:1, and 18:1. His son Hoshea came to power by conspiring against and killing King Pekah, then reigned for nine years before becoming a vassal to the Assyrian king Shalmaneser. When Hoshea later rebelled against Assyrian rule by seeking Egyptian support and withholding tribute, Shalmaneser invaded, captured Samaria, and exiled the Israelites, marking the end of the northern kingdom. Though Elah himself appears only briefly in Scripture, his significance lies in being the father of the final Israelite monarch, whose reign concluded with the kingdom's destruction and dispersal.
Biography
Elah is mentioned in 2Ki.15.30, 17:1, and 2Ki.18.1,9 as the father of Hoshea, who became the last king of Israel. Hoshea conspired against King Pekah, killed him, and succeeded him as king, reigning for nine years. During Hoshea's reign, Shalmaneser king of Assyria invaded Israel, and Hoshea became his vassal. However, Hoshea later sought help from Egypt and stopped paying tribute to Assyria, leading to the capture of Samaria and the exile of the Israelites.
Family
In Scripture
1 biblical book2 Kings 4 verses
- 2 Kings 15:30
"Then Hoshea son of Elah led a conspiracy against Pekah son of Remaliah. In the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah, Hoshea attacked Pekah, killed him, and reigned in his place."
- 2 Kings 17:1
"In the twelfth year of the reign of Ahaz over Judah, Hoshea son of Elah became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria nine years."
- 2 Kings 18:1
"In the third year of the reign of Hoshea son of Elah over Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz became king of Judah."
- 2 Kings 18:9
"In the fourth year of Hezekiah’s reign, which was the seventh year of the reign of Hoshea son of Elah over Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria marched against Samaria and besieged it."
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | אֵלָה |