Bookstore Glossary Library Links News Publications Timeline Virtual Israel Experience
Anti-Semitism Biography History Holocaust Israel Israel Education Myths & Facts Politics Religion Travel US & Israel Vital Stats Women
donate subscribe Contact About Home

Rezin

REZIN (Heb. רְצִין), properly Raṣyān, the Hebrew form of Aramaic Raʿyān, "the man of favor," in cuneiform transcription Raḥianu, the last king of *Aram-Damascus (II Kings 15:37; 16:5; Isa. 7:1ff.). His name is attested in a tribute list of Tiglath-Pileser III dating from 734 B.C.E. Shortly after, in alliance with *Pekah of Israel, he attempted to depose *Ahaz of Judah and enthrone a rival candidate. This pressure from the north compelled Judah to evacuate definitively the port of Elath in the far south (II Kings 16:6). However, Tiglath-Pileser, being solicited with an enormous payment by Ahaz, attacked Aram and Israel. Upon the capture of Damascus, in 732 B.C.E., Rezin was killed (II Kings 16:9) and his former kingdom annexed to the Assyrian Empire.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

P. Rost, Tiglat-Pileser (1893), 144; B. Landsberger, Sam'al (1948), 66 n. 169; H. Tadmor, in: Journal of Cuneiform Studies, 12 (1958), 40; idem, in: H.H. Ben-Sasson (ed.), Toledot Am Yisrael bi-Ymei Kedem (1969), 134.


Sources: Encyclopaedia Judaica. © 2007 The Gale Group. All Rights Reserved.