Pekah son of Remaliah, a captain of his, conspired against him and struck him down in Samaria, in the citadel of the king's house, with fifty men of the Gileadites; he killed him and reigned in place of him — Pekah (פֶּקַח, *Peqach*) assassinates Pekahiah, again indicating the violent succession pattern now endemic to northern politics. Pekah's identification as "a captain" (סָרִיס, *saris*) suggests a military officer consolidating power, similar to Menahem's origin. The detail that he killed Pekahiah "in the citadel of the king's house" with fifty Gileadite soldiers indicates a planned, military coup rather than spontaneous conspiracy. Gilead's involvement suggests regional factions contending for power. This assassination represents yet another turn in the cycle of violence that characterizes Israel's death-throes.

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