Remaliah is primarily known from the Bible as the father of Pekah, who became king over the Northern Kingdom of Israel. He is mentioned repeatedly in connection with the Syro-Ephraimite War, where his son Pekah allied himself with Rezin, king of Aram, against Judah. Remaliah himself had no prominent political or religious role, but his name was used to identify his son Pekah.
25Pekah son of Remaliah, his officer, conspired against him. With fifty men of Gilead he struck him down in Samaria, in the citadel of the royal palace, together with Argob and Arieh. He killed him and became king in his place.
Pekah, the son of Remaliah, allied with King Rezin of Aram and marched up toward Jerusalem to attack King Ahaz of Judah. This created great fear in Judah.
The prophet Isaiah comforted King Ahaz and said that the plan of Rezin and the son of Remaliah would not succeed. God assured him that the threat would not stand.
1In the days of Ahaz son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel marched up against Jerusalem to make war on it, but they could not prevail against it.
4and say to him: Be careful, keep calm, and do not be afraid. Do not lose heart over these two smoldering stubs of firewood—over the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and the son of Remaliah.
In connection with the threat from the son of Remaliah and Rezin, God gave King Ahaz through Isaiah the famous Immanuel sign as a promise of God's presence and protection.
Isaiah's prophecy about the fall of the son of Remaliah
Isaiah prophesied that before the child Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz could say 'father' and 'mother', the wealth of Damascus and the plunder from Samaria (the kingdom of the son of Remaliah) would be carried away.
4For before the boy knows how to say "My father" or "My mother," the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried off before the king of Assyria.