REZIN

(Reʹzin) [possibly, firm or prince].

1. King of Syria who reigned in Damascus during parts of the reigns of King Jotham (777-762 B.C.E.) of Judah and his son King Ahaz (whose reign ended about 746 B.C.E.).

Evidently near the end of Jotham’s reign Rezin joined with Pekah the king of Israel in warring against Judah. (2 Ki. 15:36-38) During the warfare, which continued into the reign of Ahaz, the Syrians, evidently under Rezin, captured many Judeans and took them to Damascus. (2 Chron. 28:5) Also, Rezin wrested from Judah Elath, a city on the Gulf of Aqabah, clearing out the Jews and restoring the city to the Edomites. (2 Ki. 16:6) The combined Syro-Israelite forces laid siege to Jerusalem, intending to make “the son of Tebeel” its king, but they were unable to capture the city. (2 Ki. 16:5; Isa. 7:1, 6) The situation greatly frightened Ahaz, despite Isaiah’s assurance that Rezin of Syria and Pekah of Israel need cause no fear. (Isa. 7:3-12; 8:6, 7) Ahaz turned to Assyria for help, bribing Tiglath-pileser III to attack Syria.—2 Ki. 16:7, 8; 2 Chron. 28:16, 20.

Tiglath-pileser warred against Damascus, capturing it and putting Rezin to death. Syria thus came under Assyrian domination. (2 Ki. 16:9) It is reported that Orientalist Henry Rawlinson found a tablet recording Rezin’s death but that the record was left in Asia and was lost.

2. The father of a certain family of Nethinim, some of whom returned to Jerusalem from Babylon in 537 B.C.E.—Ezra 2:1, 43, 48; Neh. 7:6, 46, 50.