A captain of his - A mere “captain,” a person, therefore, of very moderate rank. The low birth of Pekah is probably glanced at in Isaiah’s favorite designation of him as “Remaliah’s son” Isaiah 7:4-5, Isaiah 7:9; Isaiah 8:6.
From the fact that Pekah employed Gileadites to carry out his designs, it has been conjectured that he himself belonged to the trans-Jordanic region.
In the palace of the king’s house - Rather, “In the tower of the king’s palace;” or possibly “in the harem of the king’s palace” (1 Kings 16:18 note).