2 Kings 15:14-24

14 Then Menahem the son of Gadi came up from 1Tirzah and came to Samaria, and he struck down Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria and put him to death and reigned in his place.
15 Now the rest of the deeds of Shallum, and the conspiracy that he made, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.
16 At that time Menahem sacked Tiphsah and all who were in it and its territory from Tirzah on, because they did not open it to him. Therefore he sacked it, 2and he ripped open all the women in it who were pregnant.

Menahem Reigns in Israel

17 In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem the son of Gadi began to reign over Israel, and he reigned ten years in Samaria.
18 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not depart all his days from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin.
19 3Pul[a] the king of Assyria came against the land, and Menahem gave 4Pul a thousand talents[b] of silver, that he might help him 5to confirm his hold on the royal power.
20 Menahem exacted the money from Israel, that is, from all the wealthy men, fifty shekels[c] of silver from every man, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back and did not stay there in the land.
21 Now the rest of the deeds of Menahem and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
22 And Menahem slept with his fathers, and Pekahiah his son reigned in his place.

Pekahiah Reigns in Israel

23 In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned two years.
24 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, 6which he made Israel to sin.

2 Kings 15:14-24 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 15

This chapter begins with the reign of Azariah king of Judah, 2Ki 15:1-7, and then gives a short account of the several kings of Israel, to the last of them; of Zachariah, 2Ki 15:8-12, of Shallum, 2Ki 15:13,14,15 of Menahem, 2Ki 15:16-22 of Pekahiah, 2Ki 15:23-26, of Pekah, succeeded by Hoshea, the last of them, 2Ki 15:27-31, and is included with the reign of Jotham king of Judah, 2Ki 15:32-38.

Cross References 6

  • 1. 1 Kings 14:17
  • 2. See 2 Kings 8:12
  • 3. 1 Chronicles 5:26
  • 4. 1 Chronicles 5:26
  • 5. [2 Kings 14:5]
  • 6. [See ver. 9 above]

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. Another name for Tiglath-pileser III (compare verse 29)
  • [b]. A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
  • [c]. A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.