2 Reyes 15:19

19 Y vino Pul rey de Asiria a la tierra; y dio Manahem a Pul mil talentos de plata para que le ayudara a confirmarse en el reino

2 Reyes 15:19 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 15:19

And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land
The land of Israel, he invaded it; a Jewish chronologer ^F21 calls him Pulbelicho; and he is generally thought to be the same with Belochus or Belesis, governor of Babylon, who, with Arbaces the Mede, slew Sardanapalus, said to be the last of the Assyrian kings, and translated the empire to the Chaldeans; he ruling over Babylon and Nineveh, and Arbaces over the Medes and Persians; but Pul was not a Babylonian, but an Assyrian ^F23, and the first king of the Assyrians, at least, the Scriptures speak of: we read no more of him; but one Metasthenes, a Persian historian, feigned and published by Annius, and so named by him instead of Megasthenes, calls him Phulbelochus, and says ^F24 he reigned forty eight years:

and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver;
and a talent of silver, according to Brerewood ^F25 was three hundred and seventy five pounds; but Bishop Cumberland ^F26 calculates it at three hundred and fifty three pounds eleven shillings and ten pence half penny; 1,000 of them made a large sum of money, according to the former 375,000 pounds; and this he gave to him, not only to desist from the invasion of his land, but

that his hand might be with him;
and not against him:

and to confirm the kingdom in his hand;
which being got by usurpation, and supported by cruelty, was but tottering.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F21 David Ganz. Tzemach David, par. 2. fol. 5. 2.
F23 See the Universal History, vol. 4. B. 1. ch. 8. sect. 5.
F24 De Judicio Temp. & Annal. Pers. fol. 221. 2.
F25 De Ponder & Pret. Vet. Num. c. 4.
F26 Scripture Weights and Measures, c. 4. p. 120.

2 Reyes 15:19 In-Context

17 En el año treinta y nueve de Azarías rey de Judá, reinó Manahem hijo de Gadi sobre Israel diez años, en Samaria

18 E hizo lo malo ante los ojos del SEÑOR; no se apartó en todo su tiempo de los pecados de Jeroboam hijo de Nabat, el que hizo pecar a Israel

19 Y vino Pul rey de Asiria a la tierra; y dio Manahem a Pul mil talentos de plata para que le ayudara a confirmarse en el reino

20 E impuso Manahem este dinero sobre Israel, sobre todos los poderosos de virtud; de cada varón cincuenta siclos de plata, para dar al rey de Asiria. Y el rey de Asiria se volvió, y no se detuvo allí en la tierra

21 Los demás hechos de Manahem, y todas las cosas que hizo, ¿no está todo escrito en el libro de las crónicas de los reyes de Israel