2 Kings 15:20

20 Menahem taxed Israel for this money. All the wealthy people had to give fifty silver shekels each to Assyria's king. So Assyria's king went home and didn't stay there in the land.

2 Kings 15:20 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 15:20

And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the
mighty men of wealth
Who were most able to pay it, by which means he eased the poor, and might thereby attach them to him:

of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria:
that is, he required them to pay fifty shekels apiece to make up the above sum as a present to Pul; though the words in the original text lie more naturally thus, "to give to the king of Assyria fifty shekels of silver for one man"; that is, for every man in his army; which amounted to about six pounds a man:

so the king of Assyria turned back;
to his own country:

and stayed not there in the land;
in the land of Israel, neither to distress nor to help Menahem, for which he gave him the money.

2 Kings 15:20 In-Context

18 He did what was evil in the LORD's eyes. Throughout his life, he didn't deviate from the sins that Jeroboam, Nebat's son, had caused Israel to commit.

19 When Assyria's King Tiglath-pileser marched against the land, Menahem gave Tiglath-pileser one thousand silver kikkars in order to become his ally and to strengthen his hold on the kingdom.

20 Menahem taxed Israel for this money. All the wealthy people had to give fifty silver shekels each to Assyria's king. So Assyria's king went home and didn't stay there in the land.

21 The rest of Menahem's deeds and all that he accomplished, aren't they written in the official records of Israel's kings?

22 Menahem lay down with his ancestors. His son Pekahiah succeeded him as king.