2 Kings 15:12-22

12 This was the word of the Lord which He spoke to Jehu, saying, "Your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation." And so it was.
13 Shallum the son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned a full month in Samaria.
14 For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah, came to Samaria, and struck Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria and killed him; and he reigned in his place.
15 Now the rest of the acts of Shallum, and the conspiracy which he led, indeed they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
16 Then from Tirzah, Menahem attacked Tiphsah, all who were there, and its territory. Because they did not surrender, therefore he attacked it. All the women there who were with child he ripped open.
17 In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem the son of Gadi became king over Israel, and reigned ten years in Samaria.
18 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not depart all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin.
19 Pul king of Assyria came against the land; and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to strengthen the kingdom under his control.
20 And Menahem exacted the money from Israel, from all the very wealthy, from each man fifty shekels of silver, 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 acts of Menahem, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
22 So Menahem rested with his fathers. Then Pekahiah his son reigned in his place.

2 Kings 15:12-22 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.

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. 2 Kings 10:30
  • [b]. Called Azariah in 2 Kings 14:21ff and 2 Kings 15:1ff
  • [c]. That is, Tiglath-Pileser III (compare 2 Kings 15:29)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.