Menahem

14Menahem son of Gadi came up from the town of Tirzah to Samaria. He struck down Shallum son of Jabesh and killed him. Then Menahem became king instead.

For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah, and came to Samaria, and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.

NoteTirzah was a town in Israel. It had been the king's city before Samaria was built.

15The other things Shallum did are written down. So is the secret plan he made. They are in the book called the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

And the rest of the acts of Shallum, and his conspiracy which he made, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

16Menahem set out from Tirzah and attacked the town of Tiphsah. He attacked everyone there and the land around it. He did this because they would not open their gates to him. He cut open all the women there who were going to have babies.

Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up.

NoteTowns had high walls with gates. Opening the gates meant giving up without a fight. Armies in those days did cruel things like this on purpose. They wanted the next town to be too scared to say no.

17Azariah had been king of Judah for 39 years. Then Menahem son of Gadi became king of Israel. He ruled in Samaria for ten years.

In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel, and reigned ten years in Samaria.

18He did what was evil in the LORD's eyes. All his life he kept doing the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat. Jeroboam had led Israel into those sins.

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

19Pul, the king of Assyria, came to attack the land. Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver. He wanted Pul's help to keep a strong hold on the kingdom.

And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand.

NoteAssyria was a huge, strong country far to the north and east. Its army scared everyone. Pul was another name for its king. Smaller kings often paid him money so he would leave them alone. The silver Menahem paid was many tons of it. A talent was a very heavy weight of metal, about as heavy as a grown man.

20Menahem made the rich men of Israel pay this money. Each man had to give fifty pieces of silver. Menahem gave it all to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria went back home and did not stay.

And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty men of wealth, of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not there in the land.

NoteA shekel was a small lump of silver used as money. Fifty shekels was a lot, about what a man might earn in years of work.

21The other things Menahem did are written down. They are in the book called the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

And 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?

22Then Menahem died like his fathers before him. His son Pekahiah became king after him.

And Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead.