Menahem’s Reign and Tribute to Assyria
2 Kings 15:17-22
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
Jude
Revelation
2 K.15.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- בשנת: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,cons
- שלשים: NUM,m,pl,abs
- ותשע: NUM
- שנה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- לעזריה: PREP+PN,m,sg
- מלך: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- יהודה: NOUN,m,sg,prop
- מלך: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- מנחם: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- בן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- גדי: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- על: PREP
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- עשר: NUM,card,m,sg,cons
- שנים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- בשמרון: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- 2 Kings 15:13-14 (quotation): Immediate narrative parallel: these verses record how Menahem son of Gadi came to power—he struck down Shallum and took the throne—giving the fuller account of his rise mentioned in 15:17.
- 2 Kings 15:19 (verbal): Directly connected event: this verse describes Menahem paying tribute to Pul (Tiglath‑Pileser) to secure his rule, illustrating Assyrian involvement during his reign in Samaria.
- 2 Kings 15:23 (structural): Successional parallel: records the next dynastic transition (Pekahiah son of Menahem becoming king in Samaria), showing the continuation of the same royal chronology begun in 15:17.
- 1 Chronicles 5:26 (thematic): Thematic parallel concerning Assyrian pressure: this verse describes Tiglath‑Pileser’s deportations of Israelite tribes, paralleling the wider Assyrian interventions referenced in the account of Menahem’s reign.
Alternative generated candidates
- In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel in Samaria; and he reigned ten years.
- In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel in Samaria; and he reigned ten years.
2 K.15.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויעש: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- הרע: ADJ,m,sg,def
- בעיני: PREP+NOUN,f,pl,abs
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- לא: PART_NEG
- סר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- מעל: PREP
- חטאות: NOUN,f,pl,const
- ירבעם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- נבט: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אשר: PRON,rel
- החטיא: VERB,hiph,perf,3,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- כל: DET
- ימיו: NOUN,m,pl,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
Parallels
- 2 Kings 17:21-23 (thematic): Summarizes Israel’s persistent practice of the sins of Jeroboam leading to exile—same theme of continual adherence to Jeroboam’s idolatry.
- 1 Kings 12:26-33 (structural): Narrates the origin of the sin attributed to Jeroboam (setting up calves and alternative worship sites), the act to which 2 Kgs 15:18 alludes.
- 2 Kings 10:31 (verbal): Explicitly states that Jehu did not turn from the sins of the house of Jeroboam—same verbal tradition about kings persisting in Jeroboam’s sin.
- 2 Kings 13:2 (verbal): Uses almost identical wording about a king’s failure to depart from the sins of Jeroboam, a recurring formula applied to northern kings.
Alternative generated candidates
- He did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not turn aside from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which caused Israel to sin all his days.
- He did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin all his days.
2 K.15.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- בא: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- פול: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מלך: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- אשור: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- על: PREP
- הארץ: NOUN,f,sg,def
- ויתן: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- מנחם: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- לפול: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אלף: NUM,m,sg
- ככר: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- כסף: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- להיות: VERB,qal,inf,NA,NA,NA
- ידיו: NOUN,f,pl,abs,suff:3,m,sg
- אתו: PRON,3,m,sg,acc
- להחזיק: VERB,hiph,infc
- הממלכה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- בידו: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs+3,m,sg
Parallels
- 2 Kings 18:14-16 (verbal): Hezekiah gives silver and gold to the Assyrian king (Sennacherib) — closely parallels Menahem’s payment of large silver to Pul to secure political favor and avert assault.
- 2 Kings 16:7-8 (verbal): Ahaz strips the temple and gives silver/gold to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria — another instance of a Israelite/Judahite king paying an Assyrian ruler for support or alliance.
- 2 Kings 15:29 (structural): Same Assyrian king (Pul) is reported carrying off towns of Israel — structural/chronological parallel showing Assyrian intervention and its impact on Israel during Menahem’s period.
- Isaiah 10:5-6 (thematic): Isaiah portrays Assyria as the 'rod of my anger' used by God to punish nations — thematically related to Israelite reliance on Assyria (tribute/political dependence) and the prophetic interpretation of Assyrian involvement.
Alternative generated candidates
- Pul king of Assyria came against the land; and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, to secure his support and to hold the kingdom in his hand.
- Pul king of Assyria came against the land, and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver to secure his support, that his hand might be with him to hold the kingdom in his hand.
2 K.15.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויצא: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- מנחם: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- את: PRT,acc
- הכסף: NOUN,m,sg,def
- על: PREP
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- על: PREP
- כל: DET
- גבורי: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- החיל: NOUN,m,sg,def
- לתת: VERB,qal,inf
- למלך: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אשור: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- חמשים: NUM,card,pl
- שקלים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- כסף: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לאיש: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אחד: NUM,card,m,sg
- וישב: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- מלך: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- אשור: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ולא: CONJ
- עמד: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- שם: ADV
- בארץ: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,def
Parallels
- 2 Kings 15:19 (structural): Immediate context: verse 19 reports Pul/Tiglath‑pileser coming against the land and Menahem’s payment to the Assyrian king; verse 20 explains how Menahem levied the fifty shekels from Israel to raise that tribute.
- 2 Chronicles 28:20 (verbal): Parallel report of an Israelite/Judahite ruler giving a present to Pul (the Assyrian king) to avert devastation—similar language of a demanded gift/payoff to Assyria.
- 2 Kings 16:7–8 (thematic): Ahaz of Judah appeals to Tiglath‑pileser (Assyria) and offers silver/gold from the temple to secure Assyrian intervention—another example of a Israelite/Judahite king paying Assyria for military/political support.
- 2 Kings 17:3–6 (thematic): Describes the later Assyrian conquest and exile of Israel after failures of kings to withstand Assyria; thematically connected as the broader consequence of Israel’s dealings with Assyria and the era of tribute and intervention.
Alternative generated candidates
- So Menahem collected the silver from Israel—from all the mighty men—to give the king of Assyria fifty shekels of silver a man; and the king of Assyria withdrew and did not remain there in the land.
- And Menahem levied the silver upon Israel—from all the mighty men—to give to the king of Assyria fifty shekels of silver apiece; and the king of Assyria turned back and did not stay in the land.
2 K.15.21 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויתר: CONJ+ADJ,m,sg,abs
- דברי: NOUN,m,pl,abs+PRON,1,c,sg
- מנחם: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- וכל: CONJ+PRON,indef
- אשר: PRON,rel
- עשה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- הלוא: PART
- הם: PRON,personal,3,m,pl
- כתובים: VERB,pual,ptcp,m,pl
- על: PREP
- ספר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- דברי: NOUN,m,pl,abs+PRON,1,c,sg
- הימים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- למלכי: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,cstr
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- 1 Kgs 14:19 (verbal): Uses the same concluding formula—‘the rest of the acts... are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel’—linking a king’s summary in the narrative to an external ‘chronicles’ source.
- 1 Kgs 14:29 (verbal): A parallel concluding notice for a Judahite king that follows the identical literary formula, but refers to the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah—shows the standardized royal-summary wording across Israel/Judah narratives.
- 2 Chr 32:32 (structural): Chronicles’ parallel: a concluding remark about Hezekiah’s reign that directs readers to ‘the book of the kings’ for the rest of his acts—demonstrates the same historiographical practice of pointing to court chronicles for fuller details.
- 2 Kgs 15:25 (verbal): Another verse within 2 Kings that uses the same phraseology to close the account of a northern king’s reign, illustrating the recurring editorial formula used for Israel’s monarchs in the Deuteronomistic history.
Alternative generated candidates
- As for 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?
- 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?
2 K.15.22 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וישכב: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- מנחם: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- עם: PREP
- אבתיו: NOUN,m,pl,abs,3s
- וימלך: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- פקחיה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בנו: NOUN,m,sg,abs+3ms
- תחתיו: PREP+PRON,3,m,sg
Parallels
- 1 Kings 11:43 (verbal): Uses the same formula — 'slept with his fathers' — and immediately notes succession by the son (Solomon → Rehoboam), mirroring the death-and-succession closure in royal biographies.
- 2 Kings 14:20 (verbal): Same closing formula for a king (Amaziah) with the remark that his son reigned in his stead, paralleling the standard narrative conclusion for Israelite/Judahite kings.
- 2 Kings 15:25 (structural): Nearby account of succession in the same chapter: Pekahiah is succeeded by Pekah through assassination rather than natural death — a contrasting mode of royal succession that highlights political instability.
- 1 Kings 2:10 (verbal): Another prominent instance of the 'slept with his fathers' formula at the death of David, demonstrating the recurring literary stock phrase used to close kingly reigns.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his place.
- And Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his place.
In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel in Samaria; and he reigned ten years.
He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which caused Israel to sin, all the days of his life.
Then Pul king of Assyria came against the land, and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that the king’s hand might be with him to hold the kingdom in his hand.
Menahem exacted the money from Israel—from all the mighty men—to give to the king of Assyria, fifty shekels of silver for each man. The king of Assyria withdrew and did not remain there. 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?
Menahem slept with his fathers, and Pekahiah his son reigned in his place.