Topical Bible: Kings: Who Reigned Over Israel: Menahem

◄ Kings: Who Reigned Over Israel: Menahem ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

Menahem, son of Gadi, was a king of the northern kingdom of Israel who reigned during the tumultuous period of the divided monarchy. His reign is recorded in the biblical narrative found in 2 Kings 15:14-22. Menahem's ascent to the throne was marked by violence and political upheaval, characteristic of the era's instability.

Accession to the Throne

Menahem came to power following the assassination of King Shallum, who had himself usurped the throne by killing King Zechariah. The biblical account in 2 Kings 15:14-15 describes Menahem's march from Tirzah to Samaria, where he struck down Shallum and seized the kingship. This act of regicide was not uncommon in the history of Israel's northern kingdom, reflecting the ongoing power struggles and lack of dynastic stability.

Reign and Policies

Menahem's reign lasted for ten years, approximately from 752 to 742 BC. His rule is noted for its brutality and oppressive measures. In 2 Kings 15:16, the text recounts Menahem's attack on the city of Tiphsah and its surrounding territories because they did not open their gates to him. The passage highlights the extreme violence he employed, including the horrific act of ripping open pregnant women, underscoring the harshness of his rule.

During his reign, Menahem faced external threats, most notably from the Assyrian Empire. The Assyrian king, Pul (also known as Tiglath-Pileser III), invaded the land, and Menahem sought to secure his position by paying a substantial tribute. According to 2 Kings 15:19-20, Menahem exacted a levy from the wealthy men of Israel, each contributing fifty shekels of silver to meet the Assyrian demand. This tribute ensured Menahem's continued reign but also signified Israel's growing subjugation to Assyrian power.

Religious Context

The biblical narrative does not provide extensive details about Menahem's religious policies, but it does indicate that he continued in the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who led Israel into idolatry (2 Kings 15:18). This continuation of idolatrous practices was a recurring theme among the kings of Israel, contributing to the nation's spiritual decline and eventual downfall.

Legacy

Menahem's reign is often viewed through the lens of his violent rise to power and the oppressive nature of his rule. His willingness to pay tribute to Assyria marked a significant moment in Israel's history, as it foreshadowed the increasing influence and eventual domination of the Assyrian Empire over the northern kingdom. Menahem was succeeded by his son, Pekahiah, indicating a brief moment of dynastic continuity amidst the otherwise chaotic succession of Israelite kings.

The account of Menahem's reign serves as a somber reminder of the consequences of political ambition and the spiritual waywardness that plagued the northern kingdom, ultimately leading to its downfall.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Kings 15:16-22
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.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Divided Kingdom.
... Reigned IS years and died ... During this time the kings of Judah cherished the hope
that they would regain ... (1) Jehovah rules not only in Israel but over all peoples ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter xiii the divided kingdom.htm

The Antiquities of the Jews
... Became More Wicked Than All The Kings That Had ... Pekahiah And Pekah Took The Government
Over The Israelites ... How Jotham, The Son Of Uzziah Reigned Over The Tribe ...
//christianbookshelf.org/josephus/the antiquities of the jews/

The Old Testament and Archeology
... king of Assyria, claims a great victory over the Western ... it in possession as long
as he reigned and during ... 1) Records of the reigns of certain kings in which ...
/.../the christian view of the old testament/chapter iv the old testament.htm

The Assyrian Captivity
... "In the days of Pekah," who reigned twenty years ... land of Naphtali" (1 Chronicles
5:26; 2 Kings 15:29 ... only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, over which Hezekiah ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 23 the assyrian captivity.htm

The Prophet Hosea.
... Menahem reigned ten years at Samaria. ... years (ver.27), and, by his alliance with the
kings of Syria ... gave a survey of what he had prophesied over Judah during ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet hosea.htm

Appendices
... the last king but one of the Kassite dynasty, and not rather one of the unknown
kings of the ... 2. My father reigned over Moab thirty years, and I reigned. ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/appendices.htm

Book 9 Footnotes
... or Aradus, and with Damascus, 2 Kings 18:34 ... prophetic times which were to pass over
Nebuchadnezzar [Daniel ... well as by Josephus presently, that he reigned in all ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 9 footnotes.htm

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... the labours of the attacking force were not yet over. ... The petty kings who shared
with Assyria the possession ... Barzur, son of Panammu I., had reigned there since ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm

Sennacherib (705-681 BC )
... first victories of Tiglath-pileser III.; and Hiram II., who then reigned in Tyre ...
2 Kings 20:16 ... Like as when the lion growleth, and the young lion over his prey ...
/.../chapter isennacherib 705-681 b c.htm

Babylonia and Assyria
... and his sculptures he seems to gloat over the tortures ... he was a descendant of the
legendary kings of Assyria ... For twelve years he reigned there, with the help of ...
/.../early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter vi babylonia and assyria.htm