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2 Kings 15:19
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Menahem Reigns in Israel

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 aPul king of Assyria came against the land; and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his2 hand might be with him to bstrengthen the kingdom under his control.  
20 And Menahem aexacted 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.  
Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
<< 2 Kings 15:18   2 Kings 15:20 >>


2 Kings 15:19

Pul the king of Assyria—This is the first Assyrian king after Nimrod who is mentioned in biblical history. His name has been recently identified with that of Phalluka on the monuments of Nineveh, and that of Menahem discovered also.

came against the land—Elsewhere it is said "Ephraim [Israel] went to the Assyrian" [Hosea 5:13]. The two statements may be reconciled thus: "Pul, of his own motion, induced, perhaps, by the expedition of Menahem against Thapsacus, advanced against the kingdom of Israel; then Menahem sent him a thousand talents in order not only to divert him from his plans of conquest, but at the same time to purchase his friendship and aid for the establishment of his own precarious sovereignty. So Menahem did not properly invite the Assyrian into the land, but only changed the enemy when marching against the country, by this tribute, into a confederate for the security of his usurped dominion. This the prophet Hosea, less concerned about the historical fact than the disposition betrayed therein, might very well censure as a going of Ephraim to the Assyrians (Hosea 5:13; Hosea 7:1; Hosea 8:9), and a covenant-making with Asshur" (II Kings 12:1) [KEIL].

a thousand talents of silver—Equal to £262,200. This tribute, which Menahem raised by a tax on the grandees of Israel, bribed Pul to return to his own country (see on I Chronicles 5:26).




Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing 2 Kings 15:19:

2 Kings 15:17
1 Chronicles 5:26
2 Chronicles 30:6
Isaiah 9:4
Ezekiel 23:5
Ezekiel 23:9
Hosea 5:13
Hosea 7:9
Hosea 8:1
Hosea 8:10
Hosea 11:5
Amos 7:2

 

<< 2 Kings 15:18   2 Kings 15:20 >>

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