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17 In the thirty ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem the son of Gadi began to reign over Israel for ten years in Samaria. 18 He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight. He didn’t depart all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin. 19 Pul the king of Assyria came against the land, and Menahem gave Pul one thousand talents[a] of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand. 20 Menahem exacted the money from Israel, even from all the mighty men of wealth, from each man fifty shekels[b] of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and didn’t stay there in the land. 21 Now the rest of the acts of Menahem, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

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Footnotes

  1. 15:19 A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds, so 1000 talents is about 30 metric tons
  2. 15:20 A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces, so 50 shekels was about 0.5 kilograms or 1.1 pounds.

17 Menahem son of Gadi began to rule over Israel in the thirty-ninth year of King Uzziah’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria ten years. 18 But Menahem did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. During his entire reign, he refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.

19 Then King Tiglath-pileser[a] of Assyria invaded the land. But Menahem paid him thirty-seven tons[b] of silver to gain his support in tightening his grip on royal power. 20 Menahem extorted the money from the rich of Israel, demanding that each of them pay fifty pieces[c] of silver to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned from attacking Israel and did not stay in the land.

21 The rest of the events in Menahem’s reign and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.

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Footnotes

  1. 15:19a Hebrew Pul, another name for Tiglath-pileser.
  2. 15:19b Hebrew 1,000 talents [34 metric tons].
  3. 15:20 Hebrew 50 shekels [20 ounces or 570 grams].