2 Kings 15:14

2Ki 15:14 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.

Ver. 14. For Menahem the son of Gadi.] Who was general of Zachariah’s army, saith Josephus: {a} as Omri was of drunken Elah’s. This Menahem is by Sulpitius Severus called Manes: as was also the first founder of the Manichees, those ancient heretics. The name signifieth Paracletum, a comforter: but they proved nothing less.

And slew him.] This was interitus tyranno dignus.

{a} Hist., lib. i.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15:14 Tirzah had been capital of the northern kingdom during Israel’s first two dynasties (1 Kgs 14:17; 15:21, 33; 16:8). • Menahem was an army commander.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(14) For.—And.

Menahem.—Tiglath Pileser II. records in his annals that in his eighth regnal year (i.e., B.C. 738) he took tribute of “Raçunnu (Rezin) the Damascene, and Menihimmè Samerinâ’a”—i.e., Menahem the Samaritan.

Gadi.—Or, a Gadite.

Went up from Tirzah.—Menahem was Zachariah’s general, who at the time was quartered with the troops at Tirzah, near Samaria (1Ki_14:17). On the news of the murder of Zachariah, Menahem marched to tHe capital. The month of Shallum’s reign was probably taken up with preparations for hostilities on both sides. A battle at Samaria decided matters (Josephus). Perhaps, however, Menahem simply entered Samaria with a part of his forces.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14. Menahem the son of Gadi] It has been suggested that Menahem was an officer of king Zechariah and advanced from Tirzah, where he was stationed, to Samaria to avenge the murder of his master. This may have been so, but if the expression ‘before the people’ in verse 10 be correct, it would appear as if Zechariah had few to take his part.

Tirzah] Was made a royal residence by Jeroboam I. (1Ki_14:17). The site of Tirzah has not been identified, but its beauty is extolled in Son_6:4. We learn from 1Ki_16:17 that it was a fortress capable of standing a siege, and so may have been a military post, and Menahem an officer there.

and reigned in his stead] These words are not represented in the LXX.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land,.... The land of Israel, he invaded it; a Jewish chronologer (u) calls him Pulbelicho; and he is generally thought to be the same with Belochus or Belesis, governor of Babylon, who, with Arbaces the Mede, slew Sardanapalus, said to be the last of the Assyrian kings, and translated the empire to the Chaldeans; he ruling over Babylon and Nineveh, and Arbaces over the Medes and Persians; but Pul was not a Babylonian, but an Assyrian (w), and the first king of the Assyrians, at least, the Scriptures speak of: we read no more of him; but one Metasthenes, a Persian historian, feigned and published by Annius, and so named by him instead of Megasthenes, calls him Phulbelochus, and says (x) he reigned forty eight years:

and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver; and a talent of silver, according to Brerewood (y) was three hundred and seventy five pounds; but Bishop Cumberland (z) calculates it at three hundred and fifty three pounds eleven shillings and ten pence half penny; 1,000 of them made a large sum of money, according to the former 375,000 pounds; and this he gave to him, not only to desist from the invasion of his land, but

that his hand might be with him; and not against him:

and to confirm the kingdom in his hand; which being got by usurpation, and supported by cruelty, was but tottering.

(u) David Ganz. Tzemach David, par. 2. fol. 5. 2. (w) See the Universal History, vol. 4. B. 1. ch. 8. sect. 5. (x) De Judicio Temp. & Annal. Pers. fol. 221. 2. (y) De Ponder & Pret. Vet. Num. c. 4. (z) Scripture Weights and Measures, c. 4. p. 120.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Tirzah, the old capital, once more appears as a place of importance, giving birth to the pretender, who alone of all these later kings died a natural death, and left the crown to his son 2Ki 15:22. It would seem from the present passage to have been on lower ground than Samaria.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Manahem, general of Zacharias, revenged his death, and then returning to Tharsa[Thersa?], treated it and the neighbouring city, Thapsa, with the utmost fury. So Josephus, [Antiquities?] ix. 11. But his conjectures are to be received with caution.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

14. Menahem… went up from Tirzah — According to Josephus and most expositors, Menahem was the general of Zachariah’s army, and had his headquarters at Tirzah, the former residence of the kings of Israel, (see note on 1Ki_14:17,) and when he heard of the assassination of the king, he marched immediately with all his forces to Samaria. and slew the usurper Shallum, and took the kingdom into his own hand.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For Manahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah. Ewald supposes Tirzah to have been the "native city" of Menahem; but this is not stated. According to Josephus (l.s.c. ), he was commander-in-chief, and happened to be in Tirzeh at the time. (On the probable site of Tirzeh, see the comment on 1Ki_14:17) It was the royal city of the kingdom of the ten tribes from the later part of Jeroboam"s reign to the building of Samaria by Omri. (see 1Ki_14:17 1Ki_16:6, 1Ki_16:8, 1Ki_16:15, 1Ki_16:23) And came to Samaria, and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria Josephus says that there was a battle, in which Shallum was slainand slew him, and reigned in his stead.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.