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Person

Menahem

king of Israel

King of Israel who seized the throne by murder and preserved it by paying heavy tribute to Assyria's Tiglath-pileser III.

8 appearances1 Bible books1 known aliases

Who or what is this?

Menahem son of Gadi was king of Israel who came to power by assassinating his predecessor Shallum, himself a usurper, in Tirzah around 752 BC. His reign of ten years is recorded in 2 Kings 15 as evil in the sight of the LORD, following the sins of son of Nebat. When the king Tiglath-pileser III (called Pul in the text) invaded the land, Menahem bought him off with a thousand talents of silver raised by taxing Israel's wealthy landowners, securing his grip on the throne with Assyrian backing. His son Pekahiah succeeded him.

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Where this appears in Scripture

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Key passages

All appearances8