Bird's-eye view
This brief section of 2 Kings 15 gives us a snapshot of the rot that had set into the northern kingdom of Israel. We see a king, Menahem, who is a textbook example of faithless leadership. He comes to power through violence, he perpetuates the institutionalized idolatry started by Jeroboam, and when faced with a foreign threat, his first instinct is not to cry out to Yahweh, but to buy off the enemy with extorted cash. This is what a nation looks like when it has forgotten its God. It becomes pragmatic in the worst sense of the word, seeking solutions in political maneuvering and money, rather than in repentance and faith. God's sovereignty is on full display here, as He uses the pagan king of Assyria as His rod of discipline. Israel is being judged, and this shakedown by Pul is just the beginning of the end.
The passage is a stark illustration of the principle of covenant consequences. Israel had a covenant with God, and that covenant came with blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. What we are reading here is the outworking of the curses. Menahem's reign is characterized by evil, idolatry, and fear-based appeasement of foreign powers. This is the death rattle of a nation that has abandoned its first love. The final verses, which note the recording of his acts and his death, are a solemn reminder that all rulers, even wicked ones, are accountable to the King of kings, and their deeds are written down for a final judgment.
Outline
- 1. The Character of Menahem's Reign (2 Kings 15:17-18)
- a. Historical Placement (v. 17)
- b. Spiritual Assessment (v. 18)
- 2. The Assyrian Crisis and Menahem's Response (2 Kings 15:19-20)
- a. The Foreign Threat (v. 19a)
- b. The Financial Solution (v. 19b-20)
- 3. The Conclusion of Menahem's Reign (2 Kings 15:21-22)
- a. Historical Record (v. 21)
- b. Death and Succession (v. 22)
Context In 2 Kings
This passage sits within a larger section of 2 Kings that chronicles the rapid decline and fall of the northern kingdom of Israel. Chapter 15 is a dizzying account of assassinations and short-lived reigns. Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, and Pekah all take the throne in a chaotic succession of violence and instability. This stands in stark contrast to the relative stability of the Davidic dynasty in Judah, despite its own share of faithless kings. The author of Kings is painting a picture of a nation unraveling at the seams precisely because it has cut itself off from the true worship of God in Jerusalem and has embraced the syncretistic calf-worship of Jeroboam. Menahem's reign is not an anomaly; it is a symptom of a deep-seated spiritual disease that will ultimately prove fatal for the nation.
Key Issues
- The Sins of Jeroboam
- God's Sovereignty over Pagan Nations
- Covenantal Curses in Action
- The Folly of Trusting in Riches
Verse by Verse Commentary
17 In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel and reigned ten years in Samaria.
The historian is meticulous, as historians should be. He anchors the reign of this northern king, Menahem, to the reign of the southern king, Azariah (also called Uzziah). This is standard practice in Kings and it serves to remind us that we are dealing with one people, tragically divided, but still one people in the sight of God. Menahem's ten-year reign might seem like a decent stretch, especially given the revolving door of kings in this chapter, but we will see that it was ten years of digging Israel's grave a little deeper.
18 And he did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh; he did not depart all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin.
Here is the spiritual scorecard, and it is a failing grade. The phrase "evil in the sight of Yahweh" is the divine verdict on his entire administration. And the root of the evil is specified: "the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat." This is the original sin of the northern kingdom. Jeroboam, in a fit of political pragmatism, set up golden calves in Dan and Bethel to keep the people from going to Jerusalem to worship. He feared losing political control more than he feared God. This act of institutionalized idolatry became the state religion, and every successive king of Israel, Menahem included, perpetuated it. It was a sin that "made Israel sin." This is the nature of leadership; a king's sin never remains private. It becomes a snare for the entire nation.
19 Pul, king of Assyria, came against the land, and Menahem gave Pul one thousand talents of silver so that his hand might be with him to strengthen the kingdom in his hand.
Enter the Assyrians. God is sovereign over the nations, and He often uses pagan kings as His instruments of judgment. Pul, also known as Tiglath-Pileser III, was a formidable force, and his arrival on Israel's doorstep was no accident. This was the hand of God moving against a disobedient people. And how does Menahem respond? Does he call for a national day of prayer and fasting? Does he repent of the sins of Jeroboam? No. He turns to his wallet. He tries to buy a political alliance. He wants Pul's "hand to be with him," which is a tragic irony. He seeks the hand of a pagan king to help him, when he should have been seeking the hand of Yahweh. He wants to "strengthen the kingdom in his hand," but he uses the world's methods, not God's. This is the folly of godless leadership: trying to secure your position through bribery and political maneuvering, all while ignoring the God who raises up kings and brings them down.
20 Then Menahem exacted the money from Israel, even from all the mighty men of valor, from each man fifty shekels of silver to pay the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria returned and did not stay there in the land.
The bribe money had to come from somewhere. Menahem imposes a heavy tax on the wealthy men of Israel, the "mighty men of valor." A thousand talents of silver is a massive sum, and fifty shekels per man was a significant burden. So, the people of Israel are now paying for their king's faithlessness. This is how sin works. The idolatry at the top trickles down and results in oppression and financial hardship for the people. For a short time, the strategy appears to work. Pul takes the money and leaves. But this is a temporary fix, a stay of execution. Menahem has not solved the problem; he has only postponed the judgment. He has taught Assyria that Israel is a nation that can be shaken down for cash, and they will be back for more.
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?
This is a standard concluding formula for the kings. It points the reader to a more detailed historical source, now lost to us. But it also serves as a reminder that a record is kept. God sees all that rulers do. Their acts are written down. There is an accountability that extends beyond the pages of Scripture, an accountability before the throne of God Himself.
22 And Menahem slept with his fathers, and Pekahiah his son became king in his place.
Menahem dies a natural death, unlike his predecessor Shallum whom he murdered. He "slept with his fathers," a phrase that indicates a peaceful end. But we should not mistake a peaceful death for a righteous life. He passes the kingdom to his son, Pekahiah, but what he really passes on is a legacy of idolatry, compromise, and impending judgment. The cycle of sin will continue, and the nation will spiral further downward until the final Assyrian invasion takes them into exile. This is the sad trajectory of a people who forsake their God.
Application
The story of Menahem is a cautionary tale for all times, and it speaks directly to us today. First, we see the devastating consequences of institutionalized sin. The "sins of Jeroboam" were not just personal failings; they were woven into the very fabric of the nation's political and religious life. We must be vigilant to identify and repent of the systemic sins of our own culture, whether it's the idolatry of materialism, the sexual chaos of our age, or the pragmatism that puts political expediency above biblical principle.
Second, Menahem's response to crisis is a lesson in what not to do. When the pressure was on, he trusted in silver, not in the Savior. He tried to buy his way out of a problem that only repentance could solve. How often do we do the same? We face a trial, and our first instinct is to throw money at it, or to scheme and maneuver, rather than to get on our knees. The Lord is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Our first move should always be toward Him, not toward our bank accounts or our political connections.
Finally, this passage reminds us of the absolute sovereignty of God. God used a pagan king to discipline His own people. He is not a tribal deity limited to the borders of Israel; He is the Lord of all the earth. This should be a great comfort to the faithful. No matter how chaotic the world seems, no matter who is in power in Washington or Moscow or Beijing, God is on His throne. He is working all things according to the counsel of His will, and His purposes will not be thwarted. Our job is not to fear the Puls of this world, but to fear God, walk in His ways, and trust in His good and sovereign hand.