MPV Commentary

Menahem's Reign.

17. Menahem reigned for ten years in Samaria, continuing the same religious policies as his predecessors.

19. Pul, king of Assyria, invaded the land. This was the first time an Assyrian king from Nimrod's line is mentioned in biblical history. Recent discoveries have confirmed that Pul's name matches that found on the monuments of Nineveh, and Menahem's name has also been identified among them.

Menahem paid a thousand talents of silver to divert Pul's plans for conquest and secure his friendship and aid. This payment was likely raised through a tax imposed on Israel's nobles (see 1 Chronicles 5:26). The prophet Hosea later criticized Menahem's actions, describing it as Ephraim going to the Assyrians (Hosea 5:13; 7:1; 8:9) and making a covenant with Asshur (2 Kings 12:1), indicating that Menahem had essentially traded one enemy for another by paying this tribute.