Son of Gadi, king of Israel. Menahem acceded to the throne after assassinating the usurper Shallum, who himself had slain Zechariah to become king only one month previously. It was perhaps in retribution for its support of Shallum that Menahem carried out the brutal subjugation of the city of Tiphsah (Tappuah, according to some Greek manuscripts) recorded in II kings 15:16.

Before Menahem could secure his position on the throne, he was confronted by the seemingly unstoppable west ward advance of Assyria. When Tiglath-Pileser III (Pul), the architect of the neo-Assyrian empire, reached Samaria, Menahem paid the huge tribute demanded, raising 1,000 talents of siver by a tax on wealthy Israelites. Assyrian inscriptions also record a tribute payment by "Menahem of Samaria"(Me-ni-hi-im-me (al) Sa-me-ri-na-a-a). The payment assured Menahem's retention of the throne, but consigned Israel to the status of a vassal state.

Menahem lived in Tirzah, perhaps as a military commander, before becoming king. Like the other northern kings, he is condemned in the Bible for perpetuating the illegitimate worship instituted by Jeroboam No.1.

Menahem ruled for ten years, beginning c. 747 B.C., although chronological problems regarding his reign remain unsolved. He died a natural death and was succeeded by his son Pekahiah.

Concordance
II Kgs 15:14,16-17, 19-23

Illustrated Dictionary & Concordance of the Bible. Copyright © 1986 by G.G. The Jerusalem Publishing House, Ltd. All rights reserved.