2 Kings 15:16
in 2 Kings 15At that time Menahem, starting from Tirzah, attacked Tiphsah and everyone in its vicinity, because they would not open their gates. So he attacked Tiphsah and ripped open all the pregnant women.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the borders thereof, from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up.
KJV
Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up.
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This verse in 2 Kings 15
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
With respect to the supposed inability of Menahem to lead an expedition to Tiphsah (Thapsacus, see the marginal reference) on the Euphrates, we may note in the first place that such an expedition was a natural sequel to Jeroboam’s occupation of Hamath 2Ki 14:28; and further, that it would have been greatly facilitated by the weakness of Assyria at this time, that empire having fallen into a state of depression about 780 B.C.
This site's exposition
his conspiracy which he made
on 2 Kings 15:15-16
The closing formula for Shallum gives way at once to Menahem's own record, and that record opens with the massacre at Tiphsah, a town that would not open its gates, its pregnant women ripped up along with the rest. Amos had already listed this same atrocity, ripping up the women with child of Gilead, among the sins for which the Lord would not turn away Ammon's judgment; Menahem inflicts it on people who share his own throne. The word Kings uses to record it is as plain as the deed, and the text passes no comment beyond recording it.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
God made good his promise to Jehu, that his sons to the fourth generation after him should sit upon the throne of Israel, which was a greater favour than was shown to any of the royal families either before or after his. God had said it should be so ( ch. x. 30 ) and we are told in this chapter (
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), and no doubt it was through blood that each of them waded to the throne, nor could any of these kings perish alone. No land can have greater pests, nor Israel worse troubles, than such men as care not how much the welfare and repose of their country are sacrificed to their revenge and affectation of dominion.
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Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Menahem . . . smote Tiphsah--Thapsacus, on the Euphrates, the border city of Solomon's kingdom (1Ki 4:24). The inhabitants refusing to open their gates to him, Menahem took it by storm.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Shallum . . . reigned a full month--He was opposed and slain by Menahem, who, according to JOSEPHUS, was commander of the forces, which, on the report of the king's murder, were besieging Tirzah, a town twelve miles east of Samaria, and formerly a seat of the kings of Israel.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Because it would not open. The governor of the city did not open the city for him, to accept him as king over them.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
20 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אָ֣ז | ʾaz | then | H227 → | 141 times |
| יַכֶּֽה־ | yakeh- | he struck | H5221 → | 499 times |
| מְ֠נַחֵם | menachem | Menahem | H4505 → | 8 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| תִּפְסַ֨ח | tifsach | Tiphsah | H8607 → | |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | [those] who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בָּ֤הּ | bah | [were] in it | ||
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| גְּבוּלֶ֙יהָ֙ | gevuleiha | territories its | H1366 → | 240 times |
| מִתִּרְצָ֔ה | mitirtzah | from Tirzah | H8656 → | |
| כִּ֛י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| פָתַ֖ח | fatach | it opened | H6605 → | 144 times |
| וַיַּ֑ךְ | vaiyakh | and he struck [it] | H5221 → | 499 times |
| אֵ֛ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הֶהָ֥רוֹתֶ֖יהָ | heharoteiha | <the> pregnant [women] its | H2030 → | |
| בִּקֵּֽעַ׃ פ | bikea' | he ripped open | H1234 → | 51 times |
אָ֣זthen
ʾazH227 →141 times
יַכֶּֽה־he struck
yakeh-H5221 →499 times
מְ֠נַחֵםMenahem
menachemH4505 →8 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
תִּפְסַ֨חTiphsah
tifsachH8607 →
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁר־[those] who
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
בָּ֤הּ[were] in it
bah
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
גְּבוּלֶ֙יהָ֙territories its
gevuleihaH1366 →240 times
מִתִּרְצָ֔הfrom Tirzah
mitirtzahH8656 →
כִּ֛יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
פָתַ֖חit opened
fatachH6605 →144 times
וַיַּ֑ךְand he struck [it]
vaiyakhH5221 →499 times
אֵ֛ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הֶהָ֥רוֹתֶ֖יהָ<the> pregnant [women] its
heharoteihaH2030 →
בִּקֵּֽעַ׃ פhe ripped open
bikea'H1234 →51 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Kings 8:12“Why is my lord weeping?” asked Hazael. “Because I know the evil you will do to the Israelites,” Elisha replied. “You will set fire to their fortresses, kill their young men with the sword,…
it leads to
- Hosea 13:16
Samaria will bear her guilt because she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to pieces, and their pregnant women ripped open.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Nahum 3:10
Yet she became an exile; she went into captivity. Her infants were dashed to pieces at the head of every street. They cast lots for her dignitaries, and all her nobles were bound in…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Amos 1:13
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of the Ammonites, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to enlarge their…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Kings 12:17
At that time Hazael king of Aram marched up and fought against Gath and captured it. Then he decided to attack Jerusalem.
- 2 Kings 13:3
So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He delivered them continually into the hands of Hazael king of Aram and his son Ben-hadad.
- Hosea 13:16
Through
1 Kings 4:24For Solomon had dominion over everything west of the Euphrates—over all the kingdoms from Tiphsah to Gaza—and he had peace on all sides.
it leads to
- 1 Chronicles 22:9
But a son will be born to you who will be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side; for his name will be Solomon, and…
- 1 Chronicles 22:9
Through
Hosea 13:16Samaria will bear her guilt because she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to pieces, and their pregnant women ripped open.
it leads to
- 2 Kings 8:12
“Why is my lord weeping?” asked Hazael. “Because I know the evil you will do to the Israelites,” Elisha replied. “You will set fire to their fortresses, kill their young men with the sword,…
- 2 Kings 8:12
Through
Amos 1:13This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of the Ammonites, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to enlarge their…
it leads to
- Ezekiel 25:2–7
“Son of man, set your face against the Ammonites and prophesy against them.
- Ezekiel 25:2–7
About 2 Kings
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.