2 Kings 15:16

2 Kings 15:16 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• New International Version (NIV)At that time Menahem, starting out from Tirzah, attacked Tiphsah and everyone in the city and its vicinity, because they refused to open their gates. He sacked Tiphsah and ripped open all the pregnant women.
• English Standard Version (ESV)At that time Menahem sacked Tiphsah and all who were in it and its territory from Tirzah on, because they did not open it to him. Therefore he sacked it, and he ripped open all the women in it who were pregnant.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then from Tirzah, Menahem attacked Tiphsah, all who were there, and its territory. Because they did not surrender, therefore he attacked it. All the women there who were with child he ripped open.

Context of 2 Kings 15:16

14For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah and came to Samaria, and struck and killed Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria and became king in his place. 15The rest of Shallum’s acts, and his conspiracy which he made, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. Then Menahem struck [the town of] Tiphsah and all who were in it and its borders from Tirzah; [he attacked it] because they did not surrender to him; so he struck it and ripped up all the women there who were pregnant. 17In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem the son of Gadi became king over Israel, and reigned ten years in Samaria. 18He did evil in the sight of the Lord; for all his days he did not turn from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin.

2 Kings 15:16 word by word

אָ֣ז יַכֶּֽה־מְ֠נַחֵם אֶת־תִּפְסַ֨ח וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֤הּ וְאֶת־גְּבוּלֶ֙יהָ֙ מִתִּרְצָ֔ה כִּ֛י לֹ֥א פָתַ֖ח וַיַּ֑ךְ אֵ֛ת כָּל־הֶהָ֥רוֹתֶ֖יהָ בִּקֵּֽעַ׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then Menahemמְנַחֵםmenachêm · MenahemH4505
• smoteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• Tiphsahתִּפְסַחtiphsach · TiphsahH8607
• therein, and the coastsגְּבוּלgebûl gebûl · border: areaH1366
• thereof from Tirzahתִּרְצָהtirtsâh · TirzahH8656
• because they openedפָּתַחpâthach · to openH6605
• all the women therein that were with childהָרָהhâreh hârîy · pregnantH2030
• he ripped upבָּקַעbâqa‛ · to break up/openH1234

Cross-references for 2 Kings 15:16

• 1 Kings 4:24For he was ruling over everything west of the [Euphrates] River, from Tiphsah to Gaza, over all the kings west of the [Euphrates] River; and he had peace on all sides around him.
• 2 Kings 8:12Hazael said, “Why are you weeping, my lord?” He answered, “Because I know the evil that you will do to the sons (descendants) of Israel. You will set their strongholds on fire, kill their young men with the sword, smash their children to pieces, and rip up their pregnant women.”
• Amos 1:13Thus says the Lord, “For three transgressions of the children of Ammon and for four (multiplied delinquencies) I will not reverse its punishment or revoke My word concerning it, Because the Ammonites have ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead, That they might enlarge their border.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 15:16

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16With 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 2 Kings 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.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-31Verses 8-31 This history shows Israel in confusion. Though Judah was not without troubles, yet that kingdom was happy, compared with the state of Israel. The imperfections of true believers are very different from the allowed wickedness of ungodly men. Such is human nature, such are our hearts, if left to themselves, deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. We have reason to be thankful for restraints, for being kept out of temptation, and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16In Tirzah, Menahem learned that Shallum had assassinated King Zechariah. Menahem gathered his troops and marched toward Samaria. ripped open all the pregnant women: This horrible wartime atrocity was also recorded in Assyrian and Babylonian texts. This act is also linked to King Hazael of Aram (2 Kings 8:12). See also Hosea 10:14; 13:16; Amos 1:13.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1713-17. 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. Raising the siege, he marched directly against the usurper, slew him, and reigned in his stead.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 15:16

• Captive
• Homicide
• Massacre
• Menahem
• Tiphsah
• Tirzah

In the dictionaries

• Tirzah
• Menahem
• Tiphsah
• Tirza
• Assyria
• Palestine
• Uzziah; (azariah)
• War; Warfare

Commentaries on 2 Kings 15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings