16. Menahem started out from Tirzah and attacked Tiphsah. He destroyed the city and the area nearby. This was because the people had refused to open the city gate for him. So he defeated them and ripped open all their pregnant women.
17. Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel. This was during Azariah’s thirty-ninth year as king of Judah. And Menahem ruled ten years in Samaria.
18. He did what the Lord said was wrong. Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to sin. And all the time Menahem was king, he did not stop doing the same sins.
19. Pul king of Assyria came to attack the land. Menahem gave him about 74,000 pounds of silver. This was so Pul would support Menahem and make his hold on the kingdom stronger.
20. Menahem raised the money by taxing all the rich men of Israel. He taxed each man about 1¼ pounds of silver. Then he gave the money to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria left and did not stay in the land.
21. Everything else Menahem did is written down. It is in the book of the history of the kings of Israel.
22. Then Menahem died. And his son Pekahiah became king in his place.
23. Pekahiah son of Menahem became king over Israel in Samaria. This was during Azariah’s fiftieth year as king of Judah. Pekahiah ruled two years.
24. He did what the Lord said was wrong. Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to sin. And Pekahiah did not stop doing the same sins.
25. Pekah son of Remaliah was one of Pekahiah’s captains. He made plans against Pekahiah. He took 50 men of Gilead with him and killed Pekahiah. They killed him, Argob and Arieh in the palace at Samaria. Then Pekah became king in Pekahiah’s place.
26. Everything else Pekahiah did is written down. It is in the book of the history of the kings of Israel.