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.
27. Pekah son of Remaliah became king over Israel in Samaria. This was during Azariah’s fifty-second year as king of Judah. And Pekah ruled 20 years.
28. He did what the Lord said was wrong. Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to sin. And Pekah did not stop doing the same sins.
29. Tiglath-Pileser, also called Pul, was king of Assyria. He attacked while Pekah was king of Israel. Tiglath-Pileser captured the cities of Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh and Hazor. He also captured Gilead and Galilee. And he captured all the land of Naphtali. He sent the people from these places away to Assyria.
30. Then Hoshea son of Elah made plans against Pekah son of Remaliah. Hoshea attacked and killed Pekah. Then he became king in Pekah’s place. This was during the twentieth year Jotham son of Uzziah was king.