16. Menahem started out from Tirzah and attacked Tiphsah, destroying the city and the area nearby. This was because the people had refused to open the city gate for him. He defeated them and ripped open all their pregnant women.
17. Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel during Uzziah’s thirty-ninth year as king of Judah. Menahem ruled ten years in Samaria,
18. and he did what the Lord said was wrong. Jeroboam son of Nebat had led 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 seventy-four thousand pounds of silver so Pul would support him and make his hold on the kingdom stronger.
20. Menahem taxed Israel to pay about one and one-fourth pounds of silver to each soldier of the king of Assyria. So the king left and did not stay in the land.
21. Everything else Menahem did is written 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 during Uzziah’s fiftieth year as king of Judah. Pekahiah ruled two years,
24. and he did what the Lord said was wrong. Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to sin, and Pekahiah did not stop doing the same sins.
25. Pekah son of Remaliah was one of Pekahiah’s captains, and he made plans against Pekahiah. He took fifty men of Gilead with him and killed Pekahiah, as well as Argob and Arieh, in the palace at Samaria. Then Pekah became king in Pekahiah’s place.