At 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. At that timeThis phrase situates the events within a specific historical context. The period is during the reign of Menahem, a king of Israel, around the 8th century BC. This was a tumultuous time for the Northern Kingdom, marked by political instability and frequent changes in leadership. Understanding the historical backdrop helps us appreciate the desperation and brutality that characterized Menahem's reign. Menahem
Menahem was the son of Gadi and became king of Israel after assassinating Shallum. His name means "comforter" in Hebrew, which is ironic given his violent actions. Menahem's reign is noted for its cruelty and oppression, reflecting a departure from the godly leadership that Israel was called to exhibit. His actions serve as a cautionary tale about the consequences of power unchecked by divine guidance. starting out from Tirzah
Tirzah was an ancient city in the Northern Kingdom of Israel, previously a royal city before Samaria. Its mention here indicates Menahem's base of operations. The city’s historical significance as a former capital underscores the political maneuvering and shifting centers of power during this period. attacked Tiphsah
Tiphsah, likely located on the Euphrates River, was a strategic city. Menahem's attack on Tiphsah highlights his aggressive expansionist policies. The city's refusal to open its gates suggests a resistance to Menahem's authority, which he met with extreme violence. This reflects the broader theme of rebellion against God’s ordained order and the resulting chaos. and everyone in the city and its vicinity
This phrase emphasizes the totality of Menahem's assault. His attack was not limited to the city itself but extended to the surrounding areas, indicating a campaign of terror meant to instill fear and submission. It serves as a grim reminder of the human cost of political ambition and the absence of godly compassion. because they would not open their gates
The refusal to open the gates symbolizes resistance to Menahem's rule. In ancient times, city gates were crucial for defense and control. This act of defiance against Menahem's authority was met with brutal retribution, illustrating the harsh realities of ancient Near Eastern politics and the lengths to which leaders would go to secure their power. He ripped open all the pregnant women
This horrific act of violence is a stark depiction of Menahem's cruelty. It reflects the depravity that can arise when leaders forsake divine principles. The phrase serves as a sobering reminder of the sanctity of life and the moral decay that results from turning away from God. It calls believers to uphold justice and mercy, contrasting the brutality of human sin with the compassion of divine love. Persons / Places / Events 1. MenahemMenahem was the king of Israel who reigned for ten years. His reign is marked by violence and oppression, as seen in his attack on Tiphsah. 2. TiphsahA city that Menahem attacked because they did not open their gates to him. The city's refusal led to a brutal assault by Menahem. 3. The Pregnant WomenThe verse highlights the brutality of Menahem's actions by mentioning the horrific treatment of pregnant women during the attack. Teaching Points The Consequences of Sinful LeadershipMenahem's reign is a reminder of how leaders' sinful actions can lead to widespread suffering and moral decay. It challenges us to pray for and support godly leadership. The Sanctity of LifeThe brutality against pregnant women in this passage underscores the Bible's broader teaching on the sanctity of life. As Christians, we are called to protect and value life at all stages. The Importance of Obedience to GodThe violence in Menahem's reign is a reflection of Israel's disobedience to God. This serves as a warning to us about the importance of living in obedience to God's commands. God's Justice and MercyWhile this passage highlights God's justice against sin, it also points us to His mercy, as seen in the broader account of Scripture where God continually calls His people to repentance. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Menahem's attack on Tiphsah reflect the spiritual state of Israel during his reign? 2. In what ways can we see the consequences of ungodly leadership in today's world, and how can we respond as Christians? 3. How does the treatment of the pregnant women in this passage challenge us to uphold the sanctity of life in our own communities? 4. What lessons can we learn from Israel's history about the importance of obedience to God? 5. How can we balance understanding God's justice with His mercy when reflecting on difficult passages like 2 Kings 15:16? Connections to Other Scriptures Amos 1:13This verse condemns the Ammonites for similar brutal acts against pregnant women, showing that such violence was not only condemned but also a sign of moral decay. Hosea 13:16Hosea prophesies about the judgment on Samaria, mentioning similar acts of violence, which reflects the consequences of Israel's sin and rebellion against God. 2 Kings 17:18-20These verses describe the eventual downfall of Israel due to their persistent sin, of which Menahem's actions are a part. People Abel, Ahaz, Amaziah, Amram, Aram, Argob, Arieh, Azaliah, Azariah, David, Elah, Gadi, Gileadites, Hoshea, Jabesh, Jecholiah, Jecoliah, Jehu, Jeroboam, Jerusha, Jotham, Maacah, Menahem, Naphtali, Nebat, Pekah, Pekahiah, Pul, Remaliah, Rezin, Shallum, Tappuah, Tiglathpileser, Tirzah, Uzziah, Zachariah, Zadok, ZechariahPlaces Abel-beth-maacah, Assyria, Damascus, Galilee, Gilead, Hazor, Ibleam, Ijon, Janoah, Jerusalem, Kedesh, Samaria, Syria, TirzahTopics Attacked, Borders, Child, Coasts, Cut, Destruction, Didn't, Gates, Limits, Menahem, Men'ahem, Open, Opened, Pregnant, Refused, Ripped, Sacked, Smite, Smiteth, Smote, Starting, Struck, Tappuah, Territory, Therein, Thereof, Tiphsah, Tirzah, Vicinity, WomenDictionary of Bible Themes 2 Kings 15:16 5733 pregnancy
5824 cruelty, examples 2 Kings 15:1-38 5366 king Library The Twelve Minor Prophets.
1. By the Jewish arrangement, which places together the twelve minor prophets in a single volume, the chronological order of the prophets as a whole is broken up. The three greater prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, stand in the true order of time. Daniel began to prophesy before Ezekiel, but continued, many years after him. The Jewish arrangement of the twelve minor prophets is in a sense chronological; that is, they put the earlier prophets at the beginning, and the later at the end of the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the BibleMeditations Before Dinner and Supper.
Meditate that hunger is like the sickness called a wolf; which, if thou dost not feed, will devour thee, and eat thee up; and that meat and drink are but as physic, or means which God hath ordained, to relieve and cure this natural infirmity and necessity of man. Use, therefore, to eat and to drink, rather to sustain and refresh the weakness of nature, than to satisfy the sensuality and delights of the flesh. Eat, therefore, to live, but live not to eat. There is no service so base, as for a man …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety A Living Book
[Illustration: (drop cap T) Symbol of "Asshur", the principal Assyrian idol.] There is only one Book that never grows old. For thousands of years men have been writing books. Most books are forgotten soon after they are written; a few of the best and wisest are remembered for a time. But all at last grow old; new discoveries are made; new ideas arise; the old books are out of date; their usefulness is at an end. Students are the only people who still care to read them. The nations to which the …
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making In Galilee at the Time of Our Lord
"If any one wishes to be rich, let him go north; if he wants to be wise, let him come south." Such was the saying, by which Rabbinical pride distinguished between the material wealth of Galilee and the supremacy in traditional lore claimed for the academies of Judaea proper. Alas, it was not long before Judaea lost even this doubtful distinction, and its colleges wandered northwards, ending at last by the Lake of Gennesaret, and in that very city of Tiberias which at one time had been reputed unclean! …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life The Prophet Micah.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS. Micah signifies: "Who is like Jehovah;" and by this name, the prophet is consecrated to the incomparable God, just as Hosea was to the helping God, and Nahum to the comforting God. He prophesied, according to the inscription, under Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. We are not, however, entitled, on this account, to dissever his prophecies, and to assign particular discourses to the reign of each of these kings. On the contrary, the entire collection forms only one whole. At …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament The Prophet Hosea.
GENERAL PRELIMINARY REMARKS. That the kingdom of Israel was the object of the prophet's ministry is so evident, that upon this point all are, and cannot but be, agreed. But there is a difference of opinion as to whether the prophet was a fellow-countryman of those to whom he preached, or was called by God out of the kingdom of Judah. The latter has been asserted with great confidence by Maurer, among others, in his Observ. in Hos., in the Commentat. Theol. ii. i. p. 293. But the arguments …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.), …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links 2 Kings 15:16 NIV2 Kings 15:16 NLT2 Kings 15:16 ESV2 Kings 15:16 NASB2 Kings 15:16 KJV
2 Kings 15:16 Commentaries
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