2 Kings 15:13-16·~1 min

Shallum Reigns in Israel

Shallum becomes king in Samaria but reigns only one month before Menahem comes from Tirzah, kills him, and takes his place.

I¹³n the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah’s reign over Judah, Shallum son of Jabesh became king, and he reigned in Samaria one full month. ¹⁴Then Menahem son of Gadi went up from Tirzah to Samaria, struck down and killed Shallum son of Jabesh, and reigned in his place. ¹⁵As for the rest of the acts of Shallum, along with the conspiracy he led, they are indeed written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

From Tirzah, Menahem attacks Tiphsah for refusing him entry and tears open its pregnant women.

¹⁶At 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.

Section summaryShallum’s reign is even shorter than the one he ends, lasting only a month before Menahem kills him. The section closes by exposing the brutality that accompanies this struggle for power.

Role in the chapterThis brief movement sharpens the sense of chaos in Israel. Kings rise and fall almost instantly, and the violence is not contained to the palace but spills outward into the land.