2 Kings 15:16

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 15:8-31

The best days of the kingdom of Israel were while the government was in Jehu's family. In his reign, and the next three reigns, though there were many abominable corruptions and miserable grievances in Israel, yet the crown went in succession, the kings died in their beds, and some care was taken of public affairs; but, now that those days are at an end, the history which we have in these verses of about thirty-three years represents the affairs of that kingdom in the utmost confusion... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 15:16

Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah ,.... The Jewish writers commonly take this Tiphsah to be without the land of Israel, the same with that in 1 Kings 4:24 on the borders of Syria, and near the Euphrates; but it seems to be some place nearer Samaria, and Tirzah; according to Bunting F20 Travels, &c.; p. 169. , it was but six miles from Samaria: because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it ; they refused to open... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 15:1-38

REIGNS OF AZARIAH AND JOTHAM OVER JUDAH ; AND OF ZACHARIAH , SHALLUM , MENAHEM , PEKAHIAH , AND PEKAH OVER ISRAEL . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 15:1-38

Some lessons from the history of kings. "In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam," etc. The mighty Governor of the universe is represented as saying to the Jewish nation, "I gave thee a king in mine anger" ( Hosea 13:2 ). And truly, with a certain number of exceptions here and there through the ages, kings have proved malific scourges of the race. In this chapter there are mentioned no less than seven of those men who are called kings, but who, instead of having one grain of moral... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 15:8-22

Anarchy in Israel. With rapid descent the kingdom of Israel, which had risen to great external prosperity under Jeroboam II ; hastened to its fall. The prophets give us vivid pictures of the corruption of the times. The bonds of social life were loosened, oppression was rampant, the fear of God seemed to have died out of the land; there was no confidence, peace, or good will among any classes, in the nation. As a consequence, the throne was a prey to any adventurer who had power to seize... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 15:8-31

Worldly prosperity not infrequently the ruin of kingdoms. I. EXAMPLE OF SAMARIA . Scarcely ever was there a more prosperous reign than that of Jeroboam II .—a reign of forty-one years of continual success, uncheckered by a misfortune-Syria defeated, the old border everywhere recovered, Hamath occupied, Damascus brought into a subject condition. As usual, where there is military success, wealth flowed in, and with wealth, luxury. "Great houses" were built ( Amos 3:15 ), "ivory... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 15:16

Then Menahem smote Tiphsah. The only town of this name known to history or geography is the famous city on the Euphrates ( 1 Kings 4:24 ), called by the Greeks Thapsacus. It has been thought that Menahem could not have pushed his conquests so far, and a second Tiphsah has been invented in the Israelite highland, between Tirzah and Samaria, of which there is no other notice anywhere. But "Tiphsah," which means "passage" or "fordway," is an unsuitable name for a city in such a situation. The... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 15:16-22

REIGN OF MENAHEM , AND EXPEDITION OF PUL AGAINST SAMARIA . Two events only of Menahem's reign receive notice from the writer. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 2 Kings 15:16

With respect to the supposed inability of Menahem to lead an expedition to Tiphsah (Thapsacus, see the marginal reference) on the Euphrates, we may note in the first place that such an expedition was a natural sequel to Jeroboam’s occupation of Hamath 2 Kings 14:28; and further, that it would have been greatly facilitated by the weakness of Assyria at this time, that empire having fallen into a state of depression about 780 B.C. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 2 Kings 15:16

2 Kings 15:16 . Then Menahem smote Tiphsah Either that Tiphsah mentioned 1 Kings 4:24, or another city of the same name. And the coasts thereof, from Tirzah All the people dwelling between those places. Because they opened not to him Refused to open the gates of their city, and submit to him as conqueror. All the women that were with child he ripped up That by this example of severity he might affright all the rest of the people into obedience. The frequent mention of this kind of... read more

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