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Menahem

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âš¡ IN BRIEF (SUMMARY)

Menahem was the 16th king of Israel, reigning for ten years after assassinating Shallum to avenge Zechariah. He consolidated his rule through military strength and secured his position by paying a heavy tribute to the Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III.

What is the meaning of Menahem in the Bible?

Menahem was the 16th king of Israel, reigning for ten years after assassinating Shallum to avenge Zechariah. He consolidated his rule through military strength and secured his position by paying a heavy tribute to the Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III.

SIGNIFICANCE

Menahem's reign demonstrates the political reality of the 8th century BCE, where Israelite sovereignty was increasingly compromised by the need to pay tribute to Assyria to avoid invasion, illustrating the geopolitical pressures that shaped the biblical narrative of the northern kingdom's decline.

Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide

Genealogy & Community Insight: When reading, notice how the lineage and actions of Menahem reveal God's preservation of family clans and community records across generations.
Bible Study Reflection Prompts:
  • Why did the biblical author mention Menahem in this passage?
  • What cultural or historical assumption does Menahem clarify?

Source Attribution & Provenance

Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been editorially modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and formatted for fast contextual reference.

How to Cite This Entry

"Menahem." Ancient Context Dictionary. Accessed 2026. https://ancientcontext.com/context/menahem/
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