(14) For.--And.

Menahem.--Tiglath Pileser II. records in his annals that in his eighth regnal year (i.e., B.C. 738) he took tribute of "Racunnu (Rezin) the Damascene, and Menihimme Samerina'a"--i.e., Menahem the Samaritan.

Gadi.--Or, a Gadite.

Went up from Tirzah.--Menahem was Zachariah's general, who at the time was quartered with the troops at Tirzah, near Samaria (1Kings 14:17). On the news of the murder of Zachariah, Menahem marched to tHe capital. The month of Shallum's reign was probably taken up with preparations for hostilities on both sides. A battle at Samaria decided matters (Josephus). Perhaps, however, Menahem simply entered Samaria with a part of his forces.

Verse 14. - For Manahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah. Ewald supposes Tirzah to have been the "native city" of Menahem; but this is not stated. According to Josephus (l.s.c.), he was commander-in-chief, and happened to be in Tirzeh at the time. (On the probable site of Tirzeh, see the comment on 1 Kings 14:17.) It was the royal city of the kingdom of the ten tribes from the later part of Jeroboam's reign to the building of Samaria by Omri (see 1 Kings 14:17; 1 Kings 16:6, 8, 15, 23). And came to Samaria, and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria - Josephus says that there was a battle, in which Shallum was slain - and slew him, and reigned in his stead.

15:8-31 This history shows Israel in confusion. Though Judah was not without troubles, yet that kingdom was happy, compared with the state of Israel. The imperfections of true believers are very different from the allowed wickedness of ungodly men. Such is human nature, such are our hearts, if left to themselves, deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. We have reason to be thankful for restraints, for being kept out of temptation, and should beg of God to renew a right spirit within us.For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah,.... A city in the tribe of Manasseh, the royal city of the kings of Israel before Omri, of which See Gill on Joshua 12:24, whether Menahem was of this city, or was now besieging it with an army he had the command of, as Josephus (r) suggests, is not certain; however, hearing what had befallen Zachariah, he came from hence: and came to Samaria; which, according to Bunting (s), was six miles from Tirzah:

and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, and slew him, and reigned in his stead; judging he had as good a right to the throne as Shallum had.

(r) Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 9. c. 11. sect. 1.) (s) Travels, &c. p. 169.