The Meaning of 2 Kings 15:20 Explained

2 Kings 15:20

KJV: And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty men of wealth, of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not there in the land.

YLT: And Menahem bringeth out the silver from Israel, from all the mighty men of wealth, to give to the king of Asshur, fifty shekels of silver for each one, and the king of Asshur turneth back and hath not stayed there in the land.

Darby: And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, of all those who were wealthy, of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. And the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not there in the land.

ASV: And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty men of wealth, of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not there in the land.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Menahem  exacted  the money  of Israel,  [even] of all the mighty men  of wealth,  of each  man  fifty  shekels  of silver,  to give  to the king  of Assyria.  So the king  of Assyria  turned back,  and stayed  not there in the land. 

What does 2 Kings 15:20 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 15:13-22 - Buying Temporary Relief
The usurping murderer Shallum enjoyed but a very brief reign, occupying the throne for one month only, and then being slain by Menahem, who, according to Josephus, was commander of his forces. Menahem carried his arms as far as Tiphsah, which apparently resisted this red-handed assassin. The ruthless cruelty which he showed toward the hapless citizens attracted the notice of the Assyrian monarch, and led ultimately to that invasion of Israel which terminated in its destruction. God has ever sat as Judge over the nations. His judgments and sentences are exact. With what measure we mete, it shall be measured to us again.
Menahem obtained a temporary respite by the gift of one thousand talents, which secured the alliance of the king of Assyria, turning him from an avenger into a patron. See Hosea 5:13. This was the confederacy to which Isaiah probably refers in his chapter, Isaiah 8:1-22, when he alludes to a confederacy that seemed to bode no good. But on the bosom of this cloud of menace shone, as always, the rainbow of promise which is implied in the name "Immanuel." [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Kings 15

1  Azariah's good reign
5  He dying a leper, is succeeded by Jotham
8  Zachariah the last of Jehu's generation, reigning ill, is slain by Shallum
13  Shallum, reigning a month, is slain by Nenahem
16  Menahem strengthens himself by Pul
21  Pekahiah succeeds him
23  Pekahiah is slain by Pekah
27  Pekah is oppressed by Tiglath-pileser, and slain by Hoshea
32  Jotham's good reign
36  Ahaz succeeds him

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 15:20 mean?

And exacted Menahem - the money from Israel from all very the wealthy to give to the king of Assyria Fifty shekels of silver for man one so turned back the king of Assyria and not did stay there in the land
וַיֹּצֵא֩ מְנַחֵ֨ם אֶת־ הַכֶּ֜סֶף עַל־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל עַ֚ל כָּל־ גִּבּוֹרֵ֣י הַחַ֔יִל לָתֵת֙ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר חֲמִשִּׁ֧ים שְׁקָלִ֛ים כֶּ֖סֶף לְאִ֣ישׁ אֶחָ֑ד וַיָּ֙שָׁב֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר וְלֹא־ עָ֥מַד שָׁ֖ם בָּאָֽרֶץ

וַיֹּצֵא֩  And  exacted 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
מְנַחֵ֨ם  Menahem 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְנַחֵם  
Sense: son of Gadi and king of the northern kingdom of Israel; slew the usurper Shallum to ascend the throne and reigned for ten years; contemporary with prophets Hosea and Amos.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַכֶּ֜סֶף  the  money 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֶּסֶף  
Sense: silver, money.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
גִּבּוֹרֵ֣י  very 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: גִּבֹּור  
Sense: strong, mighty.
הַחַ֔יִל  the  wealthy 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חַיִל 
Sense: strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army.
לָתֵת֙  to  give 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לְמֶ֣לֶךְ  to  the  king 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אַשּׁ֔וּר  of  Assyria 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַשּׁוּר  
Sense: the second son of Shem, eponymous ancestor of the Assyrians.
חֲמִשִּׁ֧ים  Fifty 
Parse: Number, common plural
Root: חֲמִשִּׁים 
Sense: fifty.
שְׁקָלִ֛ים  shekels 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: שֶׁקֶל  
Sense: shekel.
כֶּ֖סֶף  of  silver 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֶּסֶף  
Sense: silver, money.
לְאִ֣ישׁ  for  man 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
אֶחָ֑ד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
וַיָּ֙שָׁב֙  so  turned  back 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
מֶ֣לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אַשּׁ֔וּר  of  Assyria 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַשּׁוּר  
Sense: the second son of Shem, eponymous ancestor of the Assyrians.
וְלֹא־  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
עָ֥מַד  did  stay 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
בָּאָֽרֶץ  in  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.