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Tuesday, December 23rd, 2025
the Fourth Week of Advent
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Good News Translation

2 Kings 15:16

As Menahem was on his way from Tirzah, he completely destroyed the city of Tappuah, its inhabitants, and the surrounding territory, because the city did not surrender to him. He even ripped open the bellies of all the pregnant women.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Captive;   Homicide;   Massacre;   Menahem;   Tiphsah;   Tirzah;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Kings;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Isaiah;   Menahem;   Rezin;   Tiphsah;   Tirzah;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Menahem;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Abortion;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Menahem;   Tiphsah;   Tirza;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jehoiachin;   Menahem;   Tiphsah;   Tirzah (2);   Uzziah;   War;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Kings, 1 and 2;   Menahem;   Tappuah;   Tiphsah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Hosea, Book of;   War;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Jotham ;   Menahem ;   Tiphsah ;   Tirzah ;   Uzziah ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Jotham;   Menahem;   Tirzah;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Men'ahem;   Tiph'sah;   Tir'zah,;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Israel;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Menahem;   Tiphsah;   War;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
At that time, starting from Tirzah, Menahem attacked Tiphsah, all who were in it, and its territory because they wouldn’t surrender. He ripped open all the pregnant women.
Hebrew Names Version
Then Menachem struck Tifsach, and all who were therein, and the borders of it, from Tirtzah: because they didn't open to him, therefore he struck it; and all the women therein who were with child he ripped up.
King James Version
Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up.
English Standard Version
At that time Menahem sacked Tiphsah and all who were in it and its territory from Tirzah on, because they did not open it to him. Therefore he sacked it, and he ripped open all the women in it who were pregnant.
New Century Version
Menahem started out from Tirzah and attacked Tiphsah, destroying the city and the area nearby. This was because the people had refused to open the city gate for him. He defeated them and ripped open all their pregnant women.
New English Translation
At that time Menahem came from Tirzah and attacked Tiphsah. He struck down all who lived in the city and the surrounding territory, because they would not surrender. He even ripped open the pregnant women.
Amplified Bible
Then Menahem struck [the town of] Tiphsah and all who were in it and its borders from Tirzah; [he attacked it] because they did not surrender to him; so he struck it and ripped up all the women there who were pregnant.
New American Standard Bible
Then Menahem attacked Tiphsah and all who were in it and its borders from Tirzah, because they did not open up to him; so he attacked it and ripped up all its women who were pregnant.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Menahem destroyed Tiphsah, & all that were therein, & the coastes thereof from Tirzah, because they opened not to him, and he smote it, & ript vp all their women with childe.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Menahem struck Tiphsah and all who were in it and its borders from Tirzah, because they did not open to him; therefore he struck it and ripped up all its pregnant women.
Berean Standard Bible
At 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.
Complete Jewish Bible
From Tirtzah Menachem attacked Tifsach, all the people in it and its territory, because they had not opened their gates to him. So he sacked the city and ripped apart all its pregnant women.
Darby Translation
Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and its territory from Tirzah, because they did not open [to him]; and he smote [it]: all the women in it that were with child he ripped up.
Easy-to-Read Version
Menahem defeated Tiphsah and the area around it. The people refused to open the city gate for him. So Menahem defeated them and ripped open all the pregnant women in that city.
George Lamsa Translation
Then Menahem smote Tiphsah and all who were in it and the territory thereof from Tirzah; because they did not open the gate to him, therefore he smote it; and he ripped up all the women in it that were with child.
Lexham English Bible
At that time Menahem destroyed Tiphsah, all who were in it, and all its territory from Tirzah, because it had not opened to him, so he destroyed it and ripped open all of its pregnant women.
Literal Translation
Then Menahem struck Tiphsah, and all who were in it, and its borders from Tirzah, for it did not open, and he struck it; he ripped up all its pregnant women.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
At the same tyme dyd Manahem smyte Tiphsa, & all yt were therin, & the coastes therof from Thirza, because they wolde not let him in, and smote all their wemen wt childe, and rypte them vp.
American Standard Version
Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the borders thereof, from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up.
Bible in Basic English
Then Menahem sent destruction on Tappuah and all the people in it, and its limits, from Tirzah, because they would not let him come in; and he had all the women who were with child cut open.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
The same time Menahem destroyed Thiphsah, and all that were therein, & the coastes therof from Thirza: And because they opened not to him, he smote it, and ript vp al the women with childe.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the borders thereof, from Tirzah; because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up.
King James Version (1611)
Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therfore he smote it, and all the women therein that were with child, he ript vp.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Then Manaem smote both Thersa and all that was in it, and its borders extending beyond Thersa, because they opened not to him: and he smote it, and ripped up the women with child.
English Revised Version
Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the borders thereof, from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Thanne Manaheu smoot Capham, and alle men that weren thereynne, and the termes therof fro Thersa, for thei nolden opyn to hym; and he killide alle wymmen therof with child, and karf hem.
Young's Literal Translation
Then doth Menahem smite Tiphsah, and all who [are] in it, and its borders from Tirzah, for it opened not [to him], and he smiteth [it], all its pregnant women he hath ripped up.
Update Bible Version
Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the borders thereof, from Tirzah: because they did not open to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that were pregnant he ripped up.
Webster's Bible Translation
Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that [were] in it, and the borders of it from Tirzah: because they opened not [to him], therefore he smote [it]; [and] all the women in it that were with child he ripped up.
World English Bible
Then Menahem struck Tiphsah, and all who were therein, and the borders of it, from Tirzah: because they didn't open to him, therefore he struck it; and all the women therein who were with child he ripped up.
New King James Version
Then from Tirzah, Menahem attacked Tiphsah, all who were there, and its territory. Because they did not surrender, therefore he attacked it. All the women there who were with child he ripped open.
New Living Translation
At that time Menahem destroyed the town of Tappuah and all the surrounding countryside as far as Tirzah, because its citizens refused to surrender the town. He killed the entire population and ripped open the pregnant women.
New Life Bible
Then Menahem destroyed Tiphsah and all who were in it, and its land from Tirzah, because they did not open their gates to him. So he destroyed it, and tore open all its women who were going to have babies.
New Revised Standard
At that time Menahem sacked Tiphsah, all who were in it and its territory from Tirzah on; because they did not open it to him, he sacked it. He ripped open all the pregnant women in it.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then, Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the boundaries thereof, from Tirzah, because they opened not, therefore he smote them, - all the women therein that were with child, he ripped up.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Then Manahem destroyed Thapsa and all that were in it, and the borders thereof from Thersa, because they would not open to him: and he slew all the women thereof that were with child, and ripped them up.
Revised Standard Version
At that time Men'ahem sacked Tappuah and all who were in it and its territory from Tirzah on; because they did not open it to him, therefore he sacked it, and he ripped up all the women in it who were with child.
THE MESSAGE
Using Tirzah as his base, Menahem opened his reign by smashing Tiphsah, devastating both the town and its suburbs because they didn't welcome him with open arms. He savagely ripped open all the pregnant women.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Menahem struck Tiphsah and all who were in it and its borders from Tirzah, because they did not open to him; therefore he struck it and ripped up all its women who were with child.

Contextual Overview

8 In the thirty-eighth year of the reign of King Uzziah of Judah, Zechariah son of Jeroboam II became king of Israel, and he ruled in Samaria for six months. 9 He, like his predecessors, sinned against the Lord . He followed the wicked example of King Jeroboam son of Nebat, who led Israel into sin. 10 Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against King Zechariah, assassinated him at Ibleam, and succeeded him as king. 11 Everything else that Zechariah did is recorded in The History of the Kings of Israel. 12 So the promise was fulfilled which the Lord had made to King Jehu: "Your descendants down to the fourth generation will be kings of Israel." 13 In the thirty-ninth year of the reign of King Uzziah of Judah, Shallum son of Jabesh became king of Israel, and he ruled in Samaria for one month. 14 Menahem son of Gadi went from Tirzah to Samaria, assassinated Shallum, and succeeded him as king. 15 Everything else that Shallum did, including an account of his conspiracy, is recorded in The History of the Kings of Israel. 16 As Menahem was on his way from Tirzah, he completely destroyed the city of Tappuah, its inhabitants, and the surrounding territory, because the city did not surrender to him. He even ripped open the bellies of all the pregnant women. 17 In the thirty-ninth year of the reign of King Uzziah of Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king of Israel, and he ruled in Samaria for ten years.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Tiphsah: 1 Kings 4:24

all the women: 2 Kings 8:12, Amos 1:13

Reciprocal: Judges 9:52 - General Proverbs 28:15 - so Hosea 5:11 - oppressed Hosea 9:13 - shall Hosea 13:16 - their infants Matthew 24:19 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 15:5
The Lord took him outside and said, "Look at the sky and try to count the stars; you will have as many descendants as that."
Genesis 15:8
But Abram asked, "Sovereign Lord , how can I know that it will be mine?"
Genesis 15:9
He answered, "Bring me a cow, a goat, and a ram, each of them three years old, and a dove and a pigeon."
Genesis 15:11
Vultures came down on the bodies, but Abram drove them off.
Exodus 12:40
The Israelites had lived in Egypt for 430 years.
1 Kings 21:26
He committed the most shameful sins by worshiping idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the Lord had driven out of the land as the people of Israel advanced.)
Daniel 8:23
"When the end of those kingdoms is near and they have become so wicked that they must be punished, there will be a stubborn, vicious, and deceitful king.
1 Thessalonians 2:16
They even tried to stop us from preaching to the Gentiles the message that would bring them salvation. In this way they have brought to completion all the sins they have always committed. And now God's anger has at last come down on them!

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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 t, it was but six miles from Samaria:

because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; they refused to open the gates of their city to him, and receive him, and acknowledge him as their king; therefore he exercised severity on the inhabitants of it, and the parts adjacent, as far as Tirzah, putting them to the sword:

and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up: which was a most shocking instance of barbarity, and which he did, to terrify others from following their example. Ben Gersom interprets it of strong towers built on mountains, which he demolished, deriving "haroth", which we render "women with child", from הר, "a mountain".

t Travels, &c. p. 169.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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.


 
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