2 Kings 15:16

14 Then Menahem son of Gadi went up from Tirzah to Samaria, struck down and killed Shallum son of Jabesh, and reigned in his place.

15 As for the rest of the acts of Shallum, along with the conspiracy he led, they are indeed written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

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.

17 In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah’s reign over Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria ten years.

18 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and throughout his reign he did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
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.
KJV
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.
WEB
Then Menahem attacked Tiphsah and all who were in it and its border areas, from Tirzah. He attacked it because they didn’t open their gates to him, and he ripped up all their women who were with child.
ASV
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.
DARBY
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.
BLB
Then Menahem struck Tiphsah and all who [were] in it and its borders from Tirzah, because it did not open [to him]. And he struck it—all its pregnant women he split open.
ÅB
På den tid dro Menahem ut fra Tirsa og herjet Tifsah med alt der var, og hele det tilhørende land. Det var fordi byen ikke hadde åpnet portene for ham, han herjet den; alle dets fruktsommelige kvinner lot han oppskjære.
OTB
Da angrep Menahem Tifsa og alle som var der og grensene derfra, fra Tirsa, fordi de ikke åpnet for ham; så han angrep det, og rev opp alle de gravide kvinnene der.
B1930
På den tid drog Menahem ut fra Tirsa og herjet Tifsah med alt der var, og hele det tilhørende land. Det var fordi byen ikke hadde åpnet portene for ham, han herjet den; alle dets fruktsommelige kvinner lot han opskjære.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 2 Kings 8:12

    “Why is my lord weeping?” asked Hazael. “Because I know the evil you will do to the Israelites,” Elisha replied. “You will set fire to their fortresses, kill their young men with the sword, dash their little ones to pieces, and rip open their pregnant women.”

    Read in context
  • 1 Kings 4:24

    For Solomon had dominion over everything west of the Euphrates —over all the kingdoms from Tiphsah to Gaza—and he had peace on all sides.

    Read in context
  • Hosea 13:16

    Samaria will bear her guilt because she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to pieces, and their pregnant women ripped open.

    Read in context
  • Amos 1:13

    This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of the Ammonites, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to enlarge their territory.

    Read in context