Menahem

Menahem
King of Israel
Menahem from Guillaume Rouillé's Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum
Predecessor	Shallum of Israel
Successor	Pekahiah

Menahem or Menachem (Hebrew: מְנַחֵם, Modern Menaẖem, Tiberian Mənaḥēm, from a Hebrew word meaning "the consoler" or "comforter"; Akkadian: Meniḫimme or Miniḫimme; Greek: Manaem in the Septuagint, Manaen in Aquila; Latin: Manahem; full name: Hebrew: מְנַחֵם בֵּן-גדי‎‎, Mena[c]hem Ben-Gadi) was a king of the northern Israelite Kingdom of Israel. He was the son of Gadi, and the founder of the dynasty known as the House of Gadi or House of Menahem. Some have speculated that Gadi was a scion of the tribe of Gad.

Menahem's ten-year reign is told in 2 Kings 15:14-22. When Shallum conspired against and assassinated Zechariah in Samaria, and set himself upon the throne of the northern kingdom, Menahem - who, like Shallum, had served as a captain in Zechariah's army - refused to recognize the murderous usurper. Menahem marched from Tirzah to Samaria, about six miles westwards and laid siege to Samaria. He took the city, murdered Shallum a month into his reign (2 Kings 15:13), and set himself upon the throne. (2 Kings 15:14) According to Josephus, he was a general of the army of Israel.