01_Dubovský_321_346 28/10/14 10:32 Pagina 337 WHY DID THE NORTHERN KINGDOM FALL? 337 a list of Menahem’s violent actions. After the digression formed by means of the za'–clause, the description of Menahem’s reign follows the stereotyped pattern. The introductory and concluding regnal formulas bracket the most important event which took place during Menahem’s reign — the first Assyrian invasion resulting in heavy taxation of the notables of Israel. By placing Menahem’s reign in the narrative center of chapter 15 special emphasis is given to his reign and deeds. In this way two characteristics of Menahem’s reign are emphasized: his brutality (za'–clause prefacing the introductory regnal résumé) and his negotiation with the Assyrians (event-de- scription bracketed between the introductory and concluding regnal résumés). By means of the concentric structure the ancient scribes focus the reader’s attention on three causes latent in Israel that later on led to the collapse of Israel: Menahem’s brutalities on the one hand and Assyrian invasions and heavy taxation on the other. VI. Prefixed addendum: Menahem’s brutality I have argued that 15,16 should be translated: “Then Menahem (started his campaign) from Tirzah and struck Tiphsah, and all who were in it, and all its territories. Indeed he did not (just) breach (it), he struck (it) down — he ripped open all its pregnant women!” 34. This translation indicates that Menahem after having seized the throne at- tempted a campaign against the east. During this campaign he not only captured the city of Tiphsah but also ripped open its pregnant women. The biblical text does not give the reasons for Menahem’s cruelties, but rather underlines the arbitrariness of Menahem’s action. Mena- hem’s violence did not stop at “regular” war cruelties (e.g. to breach a city), but he exterminated life-bearers (pregnant women) and life in its prenatal form (fetuses). This kind of violence is rarely attested in the extra-biblical source and always presents an extreme case 35. can therefore conclude that from the structural point of view verse 16 is con- nected to the literary unit describing Menahem’s reign; from the narrative point of view the verse serves as a transition from Shallum’s to Menahem’s reign. 34 DUBOVSKÝ, “Menahem’s Reign”, 41. 35 M. COGAN, “‘Ripping open Pregnant Women’ in Light of an Assyrian Analogue”, JAOS 103 (1983) 755-757; P. DUBOVSKÝ, “Ripping Open Preg-