01_Dubovský_321_346 28/10/14 10:32 Pagina 339 WHY DID THE NORTHERN KINGDOM FALL? 339 verting a sum following the rates of the stock market of that time, but converting it on the basis of the rates a reader could acquire by reading the Bible. One thousand talents of silver equals 3,600,000 shekels of silver. According to 1 Kgs 10,29 one chariot cost 600 shekels and one warhorse 500 shekels. Consequently for the reader of 1–2 Kings this would mean that Assyria could buy 50,000 chariots 38 or 60,000 horses. If we take into consideration the fact that Solomon in his glory had only 1,400 chariots (1 Kgs 10,26) and 12,000 horses, then 50,000 chariots or 60,000 horses possibly bought for 1,000 talents of silver would represent an army much superior to that of Solomon. If this sum of money is translated into terms of real estate, then Menahem gave to the Assyrians a financial capital that would en- able them to buy almost the entire land of Israel, its cattle, sheep, and goats 39. If this sum is translated into terms of human beings, then with this money the Assyrian king could acquire a good num- ber of Israelites 40. In sum, by giving this money to the Assyrians Menahem enabled the Assyrian king to acquire almost the whole of Israel and its inhabitants. The second number mentioned in 2 Kgs 15,19-20 regards the details describing how Menahem collected this huge amount of money: he took this money from his nobles; each person had to pay 50 shekels. Since the final sum was 3,600,000 shekels and every noble of Israel had to pay 50 shekels, it would require taxing 72,000 people. This would practically mean taxing all the nobles of Israel. In addition 50 shekels has also a theological meaning. It was the value which according to Lev 27,3 an adult had had to pay to God/temple. In consequence, Menahem made each noble pay the Assyrian king the price which an individual was to pay to God. Even though the numbers mentioned above cannot be taken at their face-value, by mentioning this huge sum other causes leading to the collapse of the Northern Kingdom can be pointed out. Mena- 38 According to 1 Chr 19,6 Assyria could obtain “only” 32,000 chariots. 39 1,000 talents of silver would be an equivalent of 7,500 Abraham’s burial places (Gen 23,13-14), 500 Shemer’s estates (1 Kgs 16,24) or 42,857 Jere- miah’s estates (Jer 32,9). For equivalents see also ABD VI, 1119. 40 According to Leviticus 27 the Assyrians received the money equivalent of 30,000 virgins, 60,000 free men, 100,000 free women, 150,000 boys, 300,000 girls, or 100,000 slaves (Exod 21,32).