Menahem exacted this money from Israel. Every wealthy person had to contribute fifty shekels of silver to be given to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria withdrew and stayed in the land no longer. – 2 Kings 15:20

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 28, 2019): 2 Kings 15

From the 13^th until the 17^th century, Border Reivers traveled the 96-mile-long border between England and Scotland. The Reivers were made up of both Scot and English members, and they raided the farms situated along both sides of the border. Because the members of this group of raiders were both Scot and English, they did not play favorites. It did not matter what nationality you might be; the Reivers were coming for you. The only exception to the rule were those wealthy enough to afford protection from the raiders, and those who happened to be related to a member of the Border Reivers. All else lived in fear of those who patrolled the border.

Gradually, the Border Reivers discovered that they could make money a little more easily by agreeing to protect the farmers. Essentially, a farmer would pay a sum of money and the Border Reivers would place them under their protection. This protection meant that the Border Reivers would not raid those who gave them money. The monetary contract was called a “Black Mal.” “Mal” was an old Norse word that meant “agreement.” And this is the origin of our word “Blackmail,” although, as with many English words, the meaning of the term has changed since it first entered the English Language in 1530.

The Assyrian Empire initially had no desire to rule over the neighboring Kingdoms. They just wanted to subdue them. Essentially these nations became a buffer zone between the Assyrians and their enemies. So, much like the Border Reivers more recently in history, the Empire would send raiders into a land and leave the decision of what happened next up to the nation in question. The Assyrian Empire would defeat them and take their land. But what they wanted was for the country to pay them tribute, and then the Empire would withdraw their raiders, leaving the nation in peace. That peace would last as long as the state paid the Assyrians.

In Israel under Menahem, the burden of payment to the Assyrians landed squarely on the wealthy of the land. They paid for the peace of Israel, while Menahem essentially ruled over them with the backing of Assyria. These payments would have been an annual occurrence as Assyria slowly drained away the wealth of the nation.

Before we feel too sorry for the wealthy who were being destroyed by these payments, it might be useful to listen to the words of the Prophet Amos as he speaks a curse over the wealthy of Israel and how they became rich in the first place. Amos writes, “Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria [Israel], you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy and say to your husbands, “Bring us some drinks” (Amos 4:1)! The Assyrians had made the oppressors the oppressed, and the newly oppressed class received exactly as they gave.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 26