The appraisal of the reign of Menahem is negative. It is quite similar to corresponding negative evaluations of rulers that had preceded him (see the comments on verse 9 as well as on 2 Kgs 3.2-3; 13.2; 14.24), but the addition of all his days is significant in that it emphasizes the completeness of his commitment to doing what was wrong. This may be translated “every day of his life” or “until the very day he died.”

In place of the words all his days, which come at the end of the verse in Hebrew, the Septuagint reads “In his days” as the beginning of the following sentence in verse 19. New Jerusalem Bible and Osty-Trinquet, for example, follow the Greek and begin a new sentence with these words: “In his days Pul….” Revised English Bible similarly says “In Menahem’s time King Pul….” Translators should follow the Masoretic Text here.

All the sins of Jeroboam: Revised Standard Version follows the Septuagint here by adding the word all, which is not in the Hebrew text. But this addition is not necessary to convey the sense of the text.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .