Shallum, son of Jabesh, was one of the shortest-reigning kings in the northern kingdom of Israel. He seized power by assassinating King Zechariah and ruled for only one month in Samaria before being killed himself by Menahem, son of Gadi. His brief reign illustrates the political instability and violence that characterized the final decade of the northern kingdom.
The fall of Zechariah and Shallum's rise to power marked the end of Jehu's dynasty, which the Lord had promised would sit on Israel's throne for four generations.
30The LORD said to Jehu, "Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in my eyes and have done to the house of Ahab all that I had in mind, your descendants to the fourth generation will sit on the throne of Israel."
Shallum's reign of only one month is among the shortest in the Bible and testifies to the chaotic political situation in the final days of the Northern Kingdom.