Hoshea the Last King of Israel
The report of the northern kingdom's fall has...
The report of the northern kingdom's fall has two main parts:
Events during the reign of Israel's last king, Hoshea, including the capture of Samaria and the deportation of Israel's people (2 Kings 17:1–6);
The reasons for Israel's fall and Assyria's conquest:
Israel's many sins (2 Kings 17:7–17) that led to God's judgment (2 Kings 17:18–20), and
the major sin of Jeroboam I, who started Israel's widespread disobedience to God (2 Kings 17:21–23).
Events during the reign of Israel's last king, Hoshea, including the capture of Samaria and the deportation of Israel's people (2 Kings 17:1–6);
The reasons for Israel's fall and Assyria's conquest:
Israel's many sins (2 Kings 17:7–17) that led to God's judgment (2 Kings 17:18–20), and
the major sin of Jeroboam I, who started Israel's widespread disobedience to God (2 Kings 17:21–23).
1In the twelfth year of the reign of Ahaz over Judah, Hoshea son of Elah became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria nine years. 2And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not like the kings of Israel who preceded him.
King Shalmaneser V took over from his father...
King Shalmaneser V took over from his father Tiglath-pileser III in 726 BC. Hoshea might have thought this change in leadership would let Israel break free from Assyrian control. However, by not paying the yearly tribute, he provoked Shalmaneser's retaliation.
send envoys to King So of Egypt: Some scholars think the name So is short for Pharaoh Osorkon IV, who ruled from 730 to 715 BC. Others believe So refers to Pharaoh Piankhy, who ruled from 747 to 716 BC. They see the biblical name So as a Hebrew version of one of Piankhy's titles. Some suggest So is the city of Sais, the capital of Pharaoh Tefnakht, who ruled from 727 to 720 BC. Regardless of who this king was, it is clear Hoshea's hope for Egyptian support was a mistake.
King Shalmaneser V took over from his father Tiglath-pileser III in 726 BC. Hoshea might have thought this change in leadership would let Israel break free from Assyrian control. However, by not paying the yearly tribute, he provoked Shalmaneser's retaliation.
send envoys to King So of Egypt: Some scholars think the name So is short for Pharaoh Osorkon IV, who ruled from 730 to 715 BC. Others believe So refers to Pharaoh Piankhy, who ruled from 747 to 716 BC. They see the biblical name So as a Hebrew version of one of Piankhy's titles. Some suggest So is the city of Sais, the capital of Pharaoh Tefnakht, who ruled from 727 to 720 BC. Regardless of who this king was, it is clear Hoshea's hope for Egyptian support was a mistake.
3Shalmaneser king of Assyria attacked him, and Hoshea became his vassal and paid him tribute. 4But the king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea had conspired to send envoys to King So† of Egypt, and that he had not paid tribute to the king of Assyria as in previous years. Therefore the king of Assyria arrested Hoshea and put him in prison.
Israel Carried Captive to Assyria
the king of Assyria: Historical records say Shalmaneser...
the king of Assyria: Historical records say Shalmaneser V of Assyria, the ruler from 726 to 722 BC, conquered Samaria, but Sargon II (who ruled Assyria from 721 to 705 BC) claimed he captured the city. Sargon might have been the commander when Samaria fell and then became king after Shalmaneser's death during the siege.
invaded the whole land: The Assyrians would destroy the area around an enemy's main city before attacking it.
The ninth year of King Hoshea’s reign was 722 BC.
carried away the Israelites: The Assyrians deported people to prevent future rebellions. Sargon also brought other people to Israel to create a mixed population (see 2 Kings 17:24–25).
Halah was northeast of Nineveh in Assyria.
The Habor River is a branch of the Euphrates River in northwestern Assyria.
Gozan was on the Habor River northeast of Haran (see Genesis 12:4). Assyrian records from the area include names that are clearly Israelite, possibly showing the deportation of Samaria's people.
the king of Assyria: Historical records say Shalmaneser V of Assyria, the ruler from 726 to 722 BC, conquered Samaria, but Sargon II (who ruled Assyria from 721 to 705 BC) claimed he captured the city. Sargon might have been the commander when Samaria fell and then became king after Shalmaneser's death during the siege.
invaded the whole land: The Assyrians would destroy the area around an enemy's main city before attacking it.
The ninth year of King Hoshea’s reign was 722 BC.
carried away the Israelites: The Assyrians deported people to prevent future rebellions. Sargon also brought other people to Israel to create a mixed population (see 2 Kings 17:24–25).
Halah was northeast of Nineveh in Assyria.
The Habor River is a branch of the Euphrates River in northwestern Assyria.
Gozan was on the Habor River northeast of Haran (see Genesis 12:4). Assyrian records from the area include names that are clearly Israelite, possibly showing the deportation of Samaria's people.
5Then the king of Assyria invaded the whole land, marched up to Samaria, and besieged it for three years.
6In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and carried away the Israelites to Assyria, where he settled them in Halah, in Gozan by the Habor River, and in the cities of the Medes.
7All this happened because the people of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They had worshiped other gods
Israel committed many sins, including pagan rituals and...
Israel committed many sins, including pagan rituals and practices. Whether done openly or in secret, God knew about them all. Israel's kings often started these practices by building pagan shrines, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles. They copied pagan sacrifices and idol worship (2 Kings 10:29; 15:18, 28; 1 Kings 12:28–33; 15:34; 16:30–33).
People from all parts of Israelite society, both royalty and commoners, continued these sins. They ignored warnings from God's prophets, including Isaiah, Hosea, Amos, and Micah.
8and walked in the customs of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites, as well as in the practices introduced by the kings of Israel.
9The Israelites secretly did things against the LORD their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city, they built high places in all their cities. 10They set up for themselves sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. 11They burned incense on all the high places like the nations that the LORD had driven out before them. They did wicked things, provoking the LORD to anger. 12They served idols, although the LORD had told them, “You shall not do this thing.”†
13Yet through all His prophets and seers, the LORD warned Israel and Judah, saying, “Turn from your wicked ways and keep My commandments and statutes, according to the entire Law that I commanded your fathers and delivered to you through My servants the prophets.”
Like their ancestors (Deuteronomy 10:16; 1 Samuel 12:6–9;...
Like their ancestors (Deuteronomy 10:16; 1 Samuel 12:6–9; Psalm 106:28), the Israelites continued to be unfaithful to the Lord (Isaiah 65:6–7; Amos 2:4; see Acts 7:51–53).
14But they would not listen, and they stiffened their necks like their fathers, who did not believe the LORD their God. 15They rejected His statutes and the covenant He had made with their fathers, as well as the decrees He had given them. They pursued worthless idols and became worthless themselves, going after the surrounding nations that the LORD had commanded them not to imitate.
all the commandments of the LORD: The narrator...
all the commandments of the LORD: The narrator lists specific examples of Israel's disobedience. These include:
the two metal calves set up at Dan and Bethel (1 Kings 12:28–30),
the Canaanite fertility symbol called an Asherah pole (2 Kings 13:6; 17:10; 1 Kings 14:23; 16:33; Micah 5:14),
the ongoing worship of Baal (1 Kings 16:31–33; Hosea 2:13; 13:1), and
the detestable Molech rituals (2 Kings 16:3; Psalm 106:37).
the two metal calves set up at Dan and Bethel (1 Kings 12:28–30),
the Canaanite fertility symbol called an Asherah pole (2 Kings 13:6; 17:10; 1 Kings 14:23; 16:33; Micah 5:14),
the ongoing worship of Baal (1 Kings 16:31–33; Hosea 2:13; 13:1), and
the detestable Molech rituals (2 Kings 16:3; Psalm 106:37).
16They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves two cast idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the host of heaven and served Baal. 17They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire† and practiced divination and soothsaying. They devoted themselves to doing evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.
The LORD was very angry: God's anger is...
The LORD was very angry: God's anger is a fair response to evil that requires justice.
even Judah did not keep the commandments of the LORD: This hints at the future fall of the southern kingdom as well (2 Kings 25:1–21).
The LORD was very angry: God's anger is a fair response to evil that requires justice.
even Judah did not keep the commandments of the LORD: This hints at the future fall of the southern kingdom as well (2 Kings 25:1–21).
18So the LORD was very angry with Israel, and He removed them from His presence. Only the tribe of Judah remained, 19and even Judah did not keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but lived according to the customs Israel had introduced. 20So the LORD rejected all the descendants of Israel. He afflicted them and delivered them into the hands of plunderers, until He had banished them from His presence.
All of Israel's wrongdoings and disobedience were linked...
All of Israel's wrongdoings and disobedience were linked to the sins of Jeroboam I (1 Kings 12:26–33).
21When the LORD had torn Israel away from the house of David, they made Jeroboam son of Nebat king, and Jeroboam led Israel away from following the LORD and caused them to commit a great sin. 22The Israelites persisted in all the sins that Jeroboam had committed and did not turn away from them. 23Finally, the LORD removed Israel from His presence, as He had declared through all His servants the prophets. So Israel was exiled from their homeland into Assyria, where they are to this day.
Samaria Resettled
The writer adds information about later events in...
The writer adds information about later events in Israel, like foreigners moving into the land and the mixed population's blended religious practices.
24Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its towns.
25Now when the settlers first lived there, they did not worship the LORD, so He sent lions among them, which killed some of them.
The king of Assyria was Sargon II. He...
The king of Assyria was Sargon II. He ruled from 721 to 705 BC.
the God of the land … has sent lions: People in the ancient Near East believed a land's peace and success were tied to its god and religious practices.
One of the priests returned to Bethel, but his teachings on worshiping the Lord were likely influenced by Jeroboam I's religion and mixed with pagan practices.
The foreigners also continued to worship their own gods. They added the worship of Israel’s God to their own practices. Most of the false gods mentioned here are unknown. Jewish scribes may have changed their names.
Nergal was the Mesopotamian god of the underworld. Nibhaz and Tartak were probably Elamite gods.
The king of Assyria was Sargon II. He ruled from 721 to 705 BC.
the God of the land … has sent lions: People in the ancient Near East believed a land's peace and success were tied to its god and religious practices.
One of the priests returned to Bethel, but his teachings on worshiping the Lord were likely influenced by Jeroboam I's religion and mixed with pagan practices.
The foreigners also continued to worship their own gods. They added the worship of Israel’s God to their own practices. Most of the false gods mentioned here are unknown. Jewish scribes may have changed their names.
Nergal was the Mesopotamian god of the underworld. Nibhaz and Tartak were probably Elamite gods.
26So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The peoples that you have removed and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the requirements of the God of the land. Because of this, He has sent lions among them, which are indeed killing them off.”
27Then the king of Assyria commanded: “Send back one of the priests you carried off from Samaria, and have him go back to live there and teach the requirements of the God of the land.”
28Thus one of the priests they had carried away came and lived in Bethel, and he began to teach them how they should worship the LORD.
29Nevertheless, the people of each nation continued to make their own gods in the cities where they had settled, and they set them up in the shrines that the people of Samaria had made on the high places. 30The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech the gods of Sepharvaim.
They worshiped the LORD, but they also served...
They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods: The Hebrew faith, already mixed with Jeroboam I's religion, now included many foreign customs. Genuine worship of the Lord nearly vanished. Only a few faithful Israelites responded to Hezekiah’s later invitation to come to Judah for the Passover celebration (2 Chronicles 30:10–19).
32So the new residents worshiped the LORD, but they also appointed for themselves priests of all sorts to serve in the shrines of the high places. 33They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods according to the customs of the nations from which they had been carried away.
34To this day they are still practicing their former customs. None of them worship the LORD or observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom He named Israel.
According to Israel’s covenant with the Lord (Exodus...
According to Israel’s covenant with the Lord (Exodus 20:5; Deuteronomy 6:4–15), Israel was to worship only the Lord. Only God could truly save and protect them from all enemies.
35For the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites and commanded them, “Do not worship other gods or bow down to them; do not serve them or sacrifice to them. 36Instead, worship the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm. You are to bow down to Him and offer sacrifices to Him. 37And you must always be careful to observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments He wrote for you. Do not worship other gods. 38Do not forget the covenant I have made with you. Do not worship other gods, 39but worship the LORD your God, and He will deliver you from the hands of all your enemies.”
worshiped the LORD but also served their idols:...
worshiped the LORD but also served their idols: The Samaritan religion mixed the worship of Israel’s God with other religions. This kind of mixture is called syncretism (an eclectic combination of religions). Because of this, Samaritans were later viewed with suspicion and treated with contempt (see Nehemiah 4:1–2; 10:28–31; John 4:7–9).
40But they would not listen, and they persisted in their former customs. 41So these nations worshiped the LORD but also served their idols, and to this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their fathers did.