2 Kings 17:1-6
Summary for 2Kgs 17:1-23: 17:1-23 a The report of the northern kingdom’s fall proceeds in two major sections: (1) events in the reign of Israel’s final king, Hoshea, and the circumstances that brought about the capture of Samaria and the deportation of Israel’s citizens (17:1-6 b); (2) the reasons for Israel’s collapse and conquest by Assyria—Israel’s many sins (17:7-17 c) that merited God’s judgment (17:18-20 d) and the great sin of Jeroboam I, who laid the foundation for Israel’s rampant apostasy (17:21-23 e). 17:1 f Hoshea ... began to rule over Israel in 732 BC.• Hoshea’s reign is listed as beginning in “the twentieth year of Jotham” (15:30 g) and in the twelfth year of King Ahaz’s reign in Judah. Ahaz apparently co-reigned with Jotham from about 743 BC, when he was twelve years old, but Ahaz’s official regnal years were calculated from 731 BC (16:2 h). Thus the references to Ahaz’s reign are in harmony.
17:2 i Hoshea’s evil deeds were not to the same extent as his forebears, though what this means exactly is not explained.
Summary for 2Kgs 17:3-4: 17:3-4 j King Shalmaneser V succeeded his father Tiglath-pileser III in 726 BC. Hoshea may have reasoned that this leadership change would allow Israel to become independent of Assyrian vassalage. But his withholding of the annual tribute simply invited Shalmaneser’s reprisal.
• by asking King So of Egypt: Some scholars understand the name So as an abbreviation of Pharaoh Osorkon IV (730–715 BC). Others equate So with Pharaoh Piankhy (747–716 BC), viewing the biblical name So as a Hebraic rendering of one of the names in Piankhy’s titulary. Still others suggest that So refers to the city of Sais, the capital of Pharaoh Tefnakht (727–720 BC). Whatever the identity of this king, it is clear that Hoshea’s hope for help from Egypt was misplaced.
Summary for 2Kgs 17:5-6: 17:5-6 k the king of Assyria: Although sources identify Samaria’s conqueror as Shalmaneser V of Assyria (726–722 BC), Sargon II (who ruled Assyria 721–705 BC) claimed that he captured the city. Perhaps Sargon was the field commander when Samaria fell and then became king when Shalmaneser died during the year of the siege.
• invaded the entire land: Assyrian military strategy was to devastate the territory surrounding an enemy’s primary city before launching a final attack.
• The ninth year of King Hoshea’s reign was 722 BC.
• the people ... were exiled: The Assyrians practiced deportation in order to defuse future rebellions. Sargon also brought other people to Israel to form a mixed population (17:24-25 l).
• Halah was situated northeast of Nineveh in Assyria.
• The Habor River is a tributary of the Euphrates River in northwestern Assyria.
• Gozan was located on the Habor River northeast of Haran (Gen 12:4 m). Assyrian documents from the area list personal names that are clearly Israelite, perhaps reflecting the deportation of the people of Samaria.
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