2Ki 17:5-12 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 2Kgs 17:5-6: 17:5-6 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 ). • 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 ). Assyrian documents from the area list personal names that are clearly Israelite, perhaps reflecting the deportation of the people of Samaria.

Summary for 2Kgs 17:5-6: 17:5-6 ^a 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 ^b).

• 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 ^c). Assyrian documents from the area list personal names that are clearly Israelite, perhaps reflecting the deportation of the people of Samaria.
17:7 ^d sinned against the Lord ... who had brought them ... out of Egypt: Israel’s demise was due to the people’s persistent sin of infidelity. Rather than remaining true to their Redeemer, the Israelites worshiped other gods.

• Israel’s redemption out of Egypt is a theme repeated throughout the Old Testament, appearing in the poetic literature (Exod 15:1-18 ^e; Pss 77:13-20 ^f; 105:26-45 ^g; 106:7-12 ^h; 114:1-8 ⁱ; Hab 3:3-15 ^j), the prophets (Isa 63:11-14 ^k; Jer 2:1-8 ^l; 32:21-23 ^m; Ezek 20:10-12 ⁿ; Mic 6:4 ^o), and the historical literature (Josh 3:5 ^p; 4:14 ^q, 18-24 ^r; 1 Sam 12:6 ^s).
Summary for 2Kgs 17:8-13: 17:8-13 ^t The catalog of Israel’s sins includes numerous pagan rites and practices. Whether done in the open or secretly, God was aware of them all. Many were even initiated by Israel’s kings who built pagan shrines, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles and emulated heathen sacrifices and idolatry (10:29 ^u; 15:18 ^v, 28 ^w; 1 Kgs 12:28-33 ^x; 15:34 ^y; 16:30-33 ^z). All levels of Israelite society, royalty and commoner alike, persisted in such sins despite denunciation and warning by God’s prophets, which included the writings of Isaiah, Hosea, Amos, and Micah.
17:11 ^aa arousing the Lord’s anger: When God becomes angry, he is not vindictive or bad tempered. Instead, human evil angers him because people have rebelled against God and done evil to one another. God responds to human evil with his justice in dealing with sin and evil (see also 13:3 ^ab; 17:17-18 ^ac; 21:6 ^ad; 22:13 ^ae, 17 ^af; 23:26-27 ^ag; 24:20 ^ah; Rom 3:23 ^ai; 6:23 ^aj; 14:10 ^ak; 2 Cor 5:10 ^al; Col 3:6 ^am; 1 Jn 1:8-10 ^an).