Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land ,.... Of Israel, there being none to oppose his march; Hoshea not daring to come out, and meet him and fight him: and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years ; so long the city held out against him, see 2 Kings 18:9 . read more
Besieged it three years - It must have been well fortified, well provisioned, and well defended, to have held out so long. read more
The reign of Hoshea. I. A FOOLISH SERVICE . The life of every man is a service of some sort. We cannot, even if we would, be absolutely our own masters. Some men are the servants of self. Some are the servants of others. Some are the servants of good. Some are the servants of evil. Some are the servants of money, or of pleasure, or of their passions. What higher epitaph could be written over any man's tomb than the simple words, "A servant of God"? What higher choice could any man make... read more
REIGN OF HOSHEA . Hoshea, the last King of Israel, had a short reign of nine years only, during two of which he was besieged in his capital by the Assyrians. The writer notes that he was a bad king, but not so bad as most of his predecessors ( 2 Kings 17:2 ); that he submitted to Shalmaneser, and then rebelled against him ( 2 Kings 17:3 , 2 Kings 17:4 ); that he called in the aid of So, King of Egypt ( 2 Kings 17:4 ); that he was besieged by Shalmaneser in Samaria ( 2 Kings 17:5... read more
The end of the kingdom of Israel We learn from the inscriptions that Hoshea, the murderer of Pekah, only secured his throne by acknowledging the supremacy of the King of Assyria. It was not long, however, before he conspired to achieve his independence. This led to the final overthrow of the kingdom. I. A LAST FLICKER . 1. Hoshea ' s better character . It is said of this last King of Israel that he did evil in the sight of the Lord, "but not as the kings of Israel that were... read more
Aspects of a corrupt nation. "In the twelfth year of Ahaz King of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years," etc. Hoshea, the king here mentioned, was the nineteenth and last King of Israel. He lived about seven hundred and twenty years or more before Christ. After a reign of nine years his subjects were carried away captive to Assyria, and the kingdom of Israel came to an end. The selection we have made from this chapter presents to us —Aspects of a... read more
THE REIGN OF HOSHEA OVER ISRAEL . DESTRUCTION OF THE ISRAELITE KINGDOM , AND THE GROUNDS OF IT RE - PEOPLING OF THE KINGDOM BY ASSYRIAN COLONISTS . read more
Then the King of Assyria —rather, and the King of Assyria— came up throughout all the land —i.e; with an army that spread itself at once over the whole land, that came to conquer, not merely to strike a blow, and obtain submission, as on the former occasion (see 2 Kings 17:3 , and the comment)— and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years. From some time in Hoshea's seventh year ( 2 Kings 18:9 ) to some time in his ninth ( 2 Kings 18:10 ). According to the Hebrew mode of... read more
All the land - The second invasion of Shalmaneser (723 B.C., his fifth year), is here contrasted with the first, as extending to the whole country, whereas the first had afflicted only a part.Three years - From the fourth to the sixth of Hezekiah, and from the seventh to the ninth of Heshea; two years, therefore, according to our reckoning, but three, according to that of the Hebrews. This was a long time for so small a place to resist the Assyrians but Samaria was favorably situated on a steep... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 17:1-6
We have here the reign and ruin of Hoshea, the last of the kings of Israel, concerning whom observe, I. That, though he forced his way to the crown by treason and murder (as we read 2 Kgs. 15:30), yet he gained not the possession of it till seven or eight years after; for it was in the fourth year of Ahaz that he slew Pekah, but did not himself begin to reign till the twelfth year of Ahaz, 2 Kgs. 17:1. Whether by the king of Assyria, or by the king of Judah, or by some of his own people, does... read more