2 Kings 17:5 - Exposition

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 reckoning, parts of years are counted as years; and thus the siege need not have lasted much over a year, though it may have been extended to nearly three years. In either case, there was ample time for Shabak to have brought up his forces, had he been so minded; and his failure to do so, or in any way to succor his ally, showed how little reliance was to be placed on Egyptian promises.