2 Kings 17:3

Translations

Modern

Shalmaneser king of Assyria attacked him, and Hoshea became his vassal and paid him tribute.

Traditional

Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents.

Literal

Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against him; and Hoshea became to him a vassal and returned to him tribute.

Latin

Contra hunc ascendit Salmanasar rex Assyriorum, et factus est ei Osee servus, reddebatque illi tributa.

Original

Hebrew

English

Shalmaneser king of Assyria attacked him, and Hoshea became his vassal and paid him tribute.

Notes

2 Kings 17:3–4

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.

2 Kings 17:1–23

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).

Theme notes and profiles

Assyria The Land The Sovereignty of God

Events

Reign of Hosheac. 730 BC

Related verses

Hosea 10:14
…the roar of battle will rise against your people, so that all your fortresses will be demolished as Shalman devastated Beth-arbel in the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to pieces along with their children.
Isaiah 10:5–6
Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger; the staff in their hands is My wrath.
2 Samuel 8:6
Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to David and brought him tribute. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.
2 Kings 16:7–8
So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your son. Come up and save me from the hands of the kings of Aram and Israel, who are rising up against me.”
2 Samuel 8:2
David also defeated the Moabites, made them lie down on the ground, and measured them off with a cord. He measured off with two lengths those to be put to death, and with one length those to be spared. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.
2 Kings 19:36–37
So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.
Isaiah 7:7–8
But this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘It will not arise; it will not happen.
2 Kings 18:9–16
In the fourth year of Hezekiah’s reign, which was the seventh year of the reign of Hoshea son of Elah over Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria marched against Samaria and besieged it.
2 Kings 15:29
In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, including all the land of Naphtali, and he took the people as captives to Assyria.
Isaiah 10:11–12
…and as I have done to Samaria and its idols, will I not also do to Jerusalem and her idols?”
2 Kings 15:19
Then Pul king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver in order to gain his support and strengthen his own grip on the kingdom.
2 Kings 18:31
Do not listen to Hezekiah, for this is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then every one of you will eat from his own vine and his own fig tree and drink water from his own cistern,

People

Hoshea: The last king of Israel (northern kingdom) Shalmaneser: Assyrian king who conquered Samaria and exiled Israelites

Places

Assyria: A powerful ancient empire, often in conflict with Israel

Glossary

Assyria, Assyrians Babylon, Babylonia Book of Micah Chronology of the Bible (Old Testament) Hosea, Book of Hoshea Kings, Books of First and Second Samaritans Shalmaneser So Tribe of Dan Tributary, Tribute

Topics

Assyria: Israelites Carried Captive Into Assyria: Shalmaneser Assyria: Shalmaneser King of Reduced Israel to Tribute Hoshea: King of Israel: Becomes Subject to Assyria Kings: Who Reigned Over Israel: Hoshea Shalmaneser: Overthrows the Kingdom of Israel

2 Kings 17:3

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