Hoshea, King of Israel: 2 Kings 17:1-6
2 Kings 17:1‑6 • 6 min. read • grade level: 11
We now come to the last events of the history of Ephraim, otherwise called the ten tribes. Hoshea, the murderer of Pekah, reigned nine years in Samaria while doing that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. His conduct in relation to Him was less profane than that of his predecessors, only, he did not take into account the judgments of God by which the subjection of Israel to Assyria had been foretold through all the prophets. From year to year king Hoshea had been sending presents to the king of Assyria (2 Kings 17:33Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents. (2 Kings 17:3)), following the example of one of his predecessors, Menahem, who by means of presents had declared himself a vassal of Pul’s in order that this latter might establish the kingdom in his hands (2 Kings 15:19-2019And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand. 20And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty men of wealth, of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not there in the land. (2 Kings 15:19‑20)). Later Tiglath-pileser had come up against Pekah and, as we have seen, had transported the tribes beyond the Jordan to Assyria. Pekah evidently had not followed, as had Menahem, this rule of submission to Assyria, which would explain the political motives for the carrying away of these tribes. These political motives are not given us in the Word, but the divine motive is indicated to us by a word in Chronicles: “And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser... and he carried them away” (1 Chron. 5:2626And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day. (1 Chronicles 5:26)). Here in 2 Kings, the usual ways the kings of Assyria act toward Israel are brought to light. “Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria, and Hoshea became his servant, and tendered him presents” (2 Kings 17:33Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents. (2 Kings 17:3)). The threat of an invasion by an enemy stronger than he obliges Hoshea to submit himself, howbeit unwillingly no doubt, to his vassalage. But these presents hardly help him. “For they are gone up to Assyria,” says Hosea the prophet, “as a wild ass alone by himself; Ephraim hath hired lovers. Although they hire among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall begin to be straitened under the burden of the king of princes” (Hos. 8:9-109For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers. 10Yea, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes. (Hosea 8:9‑10)).
“But the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea; for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and sent up no present to the king of Assyria as he had done from year to year” (2 Kings 17:44And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison. (2 Kings 17:4)). Actually, this two-faced, suspicious conduct of the king is mentioned by the prophet: “Ephraim feedeth on wind, and pursueth after the east wind: all day long he multiplieth lies and desolation; and they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt” (Hos. 12:11Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt. (Hosea 12:1)), and again “Ephraim is become like a silly dove without understanding: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria” (Hos. 7:1111Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria. (Hosea 7:11)). So, discovering Hoshea’s conspiracy, Shalmaneser “shut him up and bound him in prison” (2 Kings 17:44And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison. (2 Kings 17:4)). “As for Samaria her king is cut off:” according to the prophecy of Hosea (Hos. 10:77As for Samaria, her king is cut off as the foam upon the water. (Hosea 10:7)), without the circumstances of his death being reported to us. The king of Israel having been made a prisoner, “the king of Assyria overran the whole land, and went up against Samaria, and besieged it three years” (2 Kings 17:55Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years. (2 Kings 17:5); cf. 2 Kings 18:99And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it. (2 Kings 18:9)); but it was not Shalmaneser in person who took the city, for it is told us, “And at the end of three years they took it” (2 Kings 18:1010And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken. (2 Kings 18:10)). Actually, during this interval Sargon (Isa. 20:11In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, (when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him,) and fought against Ashdod, and took it; (Isaiah 20:1)) had succeeded Shalmaneser, or at least was at the head of the army during a short interregnum. The fate of this rebellious city was terrible, according to the word of Micah who prophesied “ concerning Samaria and Jerusalem”: “Therefore will I make Samaria as a heap of the field, as plantings of a vineyard; and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will lay bare the foundations thereof. And all her graven images shall be beaten to pieces, and all her harlot-gifts shall be burned with fire, and all her idols will I make a desolation; for of the hire of a harlot hath she gathered them, and to a harlot’s hire they shall return” (Mic. 1:6-76Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof. 7And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot. (Micah 1:6‑7)). Hosea also describes this event: “Samaria shall bear her guilt; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword; their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up” (Hos. 13:1616Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up. (Hosea 13:16)).
“The king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and by the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes” (2 Kings 17:66In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. (2 Kings 17:6)). It has been supposed that part of the ten tribes fled to Egypt at that time. We do not think that the expression in Hosea 8:1313They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the Lord accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt. (Hosea 8:13): “They shall return to Egypt,” is to be interpreted in this manner. This same prophet had said: “They call to Egypt, they go to Assyria”; then, “Ephraim hath hired lovers” (Hos. 8:19); then again: “Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and in Assyria shall they eat that which is unclean” (Hos. 9:33They shall not dwell in the Lord's land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria. (Hosea 9:3)). All this fully harmonizes with Hoshea’s conspiracy, as also this other word: “He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king” (Hos. 11:55He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return. (Hosea 11:5)). “Return into the land of Egypt” does not necessarily mean to flee there, but to seek assistance there, as it is said in Isaiah 31:11Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord! (Isaiah 31:1): “Woe to them to go down to Egypt for help:”
As to the passage in Hosea 8:1313They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the Lord accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt. (Hosea 8:13), it must be observed that the prophet continually associates Judah’s iniquity with that of Ephraim. “The peoples shall be assembled against them, when they are bound for their two iniquities. And Ephraim is a trained heifer, that loveth to tread out the corn; I have passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to draw; Judah shall plow, Jacob shall break his clods “(Hos. 10:10-1110It is in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows. 11And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods. (Hosea 10:10‑11)). So he also reunites them together in the same future blessing once they will have reached the complete measure of their servitude (Hos. 10:1212Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you. (Hosea 10:12)). This observation helps us to understand that “They shall return to Egypt” in Hosea 8:1313They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the Lord accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt. (Hosea 8:13) applies to Judah, morally associated with Israel. What proves this is the following verse: “Israel... buildeth temples, and Judah has multiplied fenced cities,” but even more so “For behold, they are gone away because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Moph (or Noph = Memphis) shall bury them” (Hos. 9:66For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles. (Hosea 9:6)). Now we know from the account of Jeremiah 43-44:1 That the fugitives of Judah fled before the king of Babylon and found refuge in Egypt, and at Noph, among other places. They forced the prophet to accompany them there, and we know that there he prophesied against them when they thought they were safe from their oppressor (cf. 2 Kings 25:2626And all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the armies, arose, and came to Egypt: for they were afraid of the Chaldees. (2 Kings 25:26)).