2 Kings 17:1-6 - Exposition

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 ); and that after three years, or in the third year of the siege, he was taken, and with his people carried off into captivity ( 2 Kings 17:6 ).