Hoshea, son of Elah, was the last king of the northern kingdom of Israel, reigning from approximately 732 to 722 BC. His reign is documented in the biblical narrative found in 2 Kings 17. Hoshea ascended to the throne after assassinating his predecessor, Pekah, during a time of political instability and external threats from the Assyrian Empire.

Ascension to the Throne

Hoshea's rise to power was marked by intrigue and violence, as he conspired against Pekah and took the throne. The biblical account in 2 Kings 15:30 states, "Then Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah son of Remaliah, attacked and killed him, and reigned in his place in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah." His ascension was likely supported by Assyria, as Tiglath-Pileser III, the Assyrian king, had already weakened Israel by capturing significant territories and deporting many Israelites.

Political Maneuvering and Vassalage

Hoshea initially submitted to Assyrian dominance, becoming a vassal to Shalmaneser V, Tiglath-Pileser's successor. 2 Kings 17:3 records, "Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up to attack him, and Hoshea became his vassal and paid him tribute." This arrangement, however, was fraught with tension, as Hoshea sought to assert his independence and resist Assyrian control.

Rebellion and Downfall

In a bid to free Israel from Assyrian oppression, Hoshea entered into an alliance with Egypt, seeking support from King So. This act of rebellion is noted in 2 Kings 17:4: "But the king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea was a traitor, for he had sent envoys to So king of Egypt and had not paid tribute to the king of Assyria as in previous years. Therefore, the king of Assyria arrested him and put him in prison." Hoshea's rebellion proved disastrous, as it prompted Shalmaneser to besiege Samaria, the capital of Israel.

The Fall of Samaria and Israel's Exile

The siege of Samaria lasted three years, culminating in the city's capture and the end of Hoshea's reign. 2 Kings 17:6 recounts, "In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River, and in the towns of the Medes." This event marked the fall of the northern kingdom and the beginning of the Assyrian exile, a pivotal moment in Israel's history.

Religious Apostasy and Sin

The biblical narrative attributes the downfall of Israel to the nation's persistent sin and idolatry. 2 Kings 17:7-8 explains, "All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt and from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They had worshiped other gods and walked in the customs of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites, as well as in the practices introduced by the kings of Israel." Hoshea's reign, therefore, is seen as the culmination of a long history of apostasy, where the people of Israel turned away from the covenant with Yahweh and embraced the idolatrous practices of surrounding nations.

Legacy

Hoshea's reign is remembered as a period of political folly and spiritual decline. His failure to maintain independence from Assyria and his inability to lead Israel back to covenant faithfulness resulted in the kingdom's destruction. The biblical account serves as a somber reminder of the consequences of disobedience to God and the importance of faithfulness to His commandments.