The Siege of Samaria refers to several significant events in the biblical narrative where the city of Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, was besieged by enemy forces. These sieges are pivotal in understanding the spiritual and political decline of Israel, as well as God's judgment and mercy.

1. Siege by Ben-Hadad of Aram (Syria):

One of the most notable sieges occurred during the reign of King Ahab, when Ben-Hadad, the king of Aram, laid siege to Samaria. This event is recorded in 1 Kings 20. Ben-Hadad, along with thirty-two allied kings, besieged the city and demanded its surrender. Ahab, initially willing to comply with Ben-Hadad's demands, was emboldened by a prophetic word from God promising victory. The Israelites, though vastly outnumbered, achieved a miraculous victory over the Arameans, demonstrating God's power and faithfulness to His people despite their unfaithfulness.

2. Siege during the Reign of Jehoram:

Another significant siege occurred during the reign of King Jehoram, Ahab's son, as recorded in 2 Kings 6-7. Ben-Hadad of Aram once again besieged Samaria, leading to a severe famine within the city. The situation became so dire that cannibalism was reported among the inhabitants (2 Kings 6:28-29: "Then the king asked her, 'What is the matter?' And she answered, 'This woman said to me, "Give up your son, and we will eat him today, and tomorrow we will eat my son." So we boiled my son and ate him, and the next day I said to her, "Give up your son, and we will eat him," but she had hidden her son.'"). In response to the king's despair, the prophet Elisha prophesied that the siege would end and food would become plentiful. The prophecy was fulfilled when the Arameans fled in panic, leaving behind provisions that ended the famine (2 Kings 7:6-7: "For the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots, horses, and a great army, so that they said to one another, 'Look, the king of Israel must have hired the kings of the Hittites and Egyptians to attack us.' So they got up and fled at dusk, abandoning their tents, horses, and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives.").

3. Final Siege by Assyria:

The most devastating siege of Samaria occurred in 722 B.C. when the Assyrian Empire, under King Shalmaneser V and later Sargon II, besieged and captured the city. This event marked the end of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The biblical account in 2 Kings 17 attributes the fall of Samaria to the Israelites' persistent idolatry and disobedience to God's commandments. The Assyrians deported many Israelites, leading to the dispersion of the ten tribes and the introduction of foreign peoples into the land, which resulted in the mixed population known as the Samaritans (2 Kings 17:6: "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.").

The sieges of Samaria serve as a testament to the consequences of turning away from God, yet they also highlight moments of divine intervention and mercy. These events are crucial for understanding the historical and theological context of the prophetic messages and the eventual restoration promised to Israel.