Topical Encyclopedia
Hoshea, son of Elah, was the last king to reign over the northern kingdom of Israel. His reign is chronicled in the biblical narrative, primarily in
2 Kings 17. Hoshea ascended to the throne during a tumultuous period marked by political instability and spiritual decline. His reign lasted approximately nine years, from around 732 to 723 BC.
Accession to the ThroneHoshea came to power through a conspiracy against his predecessor, King Pekah. The biblical account in
2 Kings 15:30 states, "Then Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah son of Remaliah. He attacked and killed him, and reigned in his place in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah." This act of regicide was not uncommon in the history of the northern kingdom, where political intrigue and violence often accompanied transitions of power.
Political Context and Foreign RelationsDuring Hoshea's reign, the geopolitical landscape was dominated by the Assyrian Empire, which exerted significant influence over the region. Initially, Hoshea became a vassal to Shalmaneser V, the king of Assyria, and paid tribute to maintain his rule. However, Hoshea's allegiance to Assyria was not steadfast. In
2 Kings 17:4, it is recorded, "But the king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea had conspired, for he had sent messengers 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 attempt to ally with Egypt and withhold tribute from Assyria was a strategic miscalculation. This rebellion against Assyrian dominance led to severe consequences for both Hoshea and the kingdom of Israel.
The Fall of SamariaThe rebellion prompted a decisive response from Assyria. Shalmaneser V, and later Sargon II, besieged Samaria, the capital of Israel. The siege lasted for three years, culminating in the fall of the city in 723 BC.
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."
The fall of Samaria marked the end of the northern kingdom of Israel. The Assyrian conquest resulted in the deportation of many Israelites, effectively scattering the ten tribes and leading to what is often referred to as the "Lost Tribes of Israel."
Religious and Moral DeclineThe biblical narrative attributes the downfall of Israel to its persistent idolatry and disobedience to God's commandments.
2 Kings 17:7-8 states, "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 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, like those of his predecessors, was characterized by a failure to lead the nation back to the worship of Yahweh. The spiritual apostasy of Israel, combined with political missteps, sealed the fate of the northern kingdom.
LegacyHoshea's legacy is largely defined by the catastrophic end of the northern kingdom. His reign serves as a somber reminder of the consequences of turning away from divine guidance and relying on political alliances rather than faithfulness to God. The fall of Israel under Hoshea's rule is a pivotal moment in biblical history, illustrating the fulfillment of prophetic warnings and the sovereignty of God over the nations.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
2 Kings 17:1-6In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Library
The Divided Kingdom.
... Reigned IS years and died ... During this time the kings of Judah cherished the hope
that they would regain ... (1) Jehovah rules not only in Israel but over all peoples ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter xiii the divided kingdom.htm
The Antiquities of the Jews
... Wife Became More Wicked Than All The Kings That Had ... How Jotham, The Son Of Uzziah
Reigned Over The Tribe Of ... How Upon The Death Of Jotham, Ahaz Reigned In His ...
//christianbookshelf.org/josephus/the antiquities of the jews/
The Prophet Hosea.
... of Jotham, the sixteen years during which Ahaz reigned, and at ... They who disconnect
this passage from 2 Kings 17.do ... of Egypt, in order to win him over to himself ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet hosea.htm
Nineveh.
... triumphs, and all the scenes in the kings' histories, nay ... best King of Samaria that
had yet reigned, for he ... battle, the blast of death passed over the Assyrians ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson ix nineveh.htm
The Old Testament and Archeology
... king of Assyria, claims a great victory over the Western ... according to the Old Testament,
Menahem reigned ten years ... In 2 Kings 156} 18.10 the statement is found ...
/.../the christian view of the old testament/chapter iv the old testament.htm
The Assyrian Captivity
... "In the days of Pekah," who reigned twenty years ... land of Naphtali" (1 Chronicles
5:26; 2 Kings 15:29 ... only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, over which Hezekiah ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 23 the assyrian captivity.htm
The Earlier Hebrew Histories.
... the "Song of Hannah," David's exquisite lament over Saul and ... began to reign in Israel
(2 Kings 15:30 ... reached a twentieth year, but only reigned sixteen years (xv ...
/.../gladden/who wrote the bible/chapter iv the earlier hebrew.htm
Appendices
... the last king but one of the Kassite dynasty, and not rather one of the unknown
kings of the ... 2. My father reigned over Moab thirty years, and I reigned. ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/appendices.htm
The Assumption of Moses
... be said truly of Archelaus alone, for Antipas reigned 43 years ... refers to the reign
of the twenty kings of Judah ... the walls, and nine will I watch over, and they ...
//christianbookshelf.org/deane/pseudepigrapha/the assumption of moses.htm
Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... the labours of the attacking force were not yet over. ... The petty kings who shared
with Assyria the possession ... Barzur, son of Panammu I., had reigned there since ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm
Resources
What does it mean that Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords? | GotQuestions.orgWho were the kings of Israel and Judah? | GotQuestions.orgWho was King Joash in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
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