Hoshea (730-721): 19th last King of Israel, the lone king in the 9th dynasty. (2 Kings 17:1- 4)
– Ruled for 9 years,
– Hoshea reestablished his vassal (gave loyalty to a feudal lord by paying tribute) with Shalmaneser V (727-722), the successor Tiglath-Pileser. Later he defaulted his vassal and tried to align with Egypt by courting Egypt which brought the wrath of Assyrian king upon him.
THE FALL OF ISRAEL (2 Kings 17): The Northern Kingdom has a brief history of little over 200 years. The authors now describe the uprooting and scattering of Israel, long foretold (1 Kings 14:15) but delayed because of God’s promises and God’s character.
2 Kings 17:5&6: The siege of Samaria and captivity of Israel.
Israel’s capital city of Samaria was sieged by Shalmaneser initiated the fall of Isarel by besieging the capital city of Samaria for 3 years (v.5). Later, the Israelites were imprisoned and taken into Assyria and were settled in different cities.
The reason for the fall and captivity of Israel. 2 Kings 17:7-23: The reason for the punishment on Israel is stated in verses 7 through 23.
Though the destruction of the kingdom of the ten tribes was but briefly related, it is in these verses largely commented upon, and the reasons of it given. It was destruction from the Almighty: the Assyrian was but the rod of his anger, ( Isaiah 10:5 ) . Those that bring sin into a country or family, bring a plague into it, and will have to answer for all the mischief that follows…Without turning from every evil way, and keeping God’s statutes, there can be no true godliness; … Matthew Henry Concise Commentary.
Vs. 7&8…sinned against the LORD… Sin of Israelites is disobedience against the love and faithfulness of God. He delivered them from Egypt and drove away the people in the promise land. Yet, Israelites choose to follow, fear, and worship the false gods.
V. 9…built…high places in all their towns, from watchtower to fortified city… 1 Kings 3:2,3.
V. 13…Yet the Lord warned… The Lord warned through prophets several time.
DAWN OF A NEW PEOPLE GROUP AND A NEW RELIGION. Assyria resettles Samaria. 2 Kings 17:24-41:
To prevent resistance, the Assyrians deported the tribes of Israel and mixed them with other minority groups. The intermarriage of Israel with these foreigners resulted in the people know as the Samaritans (v. 29). The Samaritans were hated by the people of Judah from the time of Ezra, as also by the Jews during the time of Jesus. See Luke 10:30 John 4:5. The Assyrians allowed Israelite priests to teach the worship of Yahweh. But instead of converting others and securing the Israelites, the attempts of the priests only resulted in syncretism (the merging of different beliefs and practices). Although there were some representatives of Israel who returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel, there was never any systematic return of these 10 Tribes. – New Spirit Filled life Bible.