How does 2 Kings 17:4 connect to God's warnings in Deuteronomy 28? Setting the Scene “But the king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea was plotting a conspiracy. For Hoshea had sent envoys to So king of Egypt and had not paid tribute to the king of Assyria as he had done each year. Therefore the king of Assyria arrested him and put him in prison.” Deuteronomy 28: God’s Covenant Warnings in View • v.25 — “You will be defeated before your enemies.” • v.36 — “The LORD will bring you and the king you set over you to a nation unknown to you or your fathers.” • v.49 — “The LORD will bring a nation against you from far away… a nation whose language you will not understand.” • v.52 — “They will besiege all the cities throughout your land.” • v.64 — “The LORD will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other.” Point-by-Point Connections • Conspiracy with Egypt – Hoshea sought security in Egypt (2 Kings 17:4). – Deuteronomy 28 warns that turning to foreign powers instead of the LORD brings defeat (vv.25, 49). • Withdrawal of Tribute – Hoshea stopped paying the Assyrian tax that earlier kings agreed to (2 Kings 17:3–4). – Deuteronomy 28:52 foretells tightened sieges and loss of economic control when Israel rebels. • Arrest of the King – “The king of Assyria arrested him and put him in prison” (2 Kings 17:4). – Deuteronomy 28:36 predicts the king will be taken captive to a foreign land. • Imminent Exile – 2 Kings 17 continues: Assyria invades and deports Israel (vv.5–6). – Deuteronomy 28:64 speaks of scattering “from one end of the earth to the other.” Patterns of Trust and Betrayal • Israel broke covenant loyalty to the LORD by relying on Egypt (cf. Isaiah 30:1–3). • Political maneuvering could not nullify divine warnings laid out centuries earlier. • The curses in Deuteronomy 28 fall with chilling exactness on Hoshea’s reign, underscoring that God’s Word stands literal and binding. Living Lessons • Covenant obedience is not optional; God always fulfills His promises—both blessings and curses. • Human alliances cannot provide the protection that only covenant faithfulness secures (Jeremiah 17:5). • History validates God’s warnings, strengthening confidence in every other biblical promise. Supporting Scriptures • Hosea 7:11 — “Ephraim is like a dove, easily deceived and lacking sense—calling to Egypt, turning to Assyria.” • Psalm 20:7 — “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” • 2 Kings 17:7–18 — the inspired commentary that Israel fell “because they sinned against the LORD their God.” |
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