Shalmaneser is a name associated with several kings of Assyria, but in the context of the Bible, it most notably refers to Shalmaneser V, who reigned from 727 to 722 BC. He is a significant figure in the history of Israel, particularly in relation to the fall of the Northern Kingdom.

Historical Context

Shalmaneser V was the son of Tiglath-Pileser III, one of Assyria's most powerful and expansionist kings. Upon his father's death, Shalmaneser V ascended to the throne and continued the aggressive policies of his predecessor. His reign is marked by military campaigns aimed at consolidating Assyrian control over the Levant, including the territories of Israel and Judah.

Biblical References

Shalmaneser V is mentioned in the Bible in the context of the conquest of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. In 2 Kings 17:3-6 , it is recorded: "Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up to attack Hoshea, who had been Shalmaneser’s vassal and had paid him tribute. But the king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea had conspired by sending envoys to So king of Egypt, and that he 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. Then the king of Assyria invaded the entire land, marched up to Samaria, and besieged it for three years. In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria."

This passage highlights Shalmaneser's role in the final downfall of the Northern Kingdom. Hoshea, the last king of Israel, had become a vassal to Assyria but rebelled by seeking an alliance with Egypt. Shalmaneser's response was swift and decisive, leading to the siege and eventual capture of Samaria, the capital of Israel, in 722 BC. This event marked the end of the Northern Kingdom and the beginning of the Assyrian exile, where many Israelites were deported to various regions within the Assyrian Empire.

Theological Significance

The fall of Samaria and the subsequent exile of the Israelites are seen as a fulfillment of prophetic warnings given by the prophets of Israel. The biblical narrative attributes the downfall to the persistent idolatry and disobedience of the Israelites. In 2 Kings 17:7-18 , the text elaborates on the reasons for God's judgment, emphasizing the Israelites' abandonment of the covenant and their worship of foreign gods.

Shalmaneser's actions, therefore, are viewed within the biblical framework as instruments of divine judgment. The Assyrian conquest serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of turning away from the covenantal relationship with God.

Archaeological and Historical Corroboration

Outside of the biblical text, Shalmaneser V is known from Assyrian records, although these are less extensive than those of other Assyrian kings. His reign is documented in the Assyrian Eponym Canon and other inscriptions, which confirm his military campaigns in the Levant. However, much of the detailed historical record of his reign was overshadowed by his successor, Sargon II, who completed the conquest of Samaria and further solidified Assyrian control over the region.

Legacy

Shalmaneser's legacy is primarily tied to the significant geopolitical and religious shifts that occurred due to the Assyrian conquest of Israel. The deportation policy implemented by the Assyrians led to the dispersion of the ten tribes of Israel, often referred to as the "Lost Tribes." This event had lasting implications for the identity and history of the Israelite people and is a pivotal moment in the biblical narrative of the Old Testament.2 Kings 17:3-6,24-27
Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents.
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2 Kings 18:9-12
And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.
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Jeremiah 50:17
Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria has devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon has broken his bones.
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History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7
... The growth of Urartu: the conquests of Menuas and Argistis I., their victories
over Assyria -- Shalmaneser IV. (783-772 BC) -- Assurdan III. ...
/.../history of egypt chaldaea syria babylonia and assyria v 7/title page.htm

How Shalmaneser Took Samaria by Force and How He Transplanted the ...
... 1. When Shalmaneser, the king of Assyria, had it told him, that [Hoshea] the king
of Israel had sent privately to So, the king of Egypt, desiring his ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 14 how shalmaneser took.htm

How Pekah Died by the Treachery of Hoshea who was a Little after ...
... Hoshea, who retained the kingdom nine years' time, but was a wicked man, and a despiser
of the Divine worship; and Shalmaneser, the king of Assyria, made an ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 13 how pekah died.htm

Babylonia and Assyria
... Rimmon-nirari I., the father of Shalmaneser I.((BC1330-1300) had already extended
the frontiers of Assyria to the Khabur in the west and the Kurdish mountains ...
/.../early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter vi babylonia and assyria.htm

Sargon of Assyria (722-705 BC )
... three hundred princes who had preceded him in the government of Assyria, and three ...
seems to prove that he was not a direct descendant of Shalmaneser V., nor of ...
/.../chapter iiisargon of assyria 722-705.htm

The Woman of Samaria
... came to pass in the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of
Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, came up ...
/.../kingsley/town and country sermons/sermon xxvi the woman of.htm

The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
... the towns of Kharrania and Anisuskia; will they ravage the borders of Assyria and
steal ... met with in the account of the thirty-first campaign of Shalmaneser III ...
/.../chapter iithe power of assyria 2.htm

The Assyrian Captivity
... About two years later, Samaria was invested by the hosts of Assyria under Shalmaneser;
and in the siege that followed, multitudes perished miserably of hunger ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 23 the assyrian captivity.htm

The Twelve Minor Prophets.
... See the history in 2 Kings 15:8-31, and 17:1-6. In the last of these Hosea, king
of Israel, became tributary to Shalmaneser, king of Assyria; but he proved ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxiii the twelve minor.htm

Appendices
... Yukin-zera or Khinziros, 3 years 730 Pulu (Pul or Poros), called Tiglath-pileser
III. in Assyria, 2 years 727 Ulula, called Shalmaneser IV. in Assyria 725. ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/appendices.htm

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