Topical Encyclopedia Hoshea, son of Elah, was the last king of the northern kingdom of Israel. His reign marked the final chapter in the history of the ten tribes before their conquest and exile by the Assyrian Empire. Hoshea's rule is chronicled in the biblical narrative, primarily in 2 Kings 17, where his political maneuvers and the spiritual state of Israel during his reign are detailed.Reign and Political Context Hoshea ascended to the throne of Israel after conspiring against and assassinating King Pekah, as recorded in 2 Kings 15:30: "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." His reign began around 732 BC and lasted approximately nine years. During this period, the geopolitical landscape was dominated by the Assyrian Empire, which exerted significant pressure on the smaller kingdoms of the region. Initially, Hoshea became a vassal to Shalmaneser V, king of Assyria, paying tribute to maintain a semblance of autonomy. However, in a bid to assert independence, Hoshea sought an alliance with Egypt, ceasing to pay tribute to Assyria. This act of rebellion is noted in 2 Kings 17:4: "But the king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea had conspired, for he had sent envoys 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." Fall of Samaria and the End of the Northern Kingdom Hoshea's rebellion against Assyria led to a decisive response from Shalmaneser V, who besieged Samaria, the capital of Israel, for three years. The city eventually fell in 722 BC, during the reign of Sargon II, Shalmaneser's successor. The fall of Samaria is a pivotal event, marking the end of the northern kingdom. 2 Kings 17:6 records this event: "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 cities of the Medes." Religious and Moral Decline The biblical account attributes the fall of Israel not merely to political missteps but to a profound spiritual and moral decline. The Israelites had persistently engaged in idolatry and disobedience to God's commandments, despite repeated warnings from the prophets. 2 Kings 17:7-8 states: "All this happened 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." The narrative emphasizes that Hoshea's reign was the culmination of a long history of apostasy and rebellion against God, leading to divine judgment and the eventual exile of the people. The Assyrian captivity effectively dispersed the ten tribes, often referred to as the "Lost Tribes of Israel." Legacy Hoshea's legacy is one of a failed attempt to restore Israel's independence and a tragic end to the northern kingdom. His reign serves as a somber reminder of the consequences of turning away from God and the importance of faithfulness to His covenant. The account of Hoshea and the fall of Israel is a critical component of biblical history, illustrating the themes of judgment, exile, and the enduring hope for redemption and restoration. Nave's Topical Index 2 Kings 17:6In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. Nave's Topical Index 2 Kings 18:9-12 Hosea 10:3,7 Library The Woman of Samaria The Prophet Hosea. The Assyrian Captivity The Divided Kingdom. The Twelve Minor Prophets. Nineveh. The Old Testament and Archeology The Antiquities of the Jews First and Second Kings. A Kingdom's Epitaph Resources Who was King Uzziah in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgIs Yeshua Hamashiach the proper Hebrew name/title for Jesus Christ? | GotQuestions.org Questions about People in the Bible (All) | GotQuestions.org Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Subtopics Hoshea: Also Called Oshea: The Original Name of Joshua Hoshea: King of Israel: Assassinates Pekah and Usurps the Throne Hoshea: King of Israel: Becomes Subject to Assyria Hoshea: King of Israel: Conspires Against Assyria and is Imprisoned Hoshea: King of Israel: Last King of Israel Hoshea: King of Israel: The Evil Reign of Related Terms |
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