Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 17
Assyria was one of the greatest countries in the world, and it had a powerful army. Its capital city, Nineveh, was so large that it took Jonah three days to go through it (Jonah 3:3). More than 120,000 people lived in that city (Jonah 4:11); and Assyria controlled many other towns, cities and even whole nations.
Northern and central Israel was a small nation, about 100 miles (160 kilometres) from north to south. The army of Assyria already controlled most of the north and east of the country: the regions called Galilee and Gilead (15:29). So, even before this last war began, Israel was in an extremely weak situation.
The army of Israel was completely unable to defend the country against such a strong enemy. In the end, only the capital city, Samaria, remained under the control of Israel’s army.
So, Assyria’s army surrounded it. They could not enter the city because its defences were extremely strong. They would not allow anyone to enter or to leave the city. When the inhabitants of Samaria ran out of food, Assyria’s army would be able at last to enter the city.
It took three years for Assyria’s army to overcome the city’s defences. During that time, the city’s inhabitants could only hope that another army would attack their enemies. Hoshea had tried to arrange that Egypt’s army would help them (17:4). However, that help never came. After three years, Assyria’s army entered Samaria and destroyed it.
That was the end of the nation that we have called northern and central Israel.
Next part: The final defeat of northern and central Israel (2 Kings 17:6)
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