Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 17
Shalmaneser was the king of Assyria who defeated northern and central Israel (17:3). However, Ezra 4:2 says that Esarhaddon – a later king of Assyria – brought the foreigners into the country. So, probably a long time had passed since the defeat of northern and central Israel. During this time, forests would start to regrow on the agricultural land, and the number of wild animals would increase.
It is also clear that a few of Israel’s people were still living in their own country long after its defeat (2 Chronicles 34:6-9). Perhaps it took many years for Assyria’s army to move all of Israel’s people to their new homes abroad.
However, Assyria’s king wanted to end any hope that Israel’s people had of a return to their country. That was why he ordered foreigners to live in Israel’s towns. He took them from many different countries that he controlled. Some even came 1000 miles (1600 kilometres) from the parts of Babylonia that Assyria ruled at that time.
These foreigners took possession of the towns that belonged to Israel’s people. They even lived in the same houses that Israel’s people built. They acted as if Israel belonged to them and their false gods.
However, Israel is God’s special nation and its land belongs to God (Leviticus 25:23). These foreigners were proudly behaving as if the true God had no power, like the false gods of their nations. This proud attitude brought God’s judgment against them. The lions that lived in the forests came into the towns to attack the people. Several of them died; and a report of this matter even reached the king of Assyria.
Next part: A priest teaches the foreigners about religion (2 Kings 17:26-28)
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