Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 17
Hoshea believed that he could free his country from the power of the king of Assyria.
Pekah, the previous king, had also tried to do that. Pekah gained the support of Aram (also called Syria), which also wanted to be free from Assyria’s power. However, Assyria then attacked both Aram (16:9) and Israel (15:29). Pekah suffered a terrible defeat.
After that, Hoshea murdered Pekah. Hoshea became the new king of what remained of northern and central Israel (15:30). Then Hoshea declared himself to be loyal to Assyria. Each year, Hoshea paid taxes from Israel to Assyria. However, Hoshea was making arrangements to oppose Assyria (17:3-4).
In Hoshea’s opinion, Pekah’s error was to get support from Aram. Aram was a country near to Assyria; so, it was too easy for Assyria simply to attack Aram. Instead, Hoshea decided to put his trust in the king of Egypt. Egypt had a great and strong army, and it was a long way from Assyria. It seems likely that Hoshea had to pay the king of Egypt for his support. Then, Hoshea refused to pay the taxes that Assyria’s king demanded.
So Assyria attacked Israel again. Probably, no support from Egypt ever came to help Israel. Later, Assyria’s king would describe the king of Egypt as a broken stick – such a stick would only hurt the person who depended on it (18:21). He meant that it was foolish to depend on support from Egypt.
When the king of Assyria caught Hoshea, he punished him. He put Hoshea in prison, like a servant who had not been loyal to his master.
However, our attention must now turn from Hoshea himself. Instead, we shall read about the end of the nation that we have called northern and central Israel.
Next part: Assyria's army surrounds Samaria (2 Kings 17:5)
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