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2 Kings 17:4

in 2 Kings 17

But the king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea had conspired to send envoys to King So of Egypt, and that he had not paid tribute to the king of Assyria as in previous years. Therefore the king of Assyria arrested Hoshea and put him in prison.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea; for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison.

KJV

And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison.

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This verse in 2 Kings 17

Commentary

7 notes on this verse

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Shalmaneser, incensed at this rebellion, proclaimed war against Israel. This was in the sixth year of Hoshea's reign. he had sent messengers to So, king of Egypt--the Sabaco of the classic historians, a famous Ethiopian who, for fifty years, occupied the Egyptian throne, and through whose aid Hoshea hoped to resist the threatened attack of the Assyrian conqueror.

This site's exposition

Shalmaneser king of Assyria

on 2 Kings 17:3-4

Shalmaneser receives tribute from Hoshea as a subject king, then finds him treating with So king of Egypt behind his back and withholding the yearly present. So is not identified further in the text, and readers name him variously as Osorkon of Egypt's Twenty-second Dynasty or the Egyptian city of Sais read as though it were a king's name; the identification stays open. The broken tribute is what turns a vassal into a prisoner, shut up and bound before Assyria ever reaches Samaria's gate.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily 31 on John · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

And it may be worth while to relate from what sources the Samaritans were made up; since all this country is called Samaria. Whence then did they receive their name? The mountain was called "Somor" from its owner, as also Esaias saith, "and the head of Ephraim is Somoron;" but the inhabitants were termed not "Samaritans" but "Israelites." But as time went on, they offended God, and in the reign of Pekah, Tiglath-Pileser came up, and took many cities, and set upon Elah, and having slain him, gave the kingdom to Hoshea. Against him Shalmaneser came and took other cities, and made them subject and tributary. At first he yielded, but afterwards he revolted from the Assyrian rule, and betook himself to the alliance of the Ethiopians. The Assyrian learnt this, and having made war upon them and destroyed their cities, he no longer allowed the nation to remain there, because he had such suspicions that they would revolt.

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

Men get nothing by struggling with the net, but entangle themselves the more. That it was an utter destruction that came upon them. The king of Israel was made a prisoner; he was shut up and bound, being, it is probable, taken by surprise, before Samaria was besieged.
And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea,.... That he was forming a scheme to rebel against him, and cast off his yoke; of this he had intelligence by spies he sent, and placed to observe him very probably: for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt; to treat with him, and enter into alliance with him, to help him against, and free him from, the king of Assyria.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

Found conspiracy to Hoshea - He had endeavored to shake off the Assyrian yoke, by entering into a treaty with So, King of Egypt; and having done so, he ceased to send the annual tribute to Assyria.
So, king of Egypt, is generally identified with Shebek (730 B.C.), the Sabaco of Herodotus. Hoshea’s application to him was a return to a policy which had been successful in the reign of Jeroboam I (1Ki 12:20 note), but had not been resorted to by any other Israelite monarch. Egypt had for many years been weak, but Sabaco was a conqueror, who at the head of the swarthy hordes of Ethiopia had invaded Egypt and made himself master of the country. In the inscriptions of Shebek he boasts to have received tribute from “the king of Shara” (Syria), which is probably his mode of noticing Hoshea’s application. References to the Egyptian proclivities of Hoshea are frequent in the prophet Hosea Hos 7:11; Hos 11:1, Hos 11:5; Hos 12:4. King Hoshea, simultaneously with his reception as a vassal by Sabaco, ceased to pay tribute to Shalmaneser, thus openly rebelling, and provoking the chastisement which followed.

The words behind it

25 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וַיִּמְצָא֩and he found

    vaiyimtza'H4672 →455 times

  • מֶֽלֶךְ־[the] king of

    melekh-H4428 →2525 times

  • אַשּׁ֨וּרAssyria

    ʾashurH804 →151 times

  • בְּהוֹשֵׁ֜עַin Hoshea

    behoshea'H1954 →16 times

  • קֶ֗שֶׁרtreason

    kesherH7195 →16 times

  • אֲשֶׁ֨רthat

    ʾasherH834 →5497 times

  • שָׁלַ֤חhe had sent

    shalachH7971 →845 times

  • מַלְאָכִים֙messengers

    malakhimH4397 →213 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • ס֣וֹאSo

    so'H5471 →

  • מֶֽלֶךְ־[the] king of

    melekh-H4428 →2525 times

  • מִצְרַ֔יִםEgypt

    mitzrayimH4714 →641 times

  • וְלֹא־and not

    velo'-H3808 →5168 times

  • הֶעֱלָ֥הhe had brought up

    heelahH5927 →890 times

  • מִנְחָ֛הtribute

    minchahH4503 →211 times

  • לְמֶ֥לֶךְto [the] king of

    lemelekhH4428 →2525 times

  • אַשּׁ֖וּרAssyria

    ʾashurH804 →151 times

  • כְּשָׁנָ֣הas a year

    keshanahH8141 →877 times

  • בְשָׁנָ֑הin a year

    veshanahH8141 →877 times

  • וַֽיַּעַצְרֵ֙הוּ֙and he arrested him

    vaiyaatzrehuH6113 →47 times

  • מֶ֣לֶךְ[the] king of

    melekhH4428 →2525 times

  • אַשּׁ֔וּרAssyria

    ʾashurH804 →151 times

  • וַיַּאַסְרֵ֖הוּand he confined him

    vaiyaasrehuH631 →72 times

  • בֵּ֥ית[the] house of

    beitH1004 →2046 times

  • כֶּֽלֶא׃imprisonment

    kele'H3608 →10 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Isaiah 36:6Look now, you are trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff that will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.4 worksHosea 13:10Where is your king now to save you in all your cities, and the rulers to whom you said, “Give me a king and princes”?3 works2 Kings 24:20For because of the anger of the LORD, all this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, until He finally banished them from His presence. And Zedekiah also rebelled against the king of Babylon.2 worksPsalms 149:7–8to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples,2 worksIsaiah 31:1–3Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in their abundance of chariots and in their multitude of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel; they do not seek the LORD.2 works2 Chronicles 32:11Is not Hezekiah misleading you to give you over to death by famine and thirst when he says, ‘The LORD our God will deliver us from the hand of the king of Assyria?’2 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
2 Kings 18:14–15So Hezekiah king of Judah sent word to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, “I have done wrong; withdraw from me, and I will pay whatever you demand from me.” And the king of Assyria exacted from Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.2 works2 Kings 18:21Look now, you are trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff that will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.2 works2 Kings 25:7And they slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon.2 worksEzekiel 17:13–19He took a member of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. Then he carried away the leading men of the land,2 works2 Kings 24:1During Jehoiakim’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded. So Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years, until he turned and rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar.2 worksHosea 10:7Samaria will be carried off with her king like a twig on the surface of the water.2 worksIsaiah 30:2They set out to go down to Egypt without asking My advice, to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protection and take refuge in Egypt’s shade.2 worksIsaiah 30:4For though their princes are at Zoan and their envoys have arrived in Hanes,2 works1 Kings 10:25Year after year, each visitor would bring his tribute: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.2 works2 Chronicles 36:13He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. But Zedekiah stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel.2 worksIsaiah 30:1–4“Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the LORD, “to those who carry out a plan that is not Mine, who form an alliance, but against My will, heaping up sin upon sin.1 worksJoshua 6:1Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.-1 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    2 Kings 24:20

    For because of the anger of the LORD, all this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, until He finally banished them from His presence. And Zedekiah also rebelled against the king of Babylon.

    it leads to

    • 2 Chronicles 36:13

      He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. But Zedekiah stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel.

    • 2 Thessalonians 2:9–11

      The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder,

    • Deuteronomy 2:30

      But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through, for the LORD your God had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand, as…

  • Through

    2 Chronicles 32:11

    Is not Hezekiah misleading you to give you over to death by famine and thirst when he says, ‘The LORD our God will deliver us from the hand of the king of Assyria?’

    it leads to

    • 2 Kings 18:30

      Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the LORD when he says, ‘The LORD will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’

    • 2 Chronicles 32:15

      So now, do not let Hezekiah deceive you, and do not let him mislead you like this. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver…

    • Psalms 42:10

      Like the crushing of my bones, my enemies taunt me, while they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”

    • Psalms 22:8

      “He trusts in the LORD, let the LORD deliver him; let the LORD rescue him, since He delights in him.”

    • Psalms 3:2

      Many say of me, “God will not deliver him.” Selah

Where this verse is studied

What the record shows

1 entry
  • So (Osorkon IV) — attested in contemporary inscriptionundisputed

    Assyrian inscriptions

    Biblical figure (Pharaoh, 730-715 BC) identified in extra-biblical epigraphy.

    Counterpoint: Which Egyptian ruler "So" was is genuinely open. Kenneth Kitchen (The Third Intermediate Period in Egypt, 1973) reads it as a short form of (O)so(rkon) IV, but other scholars take "So" as a garbled form of the city Sais, which would point to King Tefnakht instead.

About 2 Kings

Foreign Nations Are Slain by Lions in Samaria — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
Foreign Nations Are Slain by Lions in Samaria — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
2 Kings: the study guide →Read 2 Kings 17 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily 31 on John; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in 2 Kings 17 →