Hoshea

Hoshea was the last king of Israel, reigning from around 732 to 722 BC, until the Assyrian conquest of Samaria.

Hoshea was the nineteenth and last king of the northern kingdom of Israel. He came to power after conspiring against and killing his predecessor, King Pekah, in the twentieth year of Jotham, king of Judah (2Ki 15:30).

Hoshea reigned over Israel for nine years, from around 732 to 722 BC (2Ki 17:1). During his reign, the Assyrian king Shalmaneser attacked Israel, and Hoshea became his vassal, paying him tribute (2Ki 17:3).

However, Hoshea later rebelled against Assyria by sending messengers to So, the king of Egypt, seeking help and refusing to pay tribute to Shalmaneser (2Ki 17:4). In response, the Assyrian king imprisoned Hoshea and besieged Samaria for three years (2Ki 17:4-5).

In the ninth year of Hoshea's reign, the Assyrians captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria (2Ki 17:6). This event marked the end of the northern kingdom of Israel and the beginning of the Assyrian exile.

The fall of Samaria and the exile of the Israelites occurred during the reign of Hezekiah, king of Judah (2Ki.18.1, 9-10). The biblical narrative attributes the downfall of Israel to their persistent sin and disobedience to God, despite the warnings of the prophets (2Ki 17:7-23).

Hoshea's reign and the fall of Samaria are significant events in the history of Israel, demonstrating the consequences of turning away from God and the fulfillment of prophetic warnings about judgment and exile.

The last king of Israel. He conspired against and slew his predecessor, Pekah (Isa. 7:16), but did not ascend the throne till after an interregnum of warfare of eight years (2 Kings 17:1, 2). Soon after this he submitted to Shalmaneser, the Assyrian king, who a second time invaded the land to punish Hoshea, because of his withholding tribute which he had promised to pay. A second revolt brought back the Assyrian king Sargon, who besieged Samaria, and carried the ten tribes away beyond the Euphrates, B.C. 720 (2 Kings 17:5, 6; 18:9-12). No more is heard of Hoshea. He disappeared like “foam upon the water” (Hos. 10:7; 13:11).