2 Kings 17:3 kjv
Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents.
2 Kings 17:3 nkjv
Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against him; and Hoshea became his vassal, and paid him tribute money.
2 Kings 17:3 niv
Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up to attack Hoshea, who had been Shalmaneser's vassal and had paid him tribute.
2 Kings 17:3 esv
Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria. And Hoshea became his vassal and paid him tribute.
2 Kings 17:3 nlt
King Shalmaneser of Assyria attacked King Hoshea, so Hoshea was forced to pay heavy tribute to Assyria.
2 Kings 17 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Ki 17:1 | In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea ... began to reign in Samaria ... | Introduction to Hoshea's reign and context of the narrative. |
| 2 Ki 17:4 | But the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea... | Follow-up verse, showing Hoshea's failed rebellion and deceit. |
| 2 Ki 17:6 | In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away to Assyria... | Ultimate outcome of the Assyrian campaigns and Israel's exile. |
| Hos 7:11 | Ephraim is like a dove, easily deceived, without sense—calling to Egypt, going to Assyria. | Israel's folly in seeking foreign alliances rather than God, directly relating to Hoshea's actions. |
| Hos 8:9 | For they have gone up to Assyria, a wild donkey alone by himself; Ephraim has hired lovers. | Criticism of Israel's seeking help from Assyria (and other nations) for protection. |
| Isa 30:1-3 | "Woe to the rebellious children," declares the LORD, "who carry out a plan, but not mine...and take refuge in the shadow of Egypt!" | Prophetic warning against trusting in foreign powers instead of Yahweh's protection. |
| Deut 28:47-48 | "Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy...therefore you shall serve your enemies...in hunger and thirst, in nakedness..." | Covenant curses outlining the consequence of disobedience: servitude to oppressors, a direct parallel to paying tribute. |
| Lev 26:14-17 | "But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments...I will set my face against you, and you shall be struck down before your enemies." | Covenant curses from the Law; Israel's defeat and submission are consequences of their failure to obey God's commands. |
| Jer 25:8-11 | "...because you have not listened to my words, behold, I will send for all the tribes of the north...and for Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant..." | God using foreign empires (Babylon, Assyria) as instruments of His judgment against disobedient nations. |
| Ezra 4:2 | "Your house...but ours will do sacrifice to the LORD, for we have sought him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here." | Reference to a later Assyrian king confirming their practice of deporting and resettling populations, which began with Shalmaneser and Sargon. |
| Prov 11:28 | Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf. | Applicable to nations trusting in their material strength or foreign tributes rather than God. |
| Isa 7:20 | In that day the Lord will shave with a razor that is hired beyond the River—with the king of Assyria—the head and the hair of the feet... | Assyria depicted as an instrument in God's hand for judging His people. |
| 1 Ki 12:28-30 | So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold...and this thing became a sin. | Root cause of Northern Kingdom's downfall - Jeroboam's initial apostasy, leading to eventual judgment seen in 2 Kings 17. |
| Jer 3:6-7 | Have you seen what faithless Israel did? How she went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and there played the prostitute. | Underlying spiritual condition that led to God allowing Israel's subjugation. |
| Psa 76:12 | He cuts off the spirit of princes; he is to be feared by the kings of the earth. | God's ultimate sovereignty over kings and nations, highlighting His power behind Assyria's rise. |
| Dan 4:17 | "...the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to whomever he wishes..." | Confirms divine sovereignty in the rise and fall of earthly empires and their kings. |
| Rom 13:1 | Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God... | Though not a direct prophecy, it highlights God's role in establishing and allowing governing powers, even oppressive ones, reflecting the subjugation described. |
| Matt 22:17-21 | "Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" ... "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's..." | New Testament concept of tribute/taxes paid to ruling authorities, echoing the historical reality of tribute payments. |
| Psa 105:25 | He turned their hearts to hate his people, to deal craftily with his servants. | God's ultimate control over even the hearts of nations and kings to achieve His purposes, including judgment. |
| Amo 5:27 | Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Damascus, says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts. | Prophecy of Israel's exile as a consequence of their persistent idolatry, finding its fulfillment here. |
| Mic 1:6 | "Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of rubble in the open country, a place for planting vineyards." | Prophecy specifically foretelling the destruction of Samaria, reinforcing the gravity of Assyria's actions. |
| Nah 3:1 | Woe to the bloody city, all full of lies and plunder, whose prey never departs! | Prophecy against Nineveh (Assyria's capital), showing God's judgment against the oppressor, emphasizing God's overall justice. |
2 Kings 17 verses
2 Kings 17 3 Meaning
This verse concisely states the immediate consequence of the Assyrian King Shalmaneser's campaign against King Hoshea of Israel. Hoshea, faced with the powerful Assyrian army, was forced to submit to their dominion. This submission manifested in two ways: Hoshea became a servant (a vassal or tributary king) to Shalmaneser, acknowledging Assyrian suzerainty, and he had to regularly pay tribute, which was a mandatory financial or material offering from a weaker ruler to a stronger one, signifying dependence and allegiance. This event marked a crucial step towards the ultimate downfall and exile of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
2 Kings 17 3 Context
2 Kings chapter 17 marks a pivotal and tragic turning point in the history of ancient Israel: the demise of the Northern Kingdom. King Hoshea, the subject of this verse, was the nineteenth and last king to rule over Israel (the ten northern tribes) after the kingdom had split from Judah following the reign of Solomon. His reign, lasting nine years, was characterized by Israel's deepening religious apostasy and escalating geopolitical vulnerability. For generations, the Northern Kingdom had practiced idolatry, setting up golden calves in Bethel and Dan, worshipping Baal, and engaging in other abominable practices, repeatedly spurning prophetic warnings.
The broader historical context is the ascendance of the Neo-Assyrian Empire, a formidable and ruthless superpower that systematically conquered and subjugated neighboring territories. By Hoshea's time, Assyria had already weakened Israel through earlier campaigns. This verse details the initial phase of their final offensive against the Northern Kingdom, directly resulting from Hoshea's internal weakness and geopolitical maneuvering. His desperate attempt to throw off Assyrian dominance by forming alliances with other regional powers, rather than trusting in Yahweh, directly led to this subjugation and subsequent complete conquest.
2 Kings 17 3 Word analysis
- Against him: `Alav` (עליו). This Hebrew preposition implies a hostile advance or military opposition, setting the stage for conflict rather than a peaceful encounter.
- came up: `‘Alah` (עלה). This verb is frequently used in the Bible to describe the movement of an army going forth to battle, to attack, or to invade a territory, often geographically "up" from one location to another. It signals a determined, aggressive approach by the Assyrian forces.
- Shalmaneser king of Assyria: `Shalmaneser Melekh Ashur` (שׁלמנאשׁר מלך אשור). Shalmaneser V (727-722 BCE) was a powerful Assyrian monarch. His name is significant as it anchors the biblical narrative firmly in external historical records of the ancient Near East, corroborating the rise of this formidable empire and its impact on smaller states like Israel. Assyria (Ashur) was notorious for its military might, imperial expansion, and brutal policy of mass deportation to quell rebellion.
- and Hoshea became his servant: `Vayhi Hoshea lo` `‘eved` (ויהי הושע לו עבד).
- `Hoshea`: Last king of the Northern Kingdom, representing the culmination of Israel's unfaithfulness.
- `‘eved` (עבד): This Hebrew word literally means "slave" or "bondservant." In geopolitical context, it refers to a "vassal," a dependent ruler who owed allegiance and obedience to a more powerful sovereign (the suzerain). This transformation from independent king to vassal symbolized Israel's significant loss of sovereignty and submission to foreign domination.
- and paid him tribute: `Vayashav lo Minchah` (וישׁב לו מנחה).
- `Minchah` (מנחה): This term, while sometimes referring to a grain offering to God (Gen 4:4), in a political context like this, it refers specifically to tribute. It signifies a compulsory payment of goods, money, or services rendered by a conquered or subservient nation to a dominant power. It was a tangible mark of subjugation and the burden of dependency imposed by the Assyrians. The tribute often consisted of massive amounts of silver, gold, textiles, or agricultural produce, effectively draining the vassal state's economy and maintaining its subservience.
- Words-Group analysis:
- "Shalmaneser king of Assyria...Hoshea became his servant and paid him tribute": This phrase powerfully illustrates the power dynamic. Assyria is presented as the dominant aggressor and enforcer, while Israel, through Hoshea, is depicted as the defeated and subjected party. This serves as a testament to God's judgment, as His people, due to their rebellion, are handed over to their enemies, fulfilling covenant curses.
2 Kings 17 3 Bonus section
This verse, while seemingly a straightforward historical report, carries profound theological weight. It foreshadows the systematic deconstruction of the Northern Kingdom that unfolds over the subsequent verses of 2 Kings 17. The payment of tribute here is just a precursor to total conquest and mass deportation, a stark reminder of the gravity of covenant unfaithfulness. The historical record shows that the Assyrian method of control involved initial subjugation and tribute, followed by brutal reprisal if a vassal king rebelled. This is exactly what transpires with Hoshea, who eventually tries to align with Egypt (2 Ki 17:4), leading to Shalmaneser's return and the final siege. The exact historical figure of Shalmaneser V initiating the siege and deportation, although the actual final capture of Samaria might have been completed by his successor Sargon II, confirms the biblical account of the escalating Assyrian threat that sealed Israel's fate.
2 Kings 17 3 Commentary
2 Kings 17:3 presents the initial stage of Israel's final judgment, illustrating the immediate consequences of its kings' and people's persistent apostasy. Hoshea's becoming Shalmaneser's "servant" and paying "tribute" was not merely a political maneuver but a fulfillment of God's covenant warnings laid out in the Torah. His submission reflected Israel's failure to trust Yahweh and their consistent pursuit of idolatry and foreign alliances, directly leading to external oppression. This state of vassalage was an economic burden and a stark symbol of lost independence, setting the stage for Hoshea's futile rebellion (2 Ki 17:4) and the subsequent full-scale Assyrian invasion, siege of Samaria, and ultimate deportation of the Northern Kingdom (2 Ki 17:6). The verse subtly highlights God's sovereignty over nations, using the mighty Assyrian empire as an instrument of His disciplinary judgment against His unfaithful people, though Assyria itself acted out of its own imperial ambitions. This was a critical point demonstrating that trusting in worldly powers brings bondage, while trusting in God leads to deliverance and true freedom.