2 Kings 17:4 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.
2 Kings 17:4 nkjv
And the king of Assyria uncovered a conspiracy by Hoshea; for he had sent messengers to So, king of Egypt, and brought 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.
2 Kings 17:4 niv
But the king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea was a traitor, for he had sent envoys to So king of Egypt, and he no longer paid tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. Therefore Shalmaneser seized him and put him in prison.
2 Kings 17:4 esv
But the king of Assyria found treachery 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.
2 Kings 17:4 nlt
But Hoshea stopped paying the annual tribute and conspired against the king of Assyria by asking King So of Egypt to help him shake free of Assyria's power. When the king of Assyria discovered this treachery, he seized Hoshea and put him in prison.
2 Kings 17 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Kgs 17:2 | And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD... | Hoshea's reign was displeasing to God. |
| 2 Kgs 17:5 | Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land... besieged Samaria. | Immediate follow-up: Assyrian siege. |
| 2 Kgs 17:6 | The king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away... | Fulfillment of judgment and exile. |
| 2 Kgs 17:7-8 | For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD... | Spiritual reason for their downfall. |
| Isa 30:1-3 | Woe to the rebellious children... that walk to go down into Egypt... | Prophetic warning against Egyptian alliance. |
| Isa 31:1 | Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help... | Denunciation of reliance on Egyptian chariots. |
| Hos 7:11 | Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt... | Israel's folly in seeking Egyptian aid. |
| Hos 12:1 | Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind... make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt. | Israel's foolish alliances and betrayals. |
| Jer 2:36-37 | Why gaddest thou about to change thy way?... thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt. | Shame for trusting Egypt and Assyria. |
| Deut 28:25 | The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies... | Consequences for national disobedience. |
| Lev 26:33 | I will scatter you among the heathen... your land shall be desolate. | Warning of dispersion for covenant breaking. |
| 2 Kgs 15:19-20 | Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents... that his hand might be with him... | Precedent: Israel as Assyrian tributary. |
| 2 Sam 8:2 | And he smote Moab... and so the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought gifts. | Tribute as a sign of submission. |
| 1 Kgs 5:1 | And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon... | Examples of rulers sending "presents" (tribute). |
| 2 Kgs 12:20 | And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy... | Reference to "conspiracy" (קֶשֶׁר) within Israel. |
| 2 Kgs 15:30 | And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah... and slew him. | Hoshea himself rose by conspiracy. |
| Prov 16:7 | When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. | Contrast: divine favor brings peace, not treachery. |
| Rom 13:1-2 | Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers... Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God... | Treason against governing authorities, implicitly God-ordained. |
| Dan 2:21 | He changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings... | God's sovereignty over earthly rulers. |
| Gen 39:20 | And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison... | Example of unjust imprisonment. |
| Judg 16:21 | But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza; and bound him with fetters in the prison house... | Example of a person bound in prison. |
| Jer 11:9 | And the LORD said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah... | Another instance of a conspiracy. |
| Amos 7:11 | For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land. | Prophecy of exile for Northern Kingdom. |
| Hos 5:13 | When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb... | Previous attempts by Israel to seek foreign help. |
2 Kings 17 verses
2 Kings 17 4 Meaning
Hoshea, the final king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, covertly engaged in a treacherous alliance with Pharaoh So of Egypt, while simultaneously ceasing the annual tribute payments owed to his Assyrian overlord. This deliberate act of rebellion led the king of Assyria to discover Hoshea's conspiracy, resulting in his capture and imprisonment, thereby directly setting the stage for the destruction of Samaria and the subsequent exile of Israel.
2 Kings 17 4 Context
2 Kings chapter 17 marks a significant turning point in the biblical narrative, detailing the final collapse of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Hoshea's reign, though described as "evil in the sight of the LORD" (2 Kgs 17:2), was less idolatrous than that of some predecessors. Historically, this period was dominated by the rising Assyrian Empire, which had already asserted its authority over Israel, reducing it to a vassal state and exacting tribute. The verse itself follows a period of political instability in Israel, including assassinations and shifting alliances. Hoshea came to power through a conspiracy against King Pekah (2 Kgs 15:30) and ruled during a time when Assyria, under Shalmaneser V, was particularly aggressive. Hoshea's attempt to break free from Assyrian vassalage by allying with Egypt was a common but ultimately futile strategy for smaller states caught between major powers. This verse describes the direct geopolitical catalyst for Assyria's decisive intervention, which would lead to the destruction of Samaria and the exile of its people, fulfilling generations of prophetic warnings against Israel's spiritual rebellion and idolatry, as elaborated in the subsequent verses (2 Kgs 17:7-18).
2 Kings 17 4 Word analysis
- king of Assyria (מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר, melekh Ashshur): This refers to Shalmaneser V, the formidable ruler of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. Assyria was God's chosen instrument of judgment against Israel's idolatry and disobedience, representing a powerful, expanding empire.
- found (מָצָא, matsa): To discover, ascertain. It implies that Hoshea's rebellious actions were clandestine but uncovered, indicating Assyria's intelligence or an outright admission under duress.
- conspiracy (קֶשֶׁר, qesher): A plot, rebellion, treason. This Hebrew term implies a secretive, subversive act against an established authority. It underscores Hoshea's disloyalty as a vassal ruler to his overlord, an offense punishable by extreme measures. Hoshea himself came to power by qesher (2 Kgs 15:30), creating a cyclical pattern of betrayal.
- Hoshea (הוֹשֵׁעַ, Hoshea): The final king of Israel (the Northern Kingdom). His actions here directly sealed the fate of his kingdom, bringing to an end a dynasty that was persistently marked by unfaithfulness to God.
- sent messengers (מַלְאָכִים שָׁלַח, malakhim shalach): This indicates deliberate diplomatic overtures. "Messengers" (malakhim) are often used for significant envoys. Hoshea initiated formal contact, demonstrating a strategic and conscious decision to defy Assyria.
- So king of Egypt (סוֹא מֶלֶךְ מִצְרָיִם, So melekh Mitzraim): "So" is often identified with Osorkon IV or possibly a local ruler/general named Sibe. Egypt represented a historically unreliable ally for Israel. Prophets consistently warned against alliances with Egypt, which proved to be a "broken reed" (Isa 36:6), signifying a reliance on human power over divine protection.
- brought no present (מִנְחָה לֹא הֶעֱלָה, minkhah lo he'elah): "Present" (minkhah) in this context signifies tribute payment. Ceasing these payments was an explicit and unambiguous declaration of rebellion against the vassal treaty and the suzerain power. This was an overt act of defiance, not just a covert conspiracy.
- year by year (שָׁנָה בְשָׁנָה, shanah be'shanah): This emphasizes that the tribute was a regular, established obligation. The cessation was not an oversight but a conscious and deliberate breaking of the longstanding agreement.
- therefore (עַל־כֵּן, al-ken): Establishes a direct cause-and-effect relationship, highlighting that Hoshea's actions immediately triggered the Assyrian response.
- shut him up (אֲסָרָהוּ, asara'hu) and bound him in prison (וַיַּאַסְרֵהוּ בֵּית כֶּלֶא, vaya'asrehu beit kele): These phrases emphasize the immediate, severe, and complete capture and incarceration of Hoshea. "Shut him up" conveys initial detention, and "bound him in prison" refers to a formal, secure confinement, indicating the total loss of his freedom and royal authority. The repetition highlights the finality of his capture.
- king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: This phrase points to the formal breach of the vassal covenant. For Assyria, this was not just a political maneuver but a deeply dishonorable act from a subject king, warranting swift and brutal reprisal. Spiritually, it mirrors Israel's "conspiracy" (rebellion) against YHWH through idolatry and disobedience.
- sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of Assyria: This identifies the two critical components of Hoshea's treason. The secret alliance with a rival power and the overt refusal to pay tribute constituted a twofold act of rebellion, signifying a complete break with his suzerain and seeking an alternative protector, though a deceptive one.
2 Kings 17 4 Bonus section
- Hoshea's very ascension to the throne, through a conspiracy (2 Kgs 15:30), ironically foreshadowed his own downfall via his conspiracy against Assyria, highlighting a pervasive cycle of internal strife and external rebellion that plagued the Northern Kingdom.
- The cessation of tribute payments was not just a financial matter but a symbolic act in the ancient Near East, akin to a declaration of war. It stripped the overlord of honor and signified open defiance of a divinely witnessed treaty.
- This verse stands as a testament to the unchanging truth that relying on human strength or flawed alliances, especially those that compromise faith, ultimately leads to failure and divine judgment, whereas obedience and trust in God secure lasting protection and peace (Prov 16:7).
2 Kings 17 4 Commentary
2 Kings 17:4 serves as the pivotal point that directly precipitates the final demise of the Northern Kingdom. Hoshea's actions, seeking an alliance with Egypt and withholding tribute from Assyria, represent a deliberate and desperate betrayal of his vassal oath. This political treachery, however, also carries profound spiritual implications within the broader biblical narrative. Israel had consistently been warned by prophets against relying on human alliances, especially with Egypt, instead of trusting the Lord (Isa 30:1-7; Hos 7:11). Hoshea's scheme was not merely poor geopolitical strategy but a rejection of divine wisdom and an act of faithlessness. God, in His sovereignty, permitted Assyria, a tool of His judgment, to uncover this plot. The immediate and severe consequence of Hoshea's capture and imprisonment underscores the inevitable outcome of rejecting divine guidance and succumbing to worldly temptations for security, sealing the fate of a nation that had strayed from its covenant with God.