2 Kings 17:5 kjv
Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.
2 Kings 17:5 nkjv
Now the king of Assyria went throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria and besieged it for three years.
2 Kings 17:5 niv
The king of Assyria invaded the entire land, marched against Samaria and laid siege to it for three years.
2 Kings 17:5 esv
Then the king of Assyria invaded all the land and came to Samaria, and for three years he besieged it.
2 Kings 17:5 nlt
Then the king of Assyria invaded the entire land, and for three years he besieged the city of Samaria.
2 Kings 17 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 26:33 | "And I will scatter you among the nations..." | Prophecy of scattering and exile for disobedience |
| Deut 4:27 | "The Lord will scatter you among the peoples..." | Warning of dispersion among the nations |
| Deut 28:49-52 | "The Lord will bring a nation from far away... that will besiege you..." | Foretelling siege and foreign invasion |
| Deut 28:57 | "...in the siege and in the distress with which your enemy shall distress you..." | Describes suffering during siege |
| 1 Ki 14:15 | "The Lord will strike Israel as a reed is shaken in the water, and he will uproot Israel from this good land..." | Prophecy of Israel's removal from their land |
| Isa 7:17 | "The Lord will bring upon you and your people... the king of Assyria." | Assyria used as an instrument of divine judgment |
| Isa 10:5-6 | "Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger; the club in their hand is my fury! Against a godless nation I send him..." | God sovereignly uses Assyria to punish Israel |
| Hos 9:3 | "They shall not remain in the Lord's land, but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean food in Assyria." | Prophecy of exile to Assyria and Egypt |
| Amos 5:27 | "Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Damascus, says the Lord..." | Prediction of exile from Israel's land |
| Amos 6:14 | "For behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel... that shall oppress you..." | Warning of oppression by a foreign nation |
| Mic 1:6 | "Therefore I will make Samaria a heap in the open country..." | Prophecy of Samaria's destruction |
| 2 Ki 17:4 | "...he had found treachery in Hoshea, for he had sent envoys to So, king of Egypt..." | Immediate cause of Assyrian invasion |
| 2 Ki 17:6 | "In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and carried Israel away into Assyria..." | Fulfillment of the siege in the following verse |
| 2 Ki 17:7-18 | (Describes Israel's sins) | Explains God's rationale for Israel's exile |
| 2 Ki 25:1-3 | "In the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign... Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came... and laid siege to it [Jerusalem]... The siege continued until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah." | Parallel siege of Jerusalem by Babylon (Judah) |
| Psa 33:10 | "The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the designs of the peoples." | God's sovereignty over nations' plans |
| Pro 21:1 | "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will." | God's control over human rulers |
| Jer 16:13 | "Therefore I will hurl you out of this land into a land that neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you will serve other gods day and night..." | Judgment of exile to a foreign land |
| Jer 52:4-5 | "And in the ninth year of his reign... Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came... against Jerusalem and encamped against it. So the city was besieged..." | Description of Jerusalem's siege |
| Eze 22:15 | "I will scatter you among the nations and disperse you through the countries..." | Reiteration of divine dispersion |
| Gal 6:7 | "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap." | Principle of sowing and reaping applies to nations |
| Rev 6:10 | "How long, O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" | Echo of God's patient yet eventual judgment |
2 Kings 17 verses
2 Kings 17 5 Meaning
Second Kings 17:5 describes the direct military action of the king of Assyria, Shalmaneser V, initiating the final campaign against the Northern Kingdom of Israel. It details the systematic invasion of all Israelite territory and the commencement of a three-year siege against Samaria, Israel's capital city. This marked the penultimate stage of God's severe judgment upon Israel for their sustained rebellion and idolatry, ultimately leading to their exile.
2 Kings 17 5 Context
Chapter 17 of 2 Kings documents the final downfall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. King Hoshea, Israel's last king, had become a vassal of Assyria but later rebelled by refusing tribute and seeking an alliance with Egypt. This act of disloyalty provoked the Assyrian king, Shalmaneser V. Verse 5 begins the decisive military campaign that had been long foretold by prophets like Hosea, Amos, and Isaiah. The broader context of 2 Kings 17 highlights that this historical event was not merely a political or military consequence but God's righteous judgment on Israel's persistent idolatry, abandonment of the Mosaic Covenant, and their adoption of pagan practices (2 Ki 17:7-18). The "three years" of siege indicate a determined and comprehensive assault, bringing immense suffering to Samaria.
2 Kings 17 5 Word analysis
- Then: This temporal marker signifies a direct progression from the preceding verse (2 Ki 17:4), where Hoshea's treachery against the Assyrian king is discovered, leading immediately to Assyria's decisive action.
- the king of Assyria: Refers to Shalmaneser V, a powerful ancient Near Eastern ruler. God, in His sovereignty, used this formidable empire as His instrument of judgment against Israel (Isa 10:5-6). Assyria was known for its military might and policy of deportation to suppress rebellion.
- invaded: The Hebrew verb is
alah(עָלָה), meaning "went up" or "ascended," often used to describe a military campaign, suggesting a purposeful and upward march into the land. It implies the movement of a large, organized force taking aggressive action. - all the land: Hebrew
kol-hā'āreṣ(כָּל־הָאָרֶץ), meaning "the whole land" or "all the earth." In this context, it refers specifically to the territory of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. This signifies a comprehensive conquest, indicating that the Assyrian invasion was not limited to Samaria alone but involved systematic control over the entire region, leaving no refuge. - and came to Samaria: The Hebrew
vayyāʻal Shomrōn(וַיַּעַל שֹׁמְרוֹן) emphasizes the ultimate target. Samaria was not just a city but the heavily fortified capital of the Northern Kingdom, a symbol of its resistance and last stand. The 'coming up' here reinforces the military advance to besiege a elevated, fortified city. - and besieged it: The Hebrew
vayyāṣūr(וַיָּצוּר) means "to lay siege," indicating a military encirclement to cut off supplies, starve the inhabitants, and force surrender. It speaks to the deliberate, grinding warfare characteristic of the Assyrian army. This act was designed to systematically break the city's defenses and morale. - for three years: Hebrew
shālōsh shānim(שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים). This prolonged duration signifies a relentless, persistent, and determined siege. It highlights both Samaria's desperate resistance and the immense suffering, famine, and despair experienced within the city, leading to its eventual capitulation. Biblically, the number three often signifies completeness or divine determination.
2 Kings 17 5 Bonus section
- Identity of "the king of Assyria": While 2 Kings 17:5-6 attributes the capture of Samaria to "the king of Assyria" generally, historical records from Assyria (Sargon II's annals) claim he was the one who conquered Samaria and deported its people in his accession year. This suggests Shalmaneser V (whose specific activities are not well-documented outside the Bible) initiated the siege and may have died during it, with his successor Sargon II completing the conquest and taking the credit. This doesn't contradict the biblical narrative, as it simply says "the king of Assyria," which could encompass both his rule and the continuity of the empire's actions.
- Biblical Significance of "Three Years": The three-year duration of the siege is noteworthy. In biblical narratives, "three" often carries symbolic weight, sometimes indicating a complete or significant period, or divine action/purpose. Here, it underscores the completeness and certainty of the judgment. It wasn't a quick victory but a determined, God-ordained process of judgment that played out over an extended time of intense suffering.
2 Kings 17 5 Commentary
2 Kings 17:5 succinctly describes the military reality that brought God's long-prophesied judgment to fruition against the Northern Kingdom. The "king of Assyria," acting under divine permissive will, systematically subjugated Israel's territory before initiating the final, agonizing three-year siege of Samaria. This period of intense hardship underscores the severity of the consequences for Israel's pervasive idolatry and covenant breaking. The protracted nature of the siege demonstrates Assyrian resolve but also the profound spiritual sickness of a people who, despite numerous prophetic warnings, remained impenitent. This verse serves as a historical and theological marker, leading to the devastating fulfillment in the next verse: the complete capture of Samaria and the exile of its people, fulfilling the pattern of divine justice on rebellious nations.