2 Kings 18 10

2 Kings 18:10 kjv

And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is in the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken.

2 Kings 18:10 nkjv

And at the end of three years they took it. In the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is, the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken.

2 Kings 18:10 niv

At the end of three years the Assyrians took it. So Samaria was captured in Hezekiah's sixth year, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel.

2 Kings 18:10 esv

and at the end of three years he took it. In the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken.

2 Kings 18:10 nlt

Three years later, during the sixth year of King Hezekiah's reign and the ninth year of King Hoshea's reign in Israel, Samaria fell.

2 Kings 18 verses

2 Kings 18 10 Meaning

2 Kings 18:10 records the precise culmination of the Assyrian siege against Samaria, the capital city of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. After three years of relentless assault, the city finally fell. This event is synchronized by two separate chronological markers: it occurred in the sixth year of Judah's King Hezekiah and the ninth year of Israel's last king, Hoshea. The verse explicitly states that Samaria "was taken," signifying the complete overthrow and end of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, a direct consequence of their covenant disobedience.

2 Kings 18 10 Context

2 Kings 18 opens with the righteous reign of Hezekiah, a king who initiated widespread religious reforms in Judah, destroying idols and trusting in the Lord (vv. 1-8). This positive start for Judah provides a stark literary contrast to the ongoing demise of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Verses 9-12 of 2 Kings 18 act as a parenthetical historical note within the narrative of Hezekiah's reign. These verses recount the final destruction of Israel by Assyria, which occurred concurrently with the early years of Hezekiah's rule.

Specifically, verse 10 pinpoints the exact conclusion of the three-year siege of Samaria by the Assyrians. The fall of Samaria in the "ninth year of Hoshea" marked the end of an era – the independent Northern Kingdom of Israel, which had existed for over two centuries since the kingdom's division (1 Kings 12). This catastrophic event was a direct consequence of Israel's chronic idolatry, syncretism, and disobedience to the Mosaic covenant, as explicitly stated in 2 Kings 17:7-18. The fall of Samaria served as a potent object lesson for Judah, a demonstration of divine judgment against a covenant-breaking nation, thereby reinforcing the imperative for Hezekiah's reforms and fidelity to YHWH. Historically, while Shalmaneser V began the siege, it was his successor, Sargon II, who claimed to have captured Samaria in 722 BCE, though the biblical text attributes it to "they took it," emphasizing the collective Assyrian effort.

2 Kings 18 10 Word analysis

• And at the end of three years (מִקְצֵה שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים, miqqeṣēh shālos h shānîm):

  • "At the end of": (miqqeṣēh) Signifies the culmination or conclusion of a period, suggesting that the siege was arduous and prolonged, not a swift victory.
  • "three years": This exact duration underscores the determined resistance of Samaria and the unwavering commitment of the Assyrians. It also implies a sustained period of hardship for the besieged.

• they took it (לְקָחֻהָ, ləqāḥuhā):

  • "they": This plural pronoun refers generically to the Assyrian forces. While Shalmaneser V initiated the siege (v. 9), his successor Sargon II eventually conquered the city. The text uses a general "they" to focus on the action and result rather than specific individual leaders.
  • "took it": (ləqāḥuhā) This verb in its Piel stem (implying intensive action or result) emphasizes the definitive capture and conquest, not just a temporary occupation. It's a statement of complete appropriation.

• even in the sixth year of Hezekiah (בִּשְׁנַת הַשִּׁשִּׁית לְחִזְקִיָּהוּ, bishnat hashshishshit ləhizqiyyahu):

  • This provides a chronological anchor within the Judahite calendar. It synchronizes this major event for the Northern Kingdom with the early reign of Judah's king, setting the stage for future interactions between Judah and Assyria. It highlights that during Hezekiah's reign, the warning for Judah, implied by Israel's fall, was clearly visible.

• that is, the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel (בִּשְׁנַת הַתְּשִׁיעִית לְהוֹשֵׁעַ מֶלֶךְ יִשְׁרָאֵל, bishnat hattəšî‘ît ləhōsheʿa melek Yisrael):

  • "the ninth year of Hoshea": This firmly dates the fall of Samaria to the end of the last king of the Northern Kingdom. It marks the complete fulfillment of prophecies concerning Israel's destruction due to its spiritual unfaithfulness.
  • "king of Israel": This simple phrase contrasts with the preceding "king of Judah," drawing attention to the distinct historical paths and destinies of the two kingdoms. Hoshea was a king unable to avert the inevitable judgment on his nation.

• Samaria was taken (נִלְכְּדָה שֹׁמְרוֹן, nilkədāh Shomron):

  • "Samaria": (Shomron) More than just a city, Samaria was the symbolic capital of the idolatrous Northern Kingdom of Israel. Its capture signified the utter annihilation of Israel's national identity and sovereign existence.
  • "was taken": (nilkədāh) The Hebrew verb here is in the Niphal stem (passive voice), emphasizing the action's completion and the fate of the city itself. It underlines the finality and inevitability of Samaria's capture, as though it were destined. This phrasing implies that even though Assyria was the agent, the ultimate force allowing it to be taken was divine judgment.

2 Kings 18 10 Bonus section

The exact roles of Shalmaneser V and Sargon II in the capture of Samaria are not fully delineated in the biblical text, which merely says "they took it." Historical and archaeological records, particularly Sargon II's inscriptions, attribute the final capture and subsequent deportation to Sargon, suggesting that Shalmaneser V may have died during the siege, and Sargon finished the job. The biblical narrative is not concerned with imperial succession as much as the fact of Samaria's fall as an act of divine judgment. This omission of specific human agents underscores the theological point: God orchestrates history, using even powerful pagan empires as instruments of His will to accomplish His sovereign purposes, demonstrating His ultimate control over all nations (Isa 10:5-6). The focus remains on what happened to Samaria, not necessarily who delivered the final blow.

2 Kings 18 10 Commentary

2 Kings 18:10 succinctly reports one of the most significant historical and theological events in Israel's history: the fall of Samaria and the end of the Northern Kingdom. The duration of the siege ("three years") speaks to both the tenacity of Samarian resistance and the overwhelming force of Assyrian power, but more profoundly, it shows God's patience reaching its end before the decisive act of judgment. The synchronized dating (Hezekiah's sixth year and Hoshea's ninth) underscores the precise fulfillment of covenant curses (Lev 26, Deut 28) and prophetic warnings against a people who consistently rejected YHWH and embraced idolatry (2 Ki 17:7-18).

The simple, declarative statement "Samaria was taken" carries immense theological weight. It signifies the end of God's longsuffering with the Northern Kingdom's chronic apostasy and idolatry, particularly the calves set up at Dan and Bethel. This event serves as a powerful testament to God's holiness and His justice; He is faithful to His promises, both of blessing for obedience and discipline for rebellion. The destruction of Samaria was not merely a military conquest but a divine judgment that irrevocably altered the geopolitical and theological landscape of the ancient Near East, solidifying the idea of Judah as the primary line through which God's redemptive plan would continue. For the immediate audience in Judah, it was a stark warning to maintain faithfulness, even as Hezekiah was leading them in righteousness.