2 Kings 17:3

3 Shalmaneser came up to attack Hoshea. Shalmaneser was king of Assyria. He had been Hoshea's master. He had forced Hoshea to bring him gifts.

2 Kings 17:3 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 17:3

Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria
Which some take to be the same with Tiglathpileser, see ( 1 Chronicles 5:26 ) but he rather seems to be his son; his name was to be found, as Josephus ^F23 relates, in the archives of the Tyrians, against whom he had an expedition; his name is Salmanassar in Metasthenes ^F24, who says he reigned seventeen years:

and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents,
to depart from him; he became tributary to him, and agreed to pay him a yearly tax.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 Antiqu. l. 9. c. 14. sect. 2.
F24 De Judicio Temp. fol. 221. 2.

2 Kings 17:3 In-Context

1 Hoshea became king of Israel in Samaria. It was in the 12th year that Ahaz was king of Judah. Hoshea ruled for nine years. He was the son of Elah.

2 Hoshea did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. But he wasn't as evil as the kings of Israel who ruled before him.

3 Shalmaneser came up to attack Hoshea. Shalmaneser was king of Assyria. He had been Hoshea's master. He had forced Hoshea to bring him gifts.

4 But the king of Assyria found out that Hoshea had turned against him. Hoshea had sent messengers to So, the king of Egypt. Hoshea didn't send gifts to the king of Assyria anymore. He had been sending them every year. So Shalmaneser grabbed hold of him and put him in prison.

5 The king of Assyria marched into the whole land of Israel. He marched to Samaria and surrounded it for three years. From time to time he attacked it.