2 Kings 17:4

4 And when the king of Assyrians had perceived, that Hoshea enforced to rebel, and (that he) had sent messengers to So, king of Egypt, that he should not give tributes to the king of Assyrians, as he was wont (to do) by all years, the king of Assyrians besieged him, and sent him bound into prison. (And when the king of Assyria had perceived that Hoshea endeavoured to rebel, for he had sent messengers to So, the king of Egypt, asking for help, and thereafter paid no taxes to the king of Assyria, as he had done before by all years, the king of Assyria besieged him, and bound him, and put him in prison.)

2 Kings 17:4 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 17:4

And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea
That he was forming a scheme to rebel against him, and cast off his yoke; of this he had intelligence by spies he sent, and placed to observe him very probably:

for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt;
to treat with him, and enter into alliance with him, to help him against, and free him from, the king of Assyria. This king of Egypt is supposed to be Sabacon the Ethiopian, who reigned in Egypt ninety years; of whom Herodotus ^F25 and Diodorus Siculus ^F26 make mention; by Theodoret he is called Adramelech the Ethiopian, who dwelt in Egypt:

and brought no presents to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by
year;
did not pay him his yearly tribute:

therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison;
that is, after he took Samaria, the siege of which is next related; unless it can be thought that he met with him somewhere out of the capital, and seized him, and made him his prisoner, and after that besieged his city; which is not so likely.

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 Euterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 137.
F26 Bibliothec l. 1. p. 59.

2 Kings 17:4 In-Context

2 And he did evil before the Lord, but not as the kings of Israel, that were before him.

3 Shalmaneser, king of Assyrians, went up against Hoshea, and Hoshea was made (a) servant to him, and yielded tributes to him (and paid him taxes).

4 And when the king of Assyrians had perceived, that Hoshea enforced to rebel, and (that he) had sent messengers to So, king of Egypt, that he should not give tributes to the king of Assyrians, as he was wont (to do) by all years, the king of Assyrians besieged him, and sent him bound into prison. (And when the king of Assyria had perceived that Hoshea endeavoured to rebel, for he had sent messengers to So, the king of Egypt, asking for help, and thereafter paid no taxes to the king of Assyria, as he had done before by all years, the king of Assyria besieged him, and bound him, and put him in prison.)

5 And Shalmaneser went through[out] all the land, and he went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.

6 Forsooth in the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyrians took Samaria, and translated Israel into (the) Assyrians (and carried away all the Israelites to Assyria); and he put them in Halah, and in Habor, beside the flood [of] Gozan, (and) in the cities of (the) Medes.