2 Kings 17

2 not as the kings, etc. Of all the other Israelite kings (Shallum excepted, whose reign was only thirty days), it is expressly stated that they maintained the calf-worship of Jeroboam; but this sin is nowhere attributed to Hoshea, though he was otherwise a bad man.

4. So king of Egypt. It is generally believed that “So” is a form of Sabako or Shabaka, a king of the Ethiopian (25th) dynasty of Egypt. Moffatt substitutes “Seve” for “So.” Other scholars think that instead of Mizraim (Egypt) the Hebrew should read Muṣri, part of North Arabia, and identify “So” with “Sibi,” a king of that people.

5 besieged it three years. We have no particulars of this siege; but the character of the invaders, as described by prophets (see Hos. x. 14; Nah. ii. 12, 13; iii. 1) and historians, and the sculptures discovered in the remains of Assyrian cities, combine to show that it must have been a time of extreme suffering; especially when the city was captured, and given up, according to the usual practice, to indiscriminate pilage and slaughter.

6 the king of Assyria. It was by Sargon (Isa. xx. 1) that the city was taken, and he records its capture in the great inscription given by Botta. Sargon was succeeded by his son Sennacherib. See Sayce: Assyria: its Princes, Priests and People.

carried Israel away. This was the second captivity of Israel (721 B.C.), which included chiefly the inhabitants of the central part of Canaan: see also xviii. 11. For the former captivity, see xv. 29.

the river of Gozan. The word “by” is not in the Hebrew, which has “on Habor the river of Gozan,” Habor or Khabour being a well-known river in Upper Mesopotamia, running into the Euphrates.

7. For so it was, that, etc. Rather, as R.V., “And it was so, because,” etc. The inspired writer, in concluding the history of the northern kingdom, carefully traces this awful catastrophe to its cause—the obstinate wickedness of the people. The evil began with Jeroboam’s political idolatry, from which the people had gone on to the grosser worship of Baal and Ashtaroth; and had in consequence committed (as the writings of the contemporary prophets show) the most scandalous sins—oppression and robbery, violence and cruelty, gluttony and debauchery. They had continued in this downward course for more than two hundred years; though often checked by startling and even miraculous interpositions of Divine Providence. Famine, war, and pestilence had been repeatedly inflicted upon them; and a long succession of faithful men of God had warned them of the impending danger; but all had been in vain.

And now that the people had utterly failed to accomplish the great object for which Jehovah had separated them for Himself, and instead of being witnesses to the world of the spirituality and perfection of His nature, had dishonoured His holy name, He gave them up into the hand of their enemies, and removed them out of their place. This is a solemn lesson to other nations, to whom God has given a still fuller and clearer revelation of His character and will.

10 images and groves. R.V., “pillars and Asherim:” see notes on Judges ii. 13; iii. 7.

13 and against Judah. A brief intimation that Judah, sharing the sins and rebukes, would have to share the punishment; as the following narrative soon shows.

15 against them. Rather, as R.V., “unto them.”

vanity. See Deut. xxxii. 21, and note.

16 a grove. Rather, “an Asherah” (R.V.): see note on 1 Kings xiv. 23.

23 unto this day. They were there also at the time when the Book of Chronicles was written (see 1 Chron. v. 26), which was probably much later than this book. Since that time the people of Israel have never reappeared in a national character as distinct from Judah. Some of their descendants joined the Jewish exiles who returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonish captivity; but the greater portion of them remained (as did also many of the people of Judah) scattered among the nations in the countries to which they had been carried: see Acts ii. 5, 9). Jerome, in the fifth century of the Christian era, who resided for twenty years in Palestine, and was well acquainted with the East, says, “Unto this day the ten tribes are subject to the kings of the Persians; nor has their captivity ever been loosed: they inhabit at this day the cities and mountains of the Medes.” Many of them appear to have been brought as settlers to Antioch, and other cities in Asia Minor.

24. Cuthah. “Cuthah” is mentioned as Kuti, in the Assyrian inscriptions. It has been identified with the modern Tell-Ibrāhīm, near Babylon, and a temple of Nergal (see v. 30) has been found there. An image of Nergal is in the British Museum.

Avah has not been identified.

Hamath, on the Orontes, was called Epiphania by the Greeks and Romans. See Numb. xxxiv. 8; 1 Kings viii. 65; 2 Chron. viii. 4; Amos vi. 2.

Sepharadin. “The two Sippars.” Sippar of the Sun-god was discovered in 1881 by Rassam at Abu-Habba on the Euphrates, 16 miles S.E. of Baghdad.

instead of the children of Israel. This does not mean that of the Israelites were carried away, but that they were no longer the principal inhabitants of the land. It is evident, from 2 Chron. xxxiv. 6, that many of them were left, as was afterwards the case in the kingdom of Judah: ep. xxiv. 12-16 with xxv. 12, 22. Their descendants became incorporated with those of the heathen colonists; and this mixed population was afterwards known by the name of Samaritans. They became bitter enemies of the Jews: see Ezra iv. and Neh. iv.

25 the Lord sent lions among them. The lions, which had always existed in the land (see Judges xiv. 5; 1 Sam. xvii. 34; 1 Kings xiii. 24), became so numerous through its depopulation as to terrify the colonists. The author speaks of this as a Divine judgement (see Lev. xxvi. 22; Deut. xxxii. 24; and ep. Exod. xxiii. 29).

27 one of the priests. This was apparently not a priest of the race of Aaron, but one of those who had ministered at the high places. The result of this proceeding was a mixed worship of false gods and of Jahveh. In later times the Samaritans gave up idolatry, and professed to worship Jahveh, and to regard His law as given by Moses; but they rejected all the later sacred writings. In these respects, and in the annual offering of the paschal lamb on Mount Gerizim, the remnant of the people, who still inhabit Nablous, the ancient Shechem, resemble their ancestors.

32 of the lowest of them. Rather, “from among themselves” (R.V.): see note on 1 Kings xii. 31.

33 from thence. Literally, “from whom they were removed”: see R.V.

34 they fear not the Lord. The first clause here is explained by the second. These people did not fear and worship the Lord only, according to His law: but, joining their own idolatry with His worship, might be truly said not to fear Him.

41 unto this day. This book, therefore, must have been compiled before the inhabitants of Northern Palestine had given up their idolatries, and had fully submitted to the law of Moses. They wished to join in rebuilding the Temple after the return from Babylon (Ezra iv. 2); and they established a rival worship on Mount Gerizim about 409 B.C., when they probably finally gave up idolatry: see note on Neh. xiii. 28.

which I took no account, I captured, and carried away their spoil. I shut up himself, like a bird in a cage, within Jerusalem, his royal city," etc. He says further, that he added a tribute, and also took from Hezekiah the treasure he had collected in Jerusalem, thirty talents of gold, and eight hundred talents of silver, the treasures of his palace, besides his sons and his daughters, and his male and female servants or slaves, and brought them to Nineveh (2 Kings xviii. 14-16). (See Sayce: Assyria: its Princes, Priests and People.) One chamber of the palace contains a sculptured representation of the king, and above his head this inscription: “Sennacherib, the mighty king, king of the country of Assyria, sitting on the throne of judgement, before (or at the entrance of) the city of Lachish; I give permission for its slaughter.” And on the bas-reliefs are represented captives, whose physiognomy is apparently Jewish, in an attitude of supplication, bare-footed, and half-clothed.

and took them. In 2 Chron. xxxii. 1, it is said that he “thought” to subdue them unto himself. He certainly did not take all the fenced cities; for Jerusalem and Libnah, at least, were not taken.