The verse signifies Assyria’s decisive campaign to conquer Israel, ultimately resulting in the fall and exile of the northern kingdom.
“Then the king of Assyria invaded the whole land…” (v.5) marks a pivotal moment in Israel’s history, when the mighty Assyrian Empire under King Shalmaneser V (727-722 BC) began a lengthy siege of Samaria, the capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel. Samaria itself was located on a fortified hill overlooking a strategic trade route, roughly 42 miles north of Jerusalem. The siege, which would reportedly last three years, demonstrates Assyria’s resolve to conquer the entirety of Israel and punish King Hoshea of Israel for his rebellion against tribute payments (2 Kings 17:4, 6). Ultimately, Assyria’s campaign brought about the collapse of the northern kingdom in 722 BC, fulfilling multiple biblical warnings that Israel’s unfaithfulness and refusal to obey God’s covenant would result in exile.
“…and went up to Samaria and besieged it three years.” (v.5) points to the extended military action conducted by one of the ancient Near East’s most powerful empires. Because Samaria commanded key trade routes, control of this city meant subjugating the wealthy agricultural and commercial heart of the region. Assyria’s method of siege involved surrounding the city with the aim to break resistance by cutting off supplies of food and water, and then deporting survivors to distant territories. Historical records attribute the final capture of Samaria either to Shalmaneser’s direct defeat or to his successor, Sargon II, who also claimed credit for the conquest. The ensuing exile scattered the ten northern tribes of Israel and gave rise to later hostilities between the Israelites who remained in Samaria and those of the southern kingdom of Judah.
The meaning of this verse revolves around the stark consequences of covenant unfaithfulness. Although God had sent prophets to warn the people of Israel over and over, they persisted in idol worship, international intrigues, and oppressive social structures contrary to God’s law. Their trust in foreign alliances, specifically with Egypt, and their rebellion against Assyria (2 Kings 17:4) ultimately brought upon them the very threat they sought to escape. Hence, 2 Kings 17:5 is a testament to how trusting human powers over divine provision led to the dismantling of the nation.
A brief summary of 2 Kings 17:5 is that the king of Assyria launched a full-scale invasion of the remaining Israelite territory, besieged Samaria for three years, and paved the way for the downfall of the northern kingdom and the scattering of its inhabitants.
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2 Kings 17:5 meaning
“Then the king of Assyria invaded the whole land…” (v.5) marks a pivotal moment in Israel’s history, when the mighty Assyrian Empire under King Shalmaneser V (727-722 BC) began a lengthy siege of Samaria, the capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel. Samaria itself was located on a fortified hill overlooking a strategic trade route, roughly 42 miles north of Jerusalem. The siege, which would reportedly last three years, demonstrates Assyria’s resolve to conquer the entirety of Israel and punish King Hoshea of Israel for his rebellion against tribute payments (2 Kings 17:4, 6). Ultimately, Assyria’s campaign brought about the collapse of the northern kingdom in 722 BC, fulfilling multiple biblical warnings that Israel’s unfaithfulness and refusal to obey God’s covenant would result in exile.
“…and went up to Samaria and besieged it three years.” (v.5) points to the extended military action conducted by one of the ancient Near East’s most powerful empires. Because Samaria commanded key trade routes, control of this city meant subjugating the wealthy agricultural and commercial heart of the region. Assyria’s method of siege involved surrounding the city with the aim to break resistance by cutting off supplies of food and water, and then deporting survivors to distant territories. Historical records attribute the final capture of Samaria either to Shalmaneser’s direct defeat or to his successor, Sargon II, who also claimed credit for the conquest. The ensuing exile scattered the ten northern tribes of Israel and gave rise to later hostilities between the Israelites who remained in Samaria and those of the southern kingdom of Judah.
The meaning of this verse revolves around the stark consequences of covenant unfaithfulness. Although God had sent prophets to warn the people of Israel over and over, they persisted in idol worship, international intrigues, and oppressive social structures contrary to God’s law. Their trust in foreign alliances, specifically with Egypt, and their rebellion against Assyria (2 Kings 17:4) ultimately brought upon them the very threat they sought to escape. Hence, 2 Kings 17:5 is a testament to how trusting human powers over divine provision led to the dismantling of the nation.
A brief summary of 2 Kings 17:5 is that the king of Assyria launched a full-scale invasion of the remaining Israelite territory, besieged Samaria for three years, and paved the way for the downfall of the northern kingdom and the scattering of its inhabitants.