He chose to forsake complete reliance on God, and so the LORD handed his kingdom over to foreign invaders.
Hoshea’s reign as Israel’s final monarch begins with the statement, “He did evil in the sight of the LORD, only not as the kings of Israel who were before him.” (v.2) Though Scripture portrays Hoshea’s wrongdoing, it also distinguishes his behavior from the brazen idolatries of earlier kings of the northern kingdom. According to Israel’s covenant with God, the king was meant to lead the people in faithfulness and devotion. Hoshea, who reigned from around 732 BC to 722 BC, nonetheless pursued diplomatic deceit—yet he was not as flagrantly wicked as others who openly endorsed pagan practices and systematically oppressed the weak.
The broader context of 2 Kings shows that Hoshea ruled in Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel. Situated in the central hill country, Samaria was a strategic site whose political fortunes often rose or fell based on alliances with neighboring powers. We read that Hoshea stopped paying tribute to Assyria, choosing instead to send gifts to Egypt. This shift in allegiance led Assyria’s Shalmaneser V to invade and besiege Samaria, fulfilling the covenant warnings of exile for disobedience (2 Kings 17:4-6). Ultimately, Israel fell in 722 BC, and the people were carried into exile—a sobering outcome illustrating the principle that turning partially to God or being “less evil” was no substitute for genuine repentance and full reliance on the LORD.
Even though Hoshea’s misdeeds were not as overtly idolatrous as some who reigned before him, the verse highlights that doing any evil in the sight of the LORD leads to destructive outcomes. In the New Testament, Jesus, described as the King of kings, perfectly submits to the Father’s will, providing the ultimate example of covenant faithfulness (John 6:38). Whereas Hoshea’s partial restraint from gross wickedness could not save Israel, the gospel proclaims that complete obedience is found only in Christ, who extends mercy and restoration to all who trust Him (Romans 5:19).
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2 Kings 17:2 meaning
Hoshea’s reign as Israel’s final monarch begins with the statement, “He did evil in the sight of the LORD, only not as the kings of Israel who were before him.” (v.2) Though Scripture portrays Hoshea’s wrongdoing, it also distinguishes his behavior from the brazen idolatries of earlier kings of the northern kingdom. According to Israel’s covenant with God, the king was meant to lead the people in faithfulness and devotion. Hoshea, who reigned from around 732 BC to 722 BC, nonetheless pursued diplomatic deceit—yet he was not as flagrantly wicked as others who openly endorsed pagan practices and systematically oppressed the weak.
The broader context of 2 Kings shows that Hoshea ruled in Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel. Situated in the central hill country, Samaria was a strategic site whose political fortunes often rose or fell based on alliances with neighboring powers. We read that Hoshea stopped paying tribute to Assyria, choosing instead to send gifts to Egypt. This shift in allegiance led Assyria’s Shalmaneser V to invade and besiege Samaria, fulfilling the covenant warnings of exile for disobedience (2 Kings 17:4-6). Ultimately, Israel fell in 722 BC, and the people were carried into exile—a sobering outcome illustrating the principle that turning partially to God or being “less evil” was no substitute for genuine repentance and full reliance on the LORD.
Even though Hoshea’s misdeeds were not as overtly idolatrous as some who reigned before him, the verse highlights that doing any evil in the sight of the LORD leads to destructive outcomes. In the New Testament, Jesus, described as the King of kings, perfectly submits to the Father’s will, providing the ultimate example of covenant faithfulness (John 6:38). Whereas Hoshea’s partial restraint from gross wickedness could not save Israel, the gospel proclaims that complete obedience is found only in Christ, who extends mercy and restoration to all who trust Him (Romans 5:19).