2 Kings 17 Hoshea king of Israel, his wicked reign: being subdued by Shalmaneser king of Assyria, he conspireth against him with So king of Egypt: he is besieged; taken prisoner; and with all the people carried captive to Assyria for their sins, 2 Kings 17:1–23.

Quest. How can this be true, seeing it is said that he reigned, or began to reign, in Israel in the twentieth year of Jotham, 2 Kings 15:30, which was the fourth year of Ahaz, as was there noted? Answ.

For he neither worshipped Baal, as many of his predecessors did; nor compelled the people to worship the calves; one of them, that of Dan, being destroyed, or carried away before, as the Hebrew writers affirm; nor, as some add, hindered those by force who were minded to go to Jerusalem to worship;…

Shalmaneser; the son or successor of Tiglath-pileser. The ancient Hebrew writers make him the same with Sennacherib, who eight years after this time invaded the kingdom of Judah; see 2 Kings 18:10, 2 Kings 18:13; it being very frequent in the eastern parts for one man to be called by several names,…

So king of Egypt; by heathen writers called Sua or Sabachus; that by his assistance he might shake off the yoke of the king of Assyria; who now was, and for many years had been, the king of Egypt’s rival: see 2 Kings 18:21, Jer. 36:5.

This is added to distinguish this place from the former, which was either in Assyria, or in the mountainous and less inhabited parts of Media. Hither he carried them, partly to replenish his own country; and partly because these places were at so great a distance from Canaan, that this would cut…

In the statutes of the heathen, i.e. according to the laws and customs of the heathen, in the worship of their Baals, and other of their sins. Which they had made, i.e. which the kings of Israel had ordained concerning the worship of the calves, and against their going up to Jerusalem to worship.

Things that were not right against the Lord: this belongs, either, 1. To their gross idolatries, and other abominable practices, which they were ashamed to own before others: compare Ezek. 8:12. Or, 2.

As did the heathen; not only to the Lord, which was practised and tolerated sometimes in the kingdom of Judah; but also to the idols or Baals of the heathen. Whom the Lord carried away before them for the same sins; by whose example they should have taken warning. To provoke the Lord to anger, i.e.

Testified against Israel; disowned, and gave testimony against their false worship, which they would fasten upon him, and against all their impieties. By all the prophets, and by all the seers; to whom he declared his mind by extraordinary revelations and visions, and by whom he published it to…

Hardened their necks, i.e. refused to submit their neck to the yoke of God’s precepts; a metaphor from stubborn oxen, that make their necks hard, or stiff, and will not bow to the yoke: See Poole “Deut. 31:27”.

They followed vanity, i.e. idols; oft so called, because of their nothingness, impotency, and unprofitableness; and to show the folly and madness of idolaters. Became vain by the long worship of idols, they were made like them, vain, sottish, and senseless creatures.

They left all the commandments of the Lord; they grew worse and worse; from a partial disobedience to some of God’s laws, they fell by degrees to a total apostacy from all of them. The host of heaven; the stars, as Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, &c. See Deut. 4:19.

Sold themselves to do evil; of which phrase See Poole “1 Kings 21:20”.

Out of his sight, i.e. out of Canaan, the only place of God’s solemn worship and gracious presence; or, out of his church. The tribe of Judah only; and the greatest part of the tribe of Benjamin, and those of the tribes of Simeon and Levi, who adhered to them, and were incorporated with them; and…

Judah’s idolatry and wickedness is here remembered, as an aggravation of the sin of the Israelites, which was not only evil in itself but scandalous and mischievous to their neighbour, who by heir examples were instructed in their wicked arts, and provoked to an imitation of them: see Hos.

All the seed of Israel, i.e. all the kingdom or tribes of Israel; first one part of them, 2 Kings 15:29, and now the rest. But this extends not to every individual person of these tribes; for many of them removed into the kingdom of Judah, and were associated with them, as appears from 2 Chron.

They made Jeroboam king; which action is here ascribed to the people, because they would not tarry till God, by his providence, had invested Jeroboam with the kingdom which he had promised him; but rashly, and unthankfully, and rebelliously rose up against the house of David, to which they had such…

But willingly and resolutely followed the wicked example and commands of their kings, though contrary to God’s express commands.

The Lord removed Israel out of his sight: they continued to the last obstinate and incorrigible under all the instructions and corrections which God sent to them; and therefore were most justly given up by God into this dreadful captivity; which all this foregoing discourse was designed to prove.

The king of Assyria; either Shalmaneser, or rather his son and successor, Esar-haddon, Ezra 4:2, because this was a work of some time; and as his father had projected, and possibly begun this, so he executed or finished it; whence it is ascribed to him, rather than to his father.

They feared not the Lord; they did not acknowledge nor worship God in any sort. Therefore; for this gross neglect and contempt of God, which was contrary to the principles and practices of the heathens, who used to worship the gods of the nations where they lived, and gave that honour to their…

They spake, i.e. they wrote, or sent messengers to him for relief. Know not the manner of the God of the land; they supposed the true God to be like one of their topical deities, who had their particular countries and provinces allotted to them.

One of the priests, i.e. one of the chief of the priests, with others, to be under his inspection and direction, as may be gathered from the following words; where it is said of the same person, or persons, let them go, & c., and then, let him teach, & c.

i.e. The manner of God’s worship, as it was practised in Israel; as may be gathered both from the quality of this person, who was all Israelitish priest; and from the place of his residence, Beth-el, a place infamous for the worship of the calves, and from the manner of their making priests by this…

Made gods of their own or, worshipped, (as that verb is sometimes used; of which see Ex. 32:35) i.e. those whom they worshipped in the places from whence they came, whose names here follow. The Samaritans, i.e. the former people, or inhabitants, not of the city, but of the kingdom of Samaria.

Of the lowest of them priests of the high places: See Poole “1 Kings 12:31”. Which sacrificed for them, to wit, unto the true God; for as to the worship of their own gods, they needed no instruction, and would not permit a person of another religion to minister therein.

They feared the Lord; they worshipped God externally in that way which the Israelites used. Served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence: these words belong, either, 1.

Unto this day they do; either, 1. The Samaritans, whose religion he hath hitherto been describing, and to the description whereof he returns, 2 Kings 17:41.

A covenant, containing many precious promises, upon the condition here following: see Gen. 17:7, Ex. 19:5, Ex. 24:7.

The Lord your God, i.e. God alone, as the whole context shows. He shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies; and therefore you have no pretence of need to go to other gods for relief.

So, i.e. in like manner, and after their example. These nations, who came in their stead.