- Hoshea, last king of Israel – Hoshea became king over Israel and did evil in God’s sight, though not as much as earlier kings. He became a vassal to the king of Assyria but later conspired with Egypt, which led to Assyria imprisoning him.
- Fall of Samaria – After a three-year siege, the Assyrians captured Samaria and carried the people of Israel into exile in Assyria. This marked the end of the northern kingdom of Israel.
- Reasons for exile – The chapter explains that Israel’s fall was due to persistent sin: worshiping other gods, building high places, following pagan practices, rejecting God’s covenant, and ignoring His prophets.
- Assyrian resettlement – The Assyrian king brought people from other nations (Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim) to live in the cities of Samaria. At first, they did not fear the Lord, so God sent lions among them.
- Introduction of mixed worship – A priest from Israel was brought back to teach them about the Lord. However, the new settlers continued to worship their own gods alongside some form of worship to the Lord. This syncretism continued, with each group making idols and setting up shrines while claiming to worship God.
Key Theme:
2 Kings 17 records the downfall of Israel (the northern kingdom) because of idolatry and disobedience to God, highlighting that their exile was a direct result of rejecting His covenant.
