Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 17:5

Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.

5. throughout all the land ] It seems to have been the usual plan of invaders to overrun the places more easily conquerable before they assailed the chief stronghold.

besieged it three years ] Samaria from its position on a hill and from the pains bestowed on its building must have been a city of considerable strength for those days. It seems from the records that the city was not taken by the Assyrians during the reign of Shalmaneser, but in the beginning of the reign of Sargon his successor. See Smith, Assyrian Canon, p. 201. In view of this statement the language of the Bible is very remarkable. At the beginning of this chapter the movements are ascribed to Shalmaneser, but in verse 6 it is only said ‘the king of Assyria took Samaria’. And when the subject is mentioned again 2Ki 18:9-10, though stating that ‘Shalmaneser came up against Samaria and besieged it’, he continues ‘and at the end of three years they took it’, thus, though apparently quite undesignedly, giving support to the chronology which is established by the monuments. See note there.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

All the land – The second invasion of Shalmaneser (723 B.C., his fifth year), is here contrasted with the first, as extending to the whole country, whereas the first had afflicted only a part.

Three years – From the fourth to the sixth of Hezekiah, and from the seventh to the ninth of Heshea; two years, therefore, according to our reckoning, but three, according to that of the Hebrews. This was a long time for so small a place to resist the Assyrians but Samaria was favorably situated on a steep hill; probably Sabaco made some attempts to relieve his vassal; the war with Tyre must have distracted Shalmaneser; and there is reason to believe that before the capture was effected a revolt had broken out at Nineveh which must have claimed Shalmanesers chief attention, though it did not induce him to abandon his enterprise.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 5. Besieged it three years.] It must have been well fortified, well provisioned, and well defended, to have held out so long.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land,…. Of Israel, there being none to oppose his march; Hoshea not daring to come out, and meet him and fight him:

and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years; so long the city held out against him, see 2Ki 18:9.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(5) Then (and) the king of Assyria came up . . . and besieged it three years.Sargon states that he took Samaria (Samerna) in his first year. Shalmaneser therefore had besieged the city some two years before his death.

The brief narrative before us does not discriminate between the respective shares of the two Assyrian sovereigns in the overthrow of the kingdom of Israel, but it is noticeable that it does not say that Shalmaneser besieged Samaria three years, and took Samaria. (Comp. 2Ki. 18:11.)

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

5. Came up throughout all the land He overran all the country, subduing all the smaller towns, apparently as a measure preliminary to the final siege of the capital.

Besieged it three years The length of this siege evidences the strength of Samaria, and the desperate resistance of its people. “It is remarkable,” says Ewald, “how strong a resemblance the fall of Samaria bears to the first and second destructions of Jerusalem, in the heroic resistance of its inhabitants.” The horrors of this siege may be inferred from Isa 28:1-4; Hos 10:14; Hos 13:16; Amo 6:9-14.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

2Ki 17:5 Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.

Ver. 5. Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land. ] Like an overflowing flood; having first seized upon the country of the Moabites, that he might leave nothing behind him that might be to his prejudice, Ar and Kirharaseth being destroyed, as had been foretold three years before. See Isa 16:1-14 cum notis Tremellii.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)