Hoshea (King of Israel)

The last king of Israel. He conspired against and slew his predecessor, Pekah (Isa 7:16), but did not ascend the throne till after an interregnum of warfare of eight years (2Kg 17:1f). Soon after this he submitted to Shalmaneser, the Assyrian king, who a second time invaded the land to punish Hoshea, because of his withholding tribute which he had promised to pay. A second revolt brought back the Assyrian king Sargon, who besieged Samaria, and carried the ten tribes away beyond the Euphrates, B.C. 720 (2Kg 17:5f; 2Kg 18:9ff). No more is heard of Hoshea. He disappeared like "foam upon the water" (Hos 10:7; Hos 13:11).