And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.
In the fourth year of King Hezekiah's reign, which was also the seventh year that Hoshea son of Elah ruled Israel, King Shalmaneser of Assyria attacked the city of Samaria and surrounded it with his army.
This verse records the beginning of Assyria's siege against Israel's capital city Samaria, which would ultimately lead to Israel's defeat and exile.
📚 Historical Context
This event occurred around 724 BC when the powerful Assyrian Empire was expanding westward. Samaria was the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, and King Hoshea had stopped paying tribute to Assyria, prompting this military response. The siege would last three years and result in the fall of the northern kingdom and the deportation of its people.
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