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1 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years.

2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, but not as the kings of Israel that were before him.

3 Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents.

4 And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison.

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

6 In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

7 For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods,

8 And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made.

9 And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the Lord their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.

10 And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree:

11 And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the Lord carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the Lord to anger:

12 For they served idols, whereof the Lord had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.

13 Yet the Lord testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.

14 Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the Lord their God.

15 And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the Lord had charged them, that they should not do like them.

16 And they left all the commandments of the Lord their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.

17 And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.

18 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.

19 Also Judah kept not the commandments of the Lord their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made.

20 And the Lord rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight.

21 For he rent Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the Lord, and made them sin a great sin.

22 For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them;

23 Until the Lord removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.

24 And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.

25 And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they feared not the Lord: therefore the Lord sent lions among them, which slew some of them.

26 Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, saying, The nations which thou hast removed, and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land: therefore he hath sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land.

27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry thither one of the priests whom ye brought from thence; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the manner of the God of the land.

28 Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the Lord.

29 Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt.

30 And the men of Babylon made Succothbenoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,

31 And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.

32 So they feared the Lord, and made unto themselves of the lowest of them priests of the high places, which sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places.

33 They feared the Lord, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence.

34 Unto this day they do after the former manners: they fear not the Lord, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the Lord commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel;

35 With whom the Lord had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:

36 But the Lord, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice.

37 And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods.

38 And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods.

39 But the Lord your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.

40 Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner.

41 So these nations feared the Lord, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children's children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.

<html><b>In the twelfth year of Achaz, etc.</b> It is impossible to say that Hoshei'a became king in the twelfth year of Achaz, because in the fourth year of Achaz, he assassinated Pekach and reigned in his place,¹<i class=“footnote”>See above, 15:30.</i> and when you examine Pekach's years you will find it so. Likewise, it is impossible to say that he reigned for only nine years, for he reigned from the fourth year of Achaz until the sixth year of Chizkiyohu, when Shomron was conquered, and this amounts to more than sixteen years. What then is the meaning of “nine years”? [It was nine years] since he rebelled against the king of Ashur. This is what is learned in Seder Olam. And it is impossible to say that in the twelfth year of Achaz he started to rebel, for if so, you will find the years of his revolt five years during the days of Achaz and six years during the days of Chizkiyohu, making [a total of] eleven years, yet here he states [that he reigned] nine [years]. ”The twelfth year of Achaz” was mentioned only in connection with the verse following, ”Shalmaneser [king Ashur] went up against him, etc.”²<i class=“footnote”>Below, v. 3.</i> [i.e.,] that in the twelfth year of Achaz, Sancheiriv went up against Hoshei'a and exiled those who were on the eastern bank of the Yardein. Thus we learned in Seder Olam. And a verse is written in Divrei Hayomim, ”Adonoy of Yisroel aroused Pul king of Ashur … and he exiled the people of Reuvein and the people of Gad,”³<i class=“footnote”>According to Rashi, the nine years mentioned in this verse refer to the total length of Hoshei'a's revolt, which began in the fourteenth year of Achaz.</i> and it did not explain during which time frame. But here it explains that it occurred in the twelfth year of Achaz['s reign]. The ten tribes were exiled at three different times: [The first exile was] in the twentieth year of Pekach, as it is written above, ”Tiglas Pileser the king of Ashur came and took Iyon and Dan, etc., and the entire land of Naphtoli and exiled them to Ashur.”⁴<i class=“footnote”>I Divrei Hayomim 5:26.</i> Now this was the fourth year of Achaz. [The second exile,] he waited eight years and came upon them in the twelfth year of Achaz, and exiled the members of Reuvein and the Gad. But, when Hoshei'a son of Eilah saw this, he revolted against him and sent messengers to So the king of Egypt.⁵<i class=“footnote”>See above, 15:29. In our editions, however, Dan is not mentioned in the verse.</i> [And the third exile] he waited eight years and came and laid siege on Shomron. After three years it was conquered, and everyone was exiled. This is [the meaning of] what is written, ”Like the first time, he dealt mildly, the land of Zevulun and the land of Naphtoli,”⁶<i class=“footnote”>Yeshayohu 8:23.</i> so did he deal mildly⁷<i class=“footnote”>By exiling only two tribes.</i> also in the second [exile], for he exiled but two tribes. But, “in the last one, he swept,” [i.e.,] he swept everything out like one who sweeps a house. In any case, according to the amount he wrote here as the number of years of his revolt, [i.e.,] nine years, he did not revolt against him until the fourteenth year of Achaz, for Achaz reigned sixteen years; the revolt was during three years of Achaz['s reign] and six years during the days of Chizkiyohu['s reign].</html>

<html><b> But not like the kings of Yisroel.</b> For he abolished the sentries who were stationed on the roads from the days of Yorovom, to guard against the [Bnei] Yisroel from going up and performing the pilgrimage for the festivals, and this one abolished them,⁸<i class=“footnote”>He abolished the sentries on the fifteenth day of Menachem Av, and therefore that day was proclaimed a minor holiday. See Maseches Taanis 30b.—Radak Hoshei'a 10:6.</i> because the golden calves had already been exiled in the two [previous] exiles. In the first exile, [it states,] “he took Iyon and Dan,”⁹<i class=“footnote”>See above 15:29.</i> [i.e.,] he exiled the calf that was in Dan. And in the second [exile], when Reuvein and Gad were exiled, he took the calf that was in Beis Eil, to fulfill what was stated, ”That too, will be transported to Ashur.”¹⁰<i class=“footnote”>Hoshei'a 10:6.</i> And because the sentries were abolished, and they [nonetheless] refrained from going up and performing the pilgrimage for the festivals, therefore, their verdict to be exiled in his days was sealed, for until now, they had blamed the corruption on their kings, but now they had no one to blame. This is what Hoshei'a the son of Be'eiri said, ”For now you have gone astray, Ephrayim, Yisroel has become defiled.”¹¹<i class=“footnote”>Ibid 5:3. See Rashi in Maseches Gittin 88a.</i> [i.e.,] now your evil has been revealed.</html>

<html><b>In the ninth year.</b> Of Hoshei'a's revolt. <b>And exiled Yisroel.</b> [ויגל is the same as] ויגלה [=and he exiled] Yisroel. This is the rule for every word whose verb root [ends] with a `ה', e.g., פנה[=to face], בנה [=to build], גלה [=to go into exile], זנה [=to commit adultery], רבה [=to multiply]; when one comes to add a prefix to the word with `ו ' or a `י', if the word applies to the doer, the `י' will be voweled with a “chirik,” e.g., “And he built [=ויבן] an altar there;”¹²<i class=“footnote”>Bereishis 12:7.</i> ”And Moshe turned [=ויפן] and descended;”¹³<i class=“footnote”>Shemos 32:15.</i> ”And Yisroel was exiled [=ויגל] off its land;”¹⁴<i class=“footnote”>Below 25:21.</i> ”And she too went and committed whoredom[=ותזן];”¹⁵<i class=“footnote”>Yirmiyahu 3:8.</i> ”And the people increased [=וירב] and became very strong.”¹⁶<i class=“footnote”>Shemos 1:20.</i> If however, one is talking in the causative conjugation, the `י' will be voweled with a “segol,” e.g., “And turned [=ויפן] tail to tail;”¹⁷<i class=“footnote”>Shoftim 15:4.</i> ”And exiled [=ויגל] the Israelites to Ashur;”¹⁸<i class=“footnote”>Below, 18:11.</i> ”And he caused the dwellers of Yerusholayim to go astray [=ויזן];”¹⁹<i class=“footnote”>II Divrei Hayomim 21:11.</i> ”And He increased [=וירב] among the people of Yehudah grief and lamentation.”²⁰<i class=“footnote”>Eichah 2:5.</i></html>

<html><b>[Bnei Yisroel] fabricated.</b> They concealed;²¹<i class=“footnote”>Alternatively, “Bnei Yisroel said.”—Targum Yonoson Or, “Bnei Yisroel claimed that God did not see them.”—Radak</i> this interpretation is according to its context. <b>From watchtower.</b> Which is made only to station a lookout to watch; they now erected idols in every high house.²²<i class=“footnote”>They denied God's Providence and adopted a new doctrine. They said that God did not see them because He delegated the heavenly bodies to supervise over the earth. Therefore they erected idols in high places honoring these heavenly bodies.—Ralbag</i> <b>To fortified city.</b> Like “from small to big.”</html>

<html><b>And Adonoy warned.</b> He warned [=ויעד] them.²³<i class=“footnote”>As in “I warn [=העדותי] you today,” in Devarim 8:19.</i> <b>Prophets of all visions.</b> Prophets of all visions.²⁴<i class=“footnote”>Alternatively, נביא and חוזה are two different types of prophets. Adonoy נביא perceives prophecy through dreams; and a חוזה [=seer] is one who perceives prophecy in a vision, which is a higher form of prophecy.—Ralbag</i> There is חוזה that is a noun, such as, ”And with the grave have we made a boundary [=חוזה].”²⁵<i class=“footnote”>Yeshayohu 28:15.</i></html>

<html><b>Two molten calves.</b> In Beis Eil and in Dan. <b>The Baal.</b> A pagan deity named Baal.</html>

<html><b>And they devoted themselves.</b> They sold themselves for that [purpose].</html>

<html><b>And He banished them from His Presence.</b> For they were exiled with Hoshei'a son of Eiloh.²⁶<i class=“footnote”>I.e., He exiled them from His land.”—Metzudas Dovid</i></html>

<html><b>And Yisroel went into exile.</b> This is voweled with a “chirik,” which is an expression of “went in exile.” It is not an expression of “was exiled.”²⁷<i class=“footnote”>See Rashi above, v. 6.</i></html>

<html><b>They did not fear Adonoy.</b> Even though the pagan nations fear Him and call him the God of the gods, in the manner as it is stated, ”And My Name is feared among the nations,”²⁸<i class=“footnote”>Malachi 1:14.</i> but these did not fear Me, for they said, “If He were worthy of fear, He would not have allowed for His people to be exiled.”</html>

<html><b>That the citizens of Shomron had made.</b> [I.e.,] the [Bnei] Yisroel while they were still there. <b>Each nation … its own god.</b> [I.e.,] each nation, [placed] the deity they had worshiped in their land, here, too, each nation did so in the city which Sancheiriv had given them as a possession there in the cities of Yisroel.</html>

<html><b>Succos Benos.</b> [This idol was in] the form of a hen and her chicks.²⁹<i class=“footnote”>סכות stems from שכוי, being that a ‘ש’ and a ‘ס’ are interchangeable. The Gemara in Maseches Rosh Hashanah 26a cites a region where ‘שכוי’ is ‘a rooster.’ It follows then that ‘שכות’ or ‘סכות’ is a hen. Thus, סכות בנות is “a hen and her chicks.”—See Radak</i> <b>Neirgal.</b> [This idol was in] the form of a rooster.³⁰<i class=“footnote”>See Maseches Sanhedrin 63b.</i> <b>Ashimo.</b> [This idol was in] the form of a goat.³¹<i class=“footnote”>אשימא stems from שמם [=desolation], and a goat has no wool is considered “desolate.” Or, אשימא stems from אשם [=guilt offering], for which a sheep is used.—Radak</i> They are called [these names] in the language of each nation, and so did our Rabbis explain in [Maseches] Sanhedrin.³²<i class=“footnote”>63b.</i></html>

<html><b>Nivchaz.</b> [This idol was in] the form of a dog.³³<i class=“footnote”>נבחז stems from נבח [=bark], as in “they cannot bark [=לנבח],” in Yeshayohu 56:10; נבחז is a contraction of נבח and חז, i.e. when a dog barks [=נבח] it shows [=חז] its teeth.—Radak</i> <b>Tartok.</b> [This idol was in] the form of a donkey. <b>To Adramelech.</b> [This idol was in] the form of a mule.³⁴<i class=“footnote”>אדרמלת is a contraction of דאדר ליה למריה [= it honors its master] by carrying his burdens.—Radak</i> <b>Anamelech.</b> [This idol was in] the form of a horse.³⁵<i class=“footnote”>ענמלת is a contraction of דעני ליה למריה בקרבא [= it responds to its master in battle].—Radak</i></html>

<html><b>As was the custom of the nations from which they had been exiled.</b> Those deities that are worshiped by the nations whom Sancheiriv and his armies had exiled (these) from there, they would worship here.³⁶<i class=“footnote”>Alternatively, כמשפט הגוים refers to some of the Bnei Yisroel who also worshiped idols while worshiping God.—Radak</i></html>

<html><b>They do not fear Adonoy.</b> A complete fear as is the custom of the [Bnei] Yisroel. And although they converted out of fear of the lions, [nonetheless,] their fear of Adonoy was not a complete fear, (like [Bnei] Yisroel's custom) as it goes on to elaborate, that they were not engaged in Torah [study] and [in performing] the commandments which God commanded the Bnei Yaakov, and they do not practice according to their statutes and according to their law, which they are obligated to practice once they converted, but as the priest who was of the people of Shomron, instructed them.³⁷<i class=“footnote”>Alternatively, the verse refers to the exiled Bnei Yisroel who “until this day” have not repented from the idolatrous practices, but continue to combine the worship of God with the worship of idols as they had practiced in Shomron.—Radak</i>—who were idolatrous,</html>

<html><b>And Adonoy enacted a covenant with them.</b> When He gave them the Torah at Mount Sinai.</html>