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

2 KINGS 17:5KJV
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2 Kings 17:5 (KJV)

What does 2 Kings 17:5 mean?

2 Kings 17:5 describes how the king of Assyria invaded the entire land of Israel, advanced to the capital city Samaria, and laid siege to it for three years. This verse marks the beginning of the end for the northern kingdom of Israel, as the Assyrian army surrounds Samaria and cuts it off from help or escape.

The book of 2 Kings is recounting the historical moment when Assyria, the dominant empire of the time, moved against Israel. The "king of Assyria" refers to the Assyrian ruler leading this campaign. The siege of Samaria was a drawn-out military tactic, lasting three years, and it led directly to the fall of the city and the exile of its people. This event is a turning point in Israel’s history and sets up the following verses, which describe the consequences of this defeat.

The Hebrew behind 2 Kings 17:5

  • "besieged" (צָר / tsar): This word means to lay siege, to surround a city with hostile intent. The use of this term emphasizes the total isolation and pressure faced by Samaria, showing that escape or relief was impossible for a long period.
  • "three" (שָׁלוֹשׁ / shalosh) and "years" (שָׁנָה / shanah): The text specifically notes the siege lasted three years, highlighting the severity and endurance of the attack. This was not a quick conquest but a prolonged suffering for the people inside the city.

Why 2 Kings 17:5 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the fall of Samaria was not immediate but came after a lengthy and difficult siege, which would have caused great hardship for those trapped inside.
  • The detail about the three-year siege helps explain the seriousness of Assyria’s determination and the helplessness of Israel at this point in its history.
  • Understanding this verse in its context shows how it leads directly to the exile of Israel, a major event that shaped the rest of the Old Testament narrative.

Where else these words appear

“besieged” Hebrew H6696 · used in 38 verses

  • Exodus 23:22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.
  • 1 Kings 15:27 And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon.
  • Esther 8:11 Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,

“Samaria” Hebrew H8111 · used in 101 verses

  • 1 Kings 13:32 For the saying which he cried by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass.
  • 2 Kings 10:36 And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years.
  • 2 Chronicles 28:9 But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven.

“Assyria” Hebrew H804 · used in 138 verses

  • Genesis 2:14 And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.
  • 2 Kings 23:29 In his days Pharaohnechoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him; and he slew him at Megiddo, when he had seen him.
  • Isaiah 36:13 Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria.