The Book of Isaiah

Chapter 1 V.1 Part 5.2

2Ki 18:9  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.

2Ki 18:10  And at the end of three years they took it: [even] in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that [is] the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken.

2Ki 18:11  And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor [by] the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:

2Ki 18:12  Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, [and] all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear [them], nor do [them].

I’m noting the numbers listed in this section. The fourth year of king Hezekiah. In biblical times the use of 4 was a symbol of completeness of range, of comprehensive extent. It is also used to represent the Spirit as it is a portion of the number 40 which, for those who read my study on the The Cycle of Forty, know that it is the number of the spirit. So what I see in that verse was that this event occurred in the year in which Hezekiah was walking in line with the Spirit, or the Spirit moved ahead of him, and he followed.

Then we have the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel. Seven was the expression of the highest power, the greatest conceivable fullness of force, and was regarded as the number of totality, of completeness. The Biblical use of 7 may be conveniently considered under 4 heads:

(1) ritual use;

(2) historical use;

(3) didactic or literary use;

(4) apocalyptic use.

In this case, I think the use was apocalyptic. First of all, if you read about Hoshea, you will know that he completely disobeyed God, and I really believe that this seven represented the completion of God putting up with his mess. In other words, God’s patience was done or complete, or Hoshea had reached full completion in his disobedience, and now…it is time to pay the piper.

Hosea or Hoshea or Oshea = “salvation”

1) family name of Joshua, the son of Nun

2) the 19th and last king of the northern kingdom of Israel

3) son of Beeri, and the first of the minor prophets; prophet to the northern kingdom of Israel in the reign of Jeroboam II

4) a son of Azaziah, a chief of Ephraim in the time of David

5) an Israelite chief who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah

It’s interesting how this man went so against the meaning of his name. He strayed so far from who he was. I think it can safely be said that this is an example of what happens when we try to escape our destiny, or shape one for ourselves outside of the will of God. We have to learn to recognize our limitations as well as our giftings, and flow in that, and not waste time in envying what others are gifted to do or be.  Note the connection to Joshua, who had total victory throughout his time of leadership.

Elah = “An oak”

Israel = “God prevails”

Shalmaneser = “fire-worshipper”

1) Assyrian king who probably reigned between Tiglath-pileser and Sargon; invaded the northern kingdom of Israel when the last king Hoshea was on the throne; forced Hoshea to pay tribute but had to reinvade when Hoshea reneged; it is uncertain whether Shalmaneser or Sargon concluded the siege which finally ended the northern kingdom

a) maybe a common name for Assyrian kings in the 8th century BC

Asshur or Assyria = “a step”

1) the second son of Shem, eponymous ancestor of the Assyrians

2) the people of Assyria

3) the nation, Assyria

4) the land, Assyria or Asshur

Samaria = “watch mountain”

2Ki 18:10  And at the end of three years they took it: [even] in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that [is] the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken.

Three is often found of persons and things sacred or secular. It is the number of Jesus, the trinity, of the death and resurrection and so on. It is also a number of completion. The sixth and ninth year are derivatives of three, and I see a solidifying of the number three in the fact that it was three times itself. So Hoshea was done. There was no salvation for him.

2Ki 18:11  And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor [by] the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:

Halah = “painful”

1) a city or district in Mesopotamia under Assyrian control where the Israelite captives were taken

Habor = “joining”

1) a tributary of the Euphrates River in Assyria

Gozan = “a cutting off”

1) the Mesopotamian city on or near the middle of the Euphrates where exiled Israelites were settled

Media or Medes or Madai = “middle land”

1) a people descended from the son of Japheth and who inhabited the territory of Media

2) land inhabited by the descendants of Japheth; located northwest of Persia proper, south and southwest of the Caspian Sea, east of Armenia and Assyria, and west and northwest of the great salt desert of Iram

2Ki 18:12  Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, [and] all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear [them], nor do [them].

So basically, they were put in a painful place joining a middle land that left them cut off from God.