1. IN THE twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea son of Elah began his nine-year reign in Samaria over Israel.
2. He did evil in the sight of the Lord, but not as Israel's kings before him did.
3. Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria, and Hoshea became his servant and brought him tribute.
4. But the king of Assyria found treachery in Hoshea, for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt and offered no tribute 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 invaded all the land and went up to Samaria and besieged it for three years.
6. In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria and carried the Israelites away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan and in the cities of the Medes.