1. In the twelfth year of King Ahaz of Judah, Hoshea son of Elah became king in Samaria over Israel, and he reigned nine years.
2. He did what was evil in Adonai’s eyes, yet not as the kings of Israel who were before him.
3. King Shalmaneser of Assyria marched against him, so Hoshea became his vassal and paid him tribute.
4. But the king of Assyria caught Hoshea conspiring—he had sent messengers to King So of Egypt, and had not paid the tribute to the king of Assyria as he had done every year. Therefore the king of Assyria seized him and put him in prison.
5. Then the king of Assyria invaded the entire country, marched up to Samaria, and besieged it for three years.