מלכים ב, פרק י״ז, פסוק א׳

The final chapter of the northern kingdom of Israel unfolds under the rule of Hoshea, its last king. The historical timeline of his reign presents a notable chronological puzzle when compared to earlier accounts. Earlier records indicate that Hoshea took power much earlier, ruling for over sixteen years. Yet, the current timeline states he began his reign later and ruled for only nine years. The primary approach among commentators is to resolve this gap by dividing his time in power into two distinct phases. Initially, Hoshea did not rule as an independent monarch. Instead, he served merely as a governor and a vassal subject to the king of Assyria [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד, רלב״ג].

The second phase began years later when Hoshea launched a rebellion against the Assyrian empire and declared his independence. Therefore, the nine years of his reign counted here do not reflect his entire time on the throne. Rather, they represent only the years he ruled as an independent king during this rebellion, leading up to the ultimate fall of the capital [רש״י, רד״ק, אברבנאל].

Alongside this historical timeline, a profound question arises regarding the timing of the nation's downfall. Why was the kingdom of Israel condemned to exile specifically during Hoshea's reign, especially since he was considered less wicked than the kings who came before him? The answer lies in a dramatic shift in his policy. Previous kings of Israel had stationed guards and roadblocks to prevent the people from traveling to Jerusalem. Hoshea, however, removed these restrictions.

While seemingly a positive step, this decision shifted the burden of guilt directly from the king to the people. Once the masses were given the freedom to choose, they still chose to pursue idolatry rather than travel to the Temple in Jerusalem. Because of this, the sin was no longer just the fault of the leadership; it became the collective guilt of the entire nation, prompting God to decree their exile. The tragedy of the northern kingdom falling before the southern kingdom of Judah was rooted in their initial separation. The division of the kingdom and their deliberate distancing from the royal line of David served as the foundation for their spiritual decay, a decline that eventually impacted Judah as well [אלשיך].