מלכים ב, פרק י״ז, פסוק ג׳

The expansive military campaigns of the Assyrian Empire, pushing steadily southward toward Egypt, inevitably brought their forces into direct conflict with the Kingdom of Israel [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Following this aggressive advance, Hoshea, the king of Israel, was forced to accept the authority of Shalmaneser and submit to his rule.

Although Hoshea was reduced to the status of a servant, this was not a condition of literal slavery. In a legal sense, a true slave owns no property and therefore cannot offer gifts to a master. Instead, this title reflects a state of partial political subjugation, marked by the strict requirement to pay a tax. This payment was framed as a gift or present, either to maintain a sense of diplomatic respect [חומת אנך] or because the tax itself was unofficial in nature [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The delivery of this tribute reveals the deeper nature of Hoshea's submission. The arrangement was not a simple, one-time handover but an ongoing obligation, with Hoshea paying the tax and repeating the payment year after year to maintain his standing [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל].

Alternatively, the specific nature of this payment was rooted in earlier political shifts. Hoshea had previously been a vassal to the former Assyrian king, Tiglath-Pileser. Upon that king's death, Hoshea took advantage of the transition of power, launched a rebellion, and stopped paying his taxes. When Shalmaneser eventually marched against him and reestablished control, Hoshea was not merely forced to resume his regular payments. He was compelled to pay retroactively all the tribute he had withheld during the years of his rebellion [מלבי״ם].