Shalmaneser

Shalmaneser, also referred to as Shalman, was an Assyrian king mentioned in 2 Kings 17:3, 2 Kings 18:9, and Hosea 10:14. He played a significant role in the history of the northern kingdom of Israel. During the reign of Hoshea, the last king of Israel, Shalmaneser attacked the kingdom and forced Hoshea to become his vassal. However, when Hoshea conspired against Shalmaneser by seeking help from Egypt, the Assyrian king besieged Samaria, the capital of Israel. After a three-year siege, Shalmaneser captured the city and exiled the Israelites to various parts of the Assyrian empire, effectively ending the northern kingdom. The conquest of Israel by Shalmaneser fulfilled the prophetic warnings of judgment against the nation for their persistent idolatry and disobedience to God. In Hosea 10:14, the prophet likens the destruction that would come upon Israel to the devastation caused by Shalman, possibly referring to Shalmaneser's campaign against Samaria.