Passage

Hoshea and the earlier kings

Source and translation

World English Bible, Protestant Edition · Public domain · en

View source

²He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, yet not as the kings of Israel who were before him.

2 Kings 17:2World English Bible, Protestant Edition

The scene

Hoshea does evil in the LORD's sight, though the account distinguishes him from the earlier kings of Israel.

To understand

Verse 1 names Hoshea as king in Samaria. Verse 3 describes the arrival of the Assyrian king Shalmaneser, after which Hoshea becomes his servant and pays tribute.

A question

Does the comparison with earlier kings change the judgment made about Hoshea's actions?