The Fall of Samaria

It's interesting that the writer of 2 Kings revisits the story of the fall of Samaria when recounting the life of Hezekiah, especially since the sin of the northern kingdom is detailed in the previous chapter, 2 Kings 17. Apparently, he wants us to see the contrast between the two kings and their kingdoms.

Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, put king Hoshea and Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom, under siege. The siege lasted 3 years, and in the sixth year of Hezekiah's reign over Judah, Samaria fell and her residents were deported to Assyria. And,

"this happened because they had not obeyed the LORD their God, but had violated His covenant - all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded. They neither listened to the commands nor carried them out. (2 Kings 18:12)"

In contrast, Hezekiah, "did what was right in the eyes of the LORD... (2 Kings 18:3)" The character of the kings was opposite, and the outcome for their kingdoms was too.