2 Kings 17:5

throughout all the land It seems to have been the usual plan of invaders to overrun the places more easily conquerable before they assailed the chief stronghold.

besieged it three years Samaria from its position on a hill and from the pains bestowed on its building must have been a city of considerable strength for those days. It seems from the records that the city was not taken by the Assyrians during the reign of Shalmaneser, but in the beginning of the reign of Sargon his successor. See Smith, Assyrian Canon, p. 201. In view of this statement the language of the Bible is very remarkable. At the beginning of this chapter the movements are ascribed to Shalmaneser, but in verse 6 it is only said -the king of Assyria took Samaria". And when the subject is mentioned again 2 Kings 18:9-10, though stating that -Shalmaneser came up against Samaria and besieged it", he continues -and at the end of three years theytook it", thus, though apparently quite undesignedly, giving support to the chronology which is established by the monuments. See note there.