So
Egypt's Pharaoh
So was an Egyptian king (pharaoh) to whom Hosea, the last king of Israel, sent messengers seeking an alliance against Assyria. This alliance failed, and Hosea's rebellion against Assyria led to the siege of Samaria and the fall of the Northern Kingdom. So is mentioned only once in the Bible, but his role is significant as background for Israel's final downfall.
Key events
Hosea's Alliance Attempt with So
Israel's King Hosea sent messengers to So, the king of Egypt, seeking military support against Assyria. This was a desperate attempt to break free from Assyrian domination.
4But the king of Assyria uncovered a conspiracy: Hoshea had sent messengers to So, king of Egypt, and had not paid the tribute to the king of Assyria as he had done year by year. So the king of Assyria seized him and bound him in prison.
וַיִּמְצָא֩ מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֨וּר בְּהוֹשֵׁ֜עַ קֶ֗שֶׁר אֲשֶׁ֨ר שָׁלַ֤ח מַלְאָכִים֙ אֶל־ס֣וֹא מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֔יִם וְלֹא־הֶעֱלָ֥ה מִנְחָ֛ה לְמֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּׁ֖וּר כְּשָׁנָ֣ה בְשָׁנָ֑ה וַֽיַּעְ[t]צְרֵ֙הוּ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר וַיַּאַסְרֵ֖הוּ בֵּ֥ית כֶּֽלֶא׃
Assyrian Reaction to the Alliance
When Assyria's King Shalmaneser discovered Hosea's betrayal and secret pact with Egypt, he imprisoned Hosea and began the siege of Samaria.
4But the king of Assyria uncovered a conspiracy: Hoshea had sent messengers to So, king of Egypt, and had not paid the tribute to the king of Assyria as he had done year by year. So the king of Assyria seized him and bound him in prison.
וַיִּמְצָא֩ מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֨וּר בְּהוֹשֵׁ֜עַ קֶ֗שֶׁר אֲשֶׁ֨ר שָׁלַ֤ח מַלְאָכִים֙ אֶל־ס֣וֹא מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֔יִם וְלֹא־הֶעֱלָ֥ה מִנְחָ֛ה לְמֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּׁ֖וּר כְּשָׁנָ֣ה בְשָׁנָ֑ה וַֽיַּעְ[t]צְרֵ֙הוּ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר וַיַּאַסְרֵ֖הוּ בֵּ֥ית כֶּֽלֶא׃
5Then the king of Assyria invaded the whole land, marched against Samaria, and besieged it for three years.
וַיַּ֥עַל מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֖וּר בְּכָל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיַּ֙עַל֙ שֹׁמְר֔וֹן וַיָּ֥צַר עָלֶ֖יהָ שָׁלֹ֥שׁ שָׁנִֽים׃
The Fall of Samaria and Israel's Exile
After a three-year siege, Samaria fell in 722 BC. The population of the Northern Kingdom was deported to Assyria, marking the end of the northern kingdom of Israel.
5Then the king of Assyria invaded the whole land, marched against Samaria, and besieged it for three years.
וַיַּ֥עַל מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֖וּר בְּכָל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיַּ֙עַל֙ שֹׁמְר֔וֹן וַיָּ֥צַר עָלֶ֖יהָ שָׁלֹ֥שׁ שָׁנִֽים׃
6In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported Israel to Assyria, settling them in Halah, on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
בִּשְׁנַ֨ת הַתְּשִׁיעִ֜ית לְהוֹשֵׁ֗עַ לָכַ֤ד מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁוּר֙ אֶת־שֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן וַיֶּ֥גֶל אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אַשּׁ֑וּרָה וַיֹּ֨שֶׁב אֹתָ֜ם בַּחְלַ֧ח וּבְחָב֛וֹר נְהַ֥ר גּוֹזָ֖ן וְעָרֵ֥י מָדָֽי׃ פ
God's Judgment on Israel
The Bible explains that Israel's fall was due to the people's sin and idolatry. The alliance with Egypt instead of trusting in God was part of this apostasy.
7All this happened because the Israelites had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, out from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They feared other gods
וַיְהִ֗י כִּֽי־חָטְא֤וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לַיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֔ם הַמַּעֲלֶ֤ה אֹתָם֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם מִתַּ֕חַת יַ֖ד פַּרְעֹ֣ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרָ֑יִם וַיִּֽירְא֖וּ אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִֽים׃
8and followed the customs of the nations the LORD had driven out before them, and the practices the kings of Israel had introduced.
וַיֵּֽלְכוּ֙ בְּחֻקּ֣וֹת הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ הוֹרִ֣ישׁ יְהוָ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּמַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשֽׂוּ׃
9The Israelites secretly did things against the LORD their God that were not right. They built themselves high places in all their towns, from watchtower to fortified city.
וַיְחַפְּא֣וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל דְּבָרִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־כֵ֔ן עַל־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּבְנ֨וּ לָהֶ֤ם בָּמוֹת֙ בְּכָל־עָ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם מִמִּגְדַּ֥ל נוֹצְרִ֖ים עַד־עִ֥יר מִבְצָֽר׃
10They set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles for themselves on every high hill and under every green tree.
וַיַּצִּ֧בוּ לָהֶ֛ם מַצֵּב֖וֹת וַאֲשֵׁרִ֑ים עַ֚ל כָּל־גִּבְעָ֣ה גְבֹהָ֔ה וְתַ֖חַת כָּל־עֵ֥ץ רַעֲנָֽן׃
11There, on every high place, they burned incense, just like the nations whom the LORD had carried into exile before them. They did wicked things that provoked the LORD to anger.
וַיְקַטְּרוּ־שָׁם֙ בְּכָל־בָּמ֔וֹת כַּגּוֹיִ֕ם אֲשֶׁר־הֶגְלָ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם וַֽיַּעֲשׂוּ֙ דְּבָרִ֣ים רָעִ֔ים לְהַכְעִ֖יס אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃
12They served idols, though the LORD had said to them, "You shall not do this."
וַיַּֽעַבְד֖וּ הַגִּלֻּלִ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ לָהֶ֔ם לֹ֥א תַעֲשׂ֖וּ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃
Prophetic Warning Against an Alliance with Egypt
The prophet Isaiah repeatedly warned against relying on Egypt for military help instead of trusting in the Lord. So's inability to help Israel confirmed these warnings.
1Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are strong — but who do not look to the Holy One of Israel or seek the LORD.
ה֣וֹי הַיֹּרְדִ֤ים מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לְעֶזְרָ֔ה עַל־סוּסִ֖ים יִשָּׁעֵ֑נוּ וַיִּבְטְח֨וּ עַל־רֶ֜כֶב כִּ֣י רָ֗ב וְעַ֤ל פָּֽרָשִׁים֙ כִּֽי־עָצְמ֣וּ מְאֹ֔ד וְלֹ֤א שָׁעוּ֙ עַל־קְד֣וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאֶת־יְהוָ֖ה לֹ֥א דָרָֽשׁוּ׃
2Yet he too is wise, and he brings disaster; he does not take back his words. He will rise against the house of evildoers and against the help of those who do wrong.
וְגַם־ה֤וּא חָכָם֙ וַיָּ֣בֵא רָ֔ע וְאֶת־דְּבָרָ֖יו לֹ֣א הֵסִ֑יר וְקָם֙ עַל־בֵּ֣ית מְרֵעִ֔ים וְעַל־עֶזְרַ֖ת פֹּ֥עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃
3The Egyptians are only human, not God; their horses are flesh, not spirit. When the LORD stretches out his hand, the helper will stumble and the one helped will fall, and both will perish together.
וּמִצְרַ֤יִם אָדָם֙ וְֽלֹא־אֵ֔ל וְסוּסֵיהֶ֥ם בָּשָׂ֖ר וְלֹא־ר֑וּחַ וַֽיהוָ֞ה יַטֶּ֣ה יָד֗וֹ וְכָשַׁ֤ל עוֹזֵר֙ וְנָפַ֣ל עָזֻ֔ר וְיַחְדָּ֖ו כֻּלָּ֥ם יִכְלָיֽוּן׃ ס