HOSHEA (Heb. for "deliverance"), the last king of Israel, in the Bible. The attempt of his predecessor Pekah to take Jeru salem with the help of his ally Rasun (Rezin) of Damascus was frustrated by the intervention of Tiglath-Pileser III. (see AHAZ), who attacked Gilead, Galilee and the north frontier, and carried off some of its population (cf. I Chron. v. 26). Pekah's resistance to Assyria led to a conspiracy in which he lost his life, and Hoshea the son of Elah became king (2 Ki. xv. 27-3o). The Assyrian king held him as his vassal (and indeed claims to have set him on the throne) , and exacted from him a yearly tribute. After the death of Tiglath-Pileser, Israel regained confidence (Isa. ix. 8–x. 4) and took steps to recover its independence. Its policy vacillated —"like a silly dove" (Hosea vii. 11)—and at length negotiations were opened with the Egyptian So, possibly Shabaka or one of the Delta princelets. The annual payment of tribute ceased and Shal maneser V. (who began to reign in 727 B.c.) invaded Israel, im prisoned Hoshea, and laid siege to Samaria, which fell at the end of three years (722 B.c.). The achievement is claimed by his successor Sargon. The land was again partly depopulated and a governor appointed (2 Ki. xviii. 9-12; cf. xvii. i seq.) . For other allusions to this period see HOSEA, ISAIAH.