In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel;
In those days the Lord began to cut Israel short. The national calamities to which allusion is made were occasioned, it is supposed, by cause about to be mentioned. Jehu, shortly after his obtaining possession of the Israelite throne, thought to strengthen his interests by alliance with Assyria; and accordingly he sent presents to Divanubara, who, according to Sir H. Rawlinson, was at that time the reigning monarch. This movement of Jehu gave deep umbrage to his northern neighbour, Hazel, the king of Syria, who, jealous of the interference of the Assyrian rulers in his vicinity, declared war against Jehu; and by many successful attacks on the outlying provinces of Israel, made serious inroads on the territory of that kingdom (see the notes at 2 Kings 14:25). That the king of Assyria received tribute from Jehu is well known from the black obelisk where he is called 'son of Khumri' (Omri). Jehu might have been descended from Omri on the mother's side. But the subsequent discovery of a short inscription of Shalmaneser II, king of Assyria, proves that Jehu sent tribute to Assyria in the eighteenth year of his reign. But whether this was the first time or not is not said. The inscription on the Nimroud obelisk, which contains a representation of Israelites bringing tribute to Shalmaneser II, bears to be from Jehu, 'son of Omri' - i:e., descended from the founder of Samaria; and the tribute consisted of gold and silver specie, together with vases, rings, seals, and other articles of manufacture in the precious metals.