Matthew Poole and continuators on Hosea 10:14

14 Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people , and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled , as Shalman spoiled Beth-arbel in the day of battel : the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children .

Since such are their sins, and such will be their disappointments, since their refuges will be so vain▪ and their Enemies so many and strong.

A discontent, murmure and outery as of men affrighted, not knowing what course to take when the alarm is given, and certain newes cometh, that Salmaneser comes with his Army against the Kingdom of Israel.

The Israelites among all sorts of people, among all the Tribes of the Kingdom,

Every one of thy strong holds, those impregnable fortifications on which thou hast laid out all, that art and diligence could, to make them able to break the power of the enemy that dares besiege them, these, every one of them (as Heb. construction bears it) shall be wasted.

It is most probably spoken of Salman-eser, though abbreviated, which is usual in all writings of History, so Alexander or Pompey, without the addition of Great, and so here Salman without eser, or Sirnamed Prince.

Possibly Arbel here may be the name of a man whose house and Family Shalman destroyed, and so this passage might be read, the house of Arbel, but the more likely reading is, as we read it, so 'tis the name of some Country, or City, or both. We meet with a City of this name, famous for the overthrow which Alexander gave to Darius, and probable it is, that this might be that Arbel or Beth-arbel here spoken of, rebuilt and grown great again, since the sack of it by Shalman, which was at least 400 years before the overthrow of Darius: It was a City of Assyria, and gave name Arbelis to a Countrey or Region, part of Assyria, and lay somewhat below Arpad.

Of this war we no where else read, it is likely 'twas not long before the war with Samaria and the ten Tribes, that the memory of that severity was fresh, and the particulars then well known.

All were put to the sword, and the City utterly destroyed.

Marginal references: 2 King. 18.34. and 19.13.; chap. 13.16.