Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Kings 17:2

"And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, yet not as the kings of Israel that were before him." — 2 Kings 17:2 (ASV)

But not as the kings of Israel who were before him. —The preceding phrase is used of all the northern kings except for Shallum, who reigned for only a month and had no time to display his religious policy. We can hardly assume that Hoshea abandoned the calf-worship of Bethel, but he may have discountenanced the cultus of the Baals and Asheras. The Seder Olam states that Hoshea did not replace the calf of Bethel, which, it assumes, had been carried off by the Assyrians in accordance with the prophecy of Hosea (Hosea 10:5). We may remember that the last sovereigns of falling monarchies have not always been the worst of their line—for example, Charles I or Louis XVI.