Charles Ellicott Commentary Hosea 10:14

"Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be destroyed, as Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces with her children." — Hosea 10:14 (ASV)

Then comes the crash of the thunder-peal. The prophet seems to hear the advance of the invading army, and see the fall of Samaria’s fortress.

Shalman. —The references in the margin are not to the same historic event. The allusion is very obscure.

Schrader (Keilinschriften, 2nd ed., pp. 440-442) suggests two theories.

One theory is that it refers to an episode in the campaign of Shalmaneser III to the “cedar country” (Lebanon), in 775 B.C., or to Damascus in 773. He might then have penetrated into the Transjordanic country and destroyed Arbela, near Pella (Beth-arbel).

The other theory, that we have here a mention of the Moabitish king Salmanu, whose name occurs in Tiglath-pileser’s inscription, is far-fetched and improbable.

On the other hand, Geiger, following the hint of Jerome, identifies Shalman with Zalmunna (Judges 8:18).

The kind of barbarity here referred to is illustrated by 2 Kings 8:12; Psalms 137:8–9.