JAREB*

Name used by Hosea to designate an Assyrian king (Hos 5:13). Because no such name is to be found in the Assyrian king lists, some have conjectured that it designated Sargon, but this is mere speculation. In all probability Hosea chose this name (which in Hebrew means “contentious”) to describe the opposition that Ephraim and Judah would encounter from a contentious king in Assyria because of Israel’s sin (10:6).