2 Kings 17:8-18

8 and ¹walked in the customs of the nations whom the LORD had driven out before * the sons of Israel, and in the customs ²of the kings of Israel which they had introduced.

9 The sons of Israel did things secretly which were not right against the LORD their God. Moreover, they built for themselves high places in all their towns, from ³watchtower to fortified city.

10 ⁴They set for themselves sacred pillars and ⁵Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree,

11 and there they burned incense on all the high places as the nations did which the LORD had carried away to exile before * them; and they did evil things provoking the LORD.

12 They served idols, ⁶concerning which the LORD had said to them, "You shall not do this thing."

13 Yet the ⁷LORD warned Israel and Judah ⁸through all His prophets and ⁹every seer, saying, "¹⁰Turn from your evil ways and keep My commandments, My statutes according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you through My servants the prophets."

14 However, they did not listen, but ¹¹stiffened their neck like their fathers, who did not believe in the LORD their God.

15 ¹²They rejected His statutes and ¹³His covenant which He made with their fathers and His warnings with which He warned them. And ¹⁴they followed * vanity and ¹⁵became vain, and went after the nations which surrounded them, concerning which the ¹⁶LORD had commanded them not to do like them.

16 They forsook all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves molten images, even ¹⁷two calves, and ¹⁸made an Asherah and ¹⁹worshiped all the host of heaven and ²⁰served Baal.

17 Then ²¹they made their sons and their daughters pass through the fire, and ²²practiced divination and enchantments, and ²³sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him.

18 So the LORD was very angry with Israel and ²⁴removed them from His sight; ²⁵none was left except * the tribe of Judah.

2 Kings 17:8-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 17

This chapter relates the captivity of the ten tribes of Israel, and how it came about, 2Ki 17:1-6, the cause of it, their idolatry, which they persisted in, notwithstanding the remonstrances made against it, 2Ki 17:7-23, in whose stead were placed people from different parts, who exercised a mixed religion, partly Heathenish, and partly Israelitish, 2Ki 17:24.

Cross References

• 1. Leviticus 18:3; Deuteronomy 18:9
• 2. 2 Kings 16:3; 2 Kings 17:19
• 3. 2 Kings 18:8
• 4. Exodus 34:12-14
• 5. 1 Kings 14:23; Micah 5:14
• 6. Exodus 20:4
• 7. Nehemiah 9:29, 30
• 8. 2 Kings 17:23
• 9. 1 Samuel 9:9
• 10. Jeremiah 7:3-7; Jeremiah 18:11; Ezekiel 18:31
• 11. Exodus 32:9; Exodus 33:3; Acts 7:51
• 12. Jeremiah 8:9
• 13. Exodus 24:6-8; Deuteronomy 29:25
• 14. Deuteronomy 32:21
• 15. Jeremiah 2:5; Romans 1:21-23
• 16. Deuteronomy 12:30, 31
• 17. 1 Kings 12:28
• 18. 1 Kings 14:15, 23
• 19. Deuteronomy 4:19; 2 Kings 21:3
• 20. 1 Kings 16:31
• 21. 2 Kings 16:3
• 22. Leviticus 19:26; Deuteronomy 18:10-12
• 23. 1 Kings 21:20
• 24. 2 Kings 17:6
• 25. 1 Kin 11:13, 32, 36

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "statutes"
• [b]. Lit "made"
• [c]. Or "uttered words which"
• [d]. I.e. wooden symbols of a female deity
• [e]. Lit "like the neck of"
• [f]. I.e. a wooden symbol of a female deity
• [g]. Lit "face"