Melachim Bais 17:9

9 And the Bnei Yisroel did secretly those things that were not right against Hashem Eloheihem, and they built for them [idolatrous] high places in all their towns, from the migdal of the notzerim (watchmen) to the fortified city.

Melachim Bais 17:9 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 17:9

And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were
not right against the Lord their God
As being partly conscious to themselves that they were not right, and ashamed to commit them openly; and partly as foolishly imagining, that, being done privately, they were not seen and observed of God, having imbibed some atheistical notions of him, that he was not omniscient, or saw not, and had forsaken the earth; or they "covered" ^F7 these actions of theirs under reigned and plausible pretences, that what they did they were obliged to by their kings, and with political views, and that they worshipped the true God in the calves; but these were coverings too thin not to be seen through:

and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of
the watchmen to the fenced city;
not content with those built in former times, they built new ones; and these not in their metropolis only, but in all the cities of the kingdom; and not in large cities only, but in every town and village between one fortified city and another; even wherever there was a watch tower erected, either for shepherds to watch their flocks, or for keepers of gardens, orchards, and vineyards, to watch the fruits of them, that they were not taken away.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F7 (wapxy) "occultaverunt", Montanus, Vatablus, Grotius; "palliaverunt", Piscator.

Melachim Bais 17:9 In-Context

7 For so it was, that the Bnei Yisroel had sinned against Hashem Eloheihem Who had brought them up out of Eretz Mitzrayim, from under the yad of Pharaoh Melech Mitzrayim, had feared elohim acherim,

8 Walked in the chukkot of the Goyim, whom Hashem cast out from before the Bnei Yisroel, and [in the chukkot] of the Malkhei Yisroel, which they had made up.

9 And the Bnei Yisroel did secretly those things that were not right against Hashem Eloheihem, and they built for them [idolatrous] high places in all their towns, from the migdal of the notzerim (watchmen) to the fortified city.

10 And they set up for them matzevot and Asherim on every high hill, under every lushly foliaged green tree;

11 And there they burned ketoret in all the high places, as did the Goyim whom Hashem drove out before them; and wrought devarim ra’im (wicked things) to provoke Hashem to anger;