2 Kings 17:28-41

28 So one of the priests whom they had carried away into exile from Samaria came and lived at Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD.

29 But every nation still made gods of its own and put them ¹in the houses of the high places which the people of Samaria had made, every nation in their cities in which they lived.

30 ²The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima,

31 and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and ³the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to ⁴Adrammelech and Anammelech the gods of ⁵Sepharvaim.

32 ⁶They also feared the LORD and ⁷appointed from among themselves priests of the high places, who acted for them in the houses of the high places.

33 They feared the LORD and served their own gods according to the custom of the nations from among whom they had been carried away into exile.

34 To this day they do according to the earlier customs: they do not fear the LORD, nor do they follow their statutes or their ordinances or the law, or the commandments which the LORD commanded the sons of Jacob, ⁸whom He named * Israel;

35 with whom the LORD made a covenant and commanded them, saying, "⁹You shall not fear other gods, nor ¹⁰bow down yourselves to them nor ¹¹serve them nor sacrifice to them.

36 "But the LORD, ¹²who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and with ¹³an outstretched arm, ¹⁴Him you shall fear, and to Him you shall bow yourselves down, and to Him you shall sacrifice.

37 "The statutes and the ordinances and the law and the commandment which He wrote for you, ¹⁵you shall observe to do forever *; and you shall not fear other gods.

38 "The covenant that I have made with you, ¹⁶you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods.

39 "But the LORD your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies."

40 However, they did not listen, but they did according to their earlier custom.

41 ¹⁷So while these nations feared the LORD, they also served their idols; their children likewise and their grandchildren, as their fathers did, so they do to this day.

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2 Kings 17:28-41 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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 17

1. 1 Kings 12:31; 1 Kings 13:32
2. 2 Kings 17:24
3. 2 Kings 17:17
4. 2 Kings 19:37
5. 2 Kings 17:24
6. Zephaniah 1:5
7. 1 Kings 12:31
8. Genesis 32:28; Genesis 35:10
9. Judges 6:10
10. Exodus 20:5
11. Deuteronomy 5:9
12. Exodus 14:15-30
13. Exodus 6:6; Exodus 9:15
14. Leviticus 19:32; Deuteronomy 6:13
15. Deuteronomy 5:32
16. Deuteronomy 4:23; Deuteronomy 6:12
17. Zephaniah 1:5; Matthew 6:24

Footnotes 3

[a]. Lit "made for themselves from among"
[b]. Lit "do according to"
[c]. Or "graven images"