2 Kings 17:8

8 and went by the custom of heathen men, which the Lord had wasted in the sight of the sons of Israel (whom the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites), and (the custom) of the kings of Israel, for they had done in like manner.

2 Kings 17:8 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 17:8

And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the Lord cast
out from before the children of Israel
Meaning the Canaanites, in whose idolatrous ways they walked, and whom they imitated; though their ejection out of the land should have been a warning to them, and they were the more inexcusable, as they were particularly cautioned against walking in them, ( Leviticus 18:3 )

and of the kings of Israel, which they had made;
their laws and statutes, to worship the golden calves, and not go up to Jerusalem to worship.

2 Kings 17:8 In-Context

6 Forsooth in the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyrians took Samaria, and translated Israel into (the) Assyrians (and carried away all the Israelites to Assyria); and he put them in Halah, and in Habor, beside the flood [of] Gozan, (and) in the cities of (the) Medes.

7 Forsooth it was done, when the sons of Israel had sinned before their Lord God, that led them out of the land of Egypt, from (under) the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, they worshipped alien gods; (For it was, that the Israelites had sinned before the Lord their God, who had led them out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, for they worshipped foreign, or other, gods,)

8 and went by the custom of heathen men, which the Lord had wasted in the sight of the sons of Israel (whom the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites), and (the custom) of the kings of Israel, for they had done in like manner.

9 And the sons of Israel offended their Lord God by words not rightful, and they builded to themselves high things in all their cities, from the tower of (the) keepers unto a strengthened city. (And the Israelites offended the Lord their God with things that were not right, and they built for themselves hill shrines in all their cities, from a watchman's tower unto a fortified city.)

10 And they made to them(selves) images, and maumet woods, in each high hill, and under each tree full of boughs; (And they set up images, or idols, for themselves, and idol groves, or sacred poles, on each high hill, and under each tree full of boughs;)