2 Kings 17:18

18 So the LORD was very angry with Israel, and He removed them from His presence. Only the tribe of Judah remained,

2 Kings 17:18 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 17:18

Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel
Nothing being more provoking to him than idolatry:

and removed them out of his sight;
not out of the reach of his all seeing eye, but from all tokens of his favour, from the good land he had given them, and all the benefits and privileges of it:

there was none left but the tribe of Judah only;
and part of Benjamin, which was annexed to it, and incorporated in it, and made one kingdom, and maintained the same worship; and there was the lot of Simeon, which was within the tribe of Judah; and the priests and the Levites, and various individuals of the several tribes, that came and settled among them for the sake of worship; but no perfect, distinct, tribe besides.

2 Kings 17:18 In-Context

16 They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves two cast idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the host of heaven and served Baal.

17 They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire and practiced divination and soothsaying. They devoted themselves to doing evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.

18 So the LORD was very angry with Israel, and He removed them from His presence. Only the tribe of Judah remained,

19 and even Judah did not keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but lived according to the customs Israel had introduced.

20 So the LORD rejected all the descendants of Israel. He afflicted them and delivered them into the hands of plunderers, until He had banished them from His presence.