2 Kings 17:13

13 The LORD warned Israel and Judah through all of his prophets and seers. He said, "Turn from your evil ways. Keep my commands and rules. Obey every part of my Law. I commanded your people who lived long ago to obey it. And I gave it to you through my servants the prophets."

2 Kings 17:13 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 17:13

Yet the Lord testified against Israel, and against Judah, by
all the prophets, [and by] all the seers
Against their sins, reproving them for them, dehorting them from them, exhorting them to repent and leave them; as in all preceding reigns, by Ahijah the Shilonite, by Elijah and Elisha, by Hosea, Amos, and Micah, and others:

saying, turn ye from your ways;
repent of them, and reform from them, worship of the calves particularly:

and keep my commandments, and my statutes, according to all the law
which I commanded your fathers;
which was given them and enjoined them at Mount Sinai:

and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets;
by whom he put them in mind of them, explained them, and urged obedience to them.

2 Kings 17:13 In-Context

11 The LORD had driven out nations to make room for Israel. But the people of Israel burned incense at every high place, just as those nations had done. The Israelites did evil things that made the LORD very angry.

12 They worshiped statues of gods. They did it even though the LORD had said, "Do not do that."

13 The LORD warned Israel and Judah through all of his prophets and seers. He said, "Turn from your evil ways. Keep my commands and rules. Obey every part of my Law. I commanded your people who lived long ago to obey it. And I gave it to you through my servants the prophets."

14 But the people wouldn't listen. They were as stubborn as their people of long ago had been. Those people didn't trust in the LORD their God.

15 They refused to obey his rules. They broke the covenant he had made with them. They didn't pay any attention to the warnings he had given them. They worshiped worthless statues of gods. Then they themselves became worthless. They followed the example of the nations that were around them. They did it even though the LORD had ordered them not to. He had said, "Do not do as they do." They did the very things the LORD had told them not to do.