2 Kings 17:31-41

31 and (the) Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak; soothly they that were of Sepharvaim burnt their sons in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.

32 And nevertheless they (still) worshipped the Lord; forsooth of the last men, that is, of vile persons, that were not of (the) priests? kin, by the law of Moses, they made priests of the high things, and setted them in (the) high temples. (And though they still worshipped the Lord, they made the lowest men, that is, the most vile persons, who were not of the priests? kin, after the law of Moses, to be the priests of the hill shrines, and put them in the temples there.)

33 And when they worshipped God, they served also their gods, by the custom of heathen men, from which they were translated to Samaria; (And while they worshipped God, they also served their own gods, after the custom of the heathen, from where they had been brought back to Samaria;)

34 till to this present day they follow the eld custom; they dreaded not the Lord, neither they keep his ceremonies, and dooms (and judgements), and law, and commandment, which the Lord commanded to the sons of Jacob, whom he named Israel;

35 and the Lord [had] smote a covenant with them, and [had] commanded to them, and said, Do not ye dread alien gods, and honour ye not outwardly them, neither worship ye inwardly them, and make ye not sacrifice to them; (and the Lord had made a covenant with them, and had commanded to them, and said, Do not ye fear foreign, or other, gods/Do not ye revere foreign, or other, gods, nor outwardly honour ye them, nor inwardly worship ye them, and make ye not sacrifice to them;)

36 but your Lord God, that led you out of the land of Egypt in great strength, and in an arm stretched out, dread ye him, and worship ye him, and make ye sacrifice to him. (but the Lord your God, who led you out of the land of Egypt with great strength, and with an out-stretched arm, fear ye him/revere ye him, and worship ye him, and make ye sacrifice to him.)

37 Also keep ye the ceremonies, and [the] dooms, and the law, and the commandment, which he wrote to you, that ye do it in all days; and dread ye not alien gods. (And obey ye the statutes, and the judgements, and the laws, and the commandments, which he wrote for you, and that ye do them in all days; and fear ye not foreign, or other, gods/and revere ye not foreign, or other, gods.)

38 And do not ye forget the covenant, which he/the Lord smote with you, neither worship ye alien gods (nor worship ye foreign, or other, gods);

39 but dread ye your Lord God, and he shall deliver you from the hand of all your enemies. (but fear ye/but revere ye the Lord your God, and he shall rescue you from all of your enemies.)

40 Forsooth they heard not, but did by their former custom.

41 Therefore soothly these heathen men dreaded God; but nevertheless they served also their idols, for both their sons and the sons of their sons do so, till into this present day, as their fathers did. (And so these heathen feared God/revered God; but nevertheless they also served their idols, for both their sons and the sons of their sons do so, as their forefathers did, unto this present day.)

2 Kings 17:31-41 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.