2 Kings 17:15

15 They rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified to them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and [went] after the nations that were round about them, concerning whom Yahweh had charged those who they should not do like them.

2 Kings 17:15 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 17:15

And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made
with their fathers
At Sinai and Horeb, see ( Exodus 24:8 ) ( Deuteronomy 29:1 ) ,

and his testimonies which he testified against them;
calling heaven and earth to witness what he would do to them if they broke his laws, ( Deuteronomy 4:26 ) ( 30:19 ) ( 32:1 ) , and which were so many testifications of his mind and will what they should do, or otherwise what should be done to them; Ben Gersom also interprets this of the feasts of the passover and tabernacles, which were witnesses of Israel's coming out of Egypt, and of the sanctification and redemption of the firstborn, a testimony of the slaying the firstborn in Egypt:

and they followed vanity;
idols, which are vain things for help, can neither hear, see, speak

and became vain;
as sottish and stupid as the idols they worshipped; which is the usual fruit and effect of idolatry, see ( Romans 1:21-28 )

and went after the heathen that were round about them:
imitated them in their idolatrous practices, as the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites concerning

whom the Lord had charged them, that they should not do like them;
of this charge see ( Deuteronomy 6:13 Deuteronomy 6:14 ) .

2 Kings 17:15 In-Context

13 Yet Yahweh testified to Israel, and to Judah, by every prophet, and every seer, saying, Turn you from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.

14 Notwithstanding, they would not hear, but hardened their neck, like the neck of their fathers, who didn't believe in Yahweh their God.

15 They rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified to them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and [went] after the nations that were round about them, concerning whom Yahweh had charged those who they should not do like them.

16 They forsook all the commandments of Yahweh their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made an Asherah, and worshiped all the host of the sky, and served Baal.

17 They caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger.