2 Kings 17:26

26 And they speak to the king of Asshur, saying, `The nations that thou hast removed, and dost place in the cities of Samaria, have not known the custom of the God of the land, and He sendeth among them the lions, and lo, they are destroying them, as they do not know the custom of the God of the land.'

2 Kings 17:26 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 17:26

Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria
In letters, or by messengers they sent unto him:

saying, the nations which thou hast removed;
from different places before mentioned:

and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of
the land;
taking Jehovah the God of Israel to be a topical deity, limited peculiarly to the land of Israel, whereas he was the God of the whole earth; a like notion obtained among the Syrians, see ( 1 Kings 20:28 ) now they say they know not his "manner" or "judgment" ^F14, the laws, statutes, ordinances, and judgments, according to which he was worshipped by the people of Israel:

therefore he hath sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them;
they perceived it was not a common case, nor could they impute it to any second cause, as want of food with the lions but the hand of a superior Being was in it: and they could think of no other reason, but

because they know not the manner of the God of the land;
how he was to be worshipped; and because they did not worship him, and knew not how to do it, it was resented in this manner by him.

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FOOTNOTES:

F14 (jpvm) "judicium", Pagninus, Montanus

2 Kings 17:26 In-Context

24 And the king of Asshur bringeth in from Babylon and from Cutha, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and causeth [them] to dwell in the cities of Samaria instead of the sons of Israel, and they possess Samaria, and dwell in its cities;

25 and it cometh to pass, at the commencement of their dwelling there, they have not feared Jehovah, and Jehovah doth send among them the lions, and they are destroying among them.

26 And they speak to the king of Asshur, saying, `The nations that thou hast removed, and dost place in the cities of Samaria, have not known the custom of the God of the land, and He sendeth among them the lions, and lo, they are destroying them, as they do not know the custom of the God of the land.'

27 And the king of Asshur commandeth, saying, `Cause to go thither one of the priests whom ye removed thence, and they go and dwell there, and he doth teach them the custom of the God of the land.'

28 And one of the priests whom they removed from Samaria cometh in, and dwelleth in Beth-El, and he is teaching them how they do fear Jehovah,