Full Commentary
Open the full commentary units that overlap this chapter:
Old Testament
NET Bible® Scripture text without NET Bible notes. Verse anchors allow direct linking to exact verses.
2 Kings 17:11In the twelfth year of King Ahaz’s reign over Judah, Hoshea son of Elah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria for nine years.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:2 Kgs 15:30
2 Kings 17:22He did evil in the sight of the Lord, but not to the same degree as the Israelite kings who preceded him.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:2 Chr 30:5-112 Kgs 10:312 Kgs 13:112 Kgs 13:22 Kgs 15:182 Kgs 15:242 Kgs 15:92 Kgs 3:2
2 Kings 17:33King Shalmaneser of Assyria marched up to attack him; so Hoshea became his subject and paid him tribute.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:Hos 10:142 Kgs 15:192 Kgs 15:292 Kgs 16:7-82 Kgs 18:312 Kgs 18:9-162 Kgs 19:36-372 Sam 8:22 Sam 8:6Isa 10:11-12
2 Kings 17:44The king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea was planning a revolt. Hoshea had sent messengers to King So of Egypt and had not sent his annual tribute to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria arrested him and imprisoned him.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:2 Chr 32:112 Kgs 18:14-152 Kgs 18:212 Kgs 24:12 Kgs 24:202 Kgs 25:7Ezek 17:13-19Isa 31:1-3Ps 149:7-8Isa 30:1-4
2 Kings 17:55The king of Assyria marched through the whole land. He attacked Samaria and besieged it for three years.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:Hos 13:162 Kgs 18:92 Kgs 25:1-3Jer 52:4-5
2 Kings 17:66In the ninth year of Hoshea’s reign, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the people of Israel to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, along the Habor (the river of Gozan), and in the cities of the Medes.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:Hos 13:161 Chr 5:26Deut 28:642 Kgs 18:10-11Amos 5:27Deut 28:36Deut 29:27-28Isa 13:17Isa 21:2Lev 26:32-33
2 Kings 17:77This happened because the Israelites sinned against the Lord their God, who brought them up from the land of Egypt and freed them from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods;Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:Josh 23:16Exod 20:2Jer 10:5Judg 2:14-17Neh 9:26Ps 106:35-411 Kgs 11:42 Chr 36:14-162 Chr 36:52 Kgs 16:2
2 Kings 17:88they observed the practices of the nations whom the Lord had driven out from before them, and followed the example of the kings of Israel.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:2 Kgs 16:3Deut 18:9Lev 18:31 Kgs 12:281 Kgs 16:31-331 Kgs 21:262 Kgs 16:102 Kgs 17:192 Kgs 21:2Deut 12:30-31
2 Kings 17:99The Israelites said things about the Lord their God that were not right. They built high places in all their towns, from watchtower to fortified city.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:2 Kgs 18:8Deut 13:6Deut 27:15Ezek 8:12Hos 12:11Job 31:27
2 Kings 17:1010They set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:1 Kgs 14:23Mic 5:142 Kgs 16:4Exod 34:13Deut 12:2-3Deut 16:21Isa 57:5Lev 26:1
2 Kings 17:1111They burned incense on all the high places just like the nations whom the Lord had driven away before them did. Their evil practices made the Lord angry.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:1 Kgs 13:12 Chr 28:252 Kgs 21:6Jer 44:17Ps 78:56-58
2 Kings 17:1212They worshiped the disgusting idols in blatant disregard of the Lord ’s command.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:Deut 12:4Deut 4:15-19Deut 4:23-25Deut 5:7-9Exod 20:3-5Exod 34:14Lev 26:1
2 Kings 17:1313The Lord solemnly warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and all the seers, “Turn back from your evil ways; obey my commandments and rules that are recorded in the law. I ordered your ancestors to keep this law and sent my servants the prophets to remind you of its demands.”Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:1 Sam 9:9Jer 35:15Jer 18:11Deut 31:21Neh 9:29-301 Chr 29:291 Sam 12:7-152 Chr 36:15-162 Kgs 17:232 Pet 3:9
2 Kings 17:1414But they did not pay attention and were as stubborn as their ancestors, who had not trusted the Lord their God.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:Acts 7:51Deut 31:272 Chr 36:13Deut 1:32Exod 32:9Heb 3:12Heb 3:7-8Isa 48:4Jer 7:26Prov 29:1
2 Kings 17:1515They rejected his rules, the covenant he had made with their ancestors, and the laws he had commanded them to obey. They paid allegiance to worthless idols, and so became worthless to the Lord. They copied the practices of the surrounding nations in blatant disregard of the Lord ’s command.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:Deut 12:30-31Deut 32:21Jer 2:5Rom 1:21-231 Kgs 16:13Exod 24:6-8Jer 8:9Ps 115:81 Cor 8:41 Sam 12:21
2 Kings 17:1616They abandoned all the commandments of the Lord their God; they made two metal calves and an Asherah pole, bowed down to all the stars in the sky, and worshiped Baal.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:1 Kgs 12:281 Kgs 14:151 Kgs 14:231 Kgs 16:31Deut 4:191 Kgs 15:131 Kgs 16:331 Kgs 22:532 Kgs 11:182 Kgs 21:3
2 Kings 17:1717They passed their sons and daughters through the fire, and practiced divination and omen reading. They committed themselves to doing evil in the sight of the Lord and made him angry.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:2 Kgs 21:62 Kgs 16:31 Kgs 21:20Deut 18:10-12Ezek 23:37Mic 5:12Ps 106:37-381 Kgs 21:25Ezek 20:26Lev 18:21
2 Kings 17:1818So the Lord was furious with Israel and rejected them; only the tribe of Judah was left.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:1 Kgs 11:131 Kgs 12:201 Kgs 11:321 Kgs 11:36Deut 32:21-26Hos 11:122 Kgs 23:27Hos 9:32 Kgs 13:23Deut 29:20-28
2 Kings 17:1919Judah also failed to keep the commandments of the Lord their God; they followed Israel’s example.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:1 Kgs 14:22-232 Kgs 16:32 Chr 21:112 Chr 21:13Ezek 16:51-52Jer 3:8-112 Kgs 8:182 Kgs 8:27Ezek 22:2-16Ezek 23:4-13
2 Kings 17:2020So the Lord rejected all of Israel’s descendants; he humiliated them and handed them over to robbers, until he had thrown them from his presence.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:2 Kgs 15:292 Kgs 13:3Jer 6:301 Chr 16:131 Sam 15:231 Sam 15:261 Sam 16:12 Chr 28:5-62 Kgs 13:72 Kgs 15:18-20
2 Kings 17:2121He tore Israel away from David’s dynasty, and Jeroboam son of Nebat became their king. Jeroboam drove Israel away from the Lord and encouraged them to commit a serious sin.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:1 Kgs 11:111 Kgs 11:311 Kgs 12:28-301 Kgs 14:16Isa 7:171 Kgs 12:19-201 Kgs 14:81 Sam 2:171 Sam 2:242 Chr 10:15-19
2 Kings 17:2222The Israelites followed in the sinful ways of Jeroboam and did not repudiate them.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:2 Kgs 10:292 Kgs 10:312 Kgs 13:112 Kgs 13:22 Kgs 13:62 Kgs 15:92 Kgs 3:3
2 Kings 17:2323Finally the Lord rejected Israel just as he had warned he would do through all his servants the prophets. Israel was deported from its land to Assyria and remains there to this very day.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:2 Kgs 17:62 Kgs 17:131 Kgs 14:162 Kgs 17:202 Kgs 18:11-12Amos 5:27Hos 1:4-91 Kgs 13:22 Kgs 17:18Mic 1:6
2 Kings 17:2424The king of Assyria brought foreigners from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the Israelites. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:2 Kgs 18:342 Kgs 17:30-312 Kgs 19:13Matt 10:51 Kgs 8:652 Chr 33:112 Kgs 17:62 Kgs 18:31Isa 10:9Isa 37:13
2 Kings 17:2525When they first moved in, they did not worship the Lord. So the Lord sent lions among them and the lions were killing them.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:2 Kgs 17:322 Kgs 17:342 Kgs 17:411 Kgs 13:241 Kgs 20:362 Kgs 17:282 Kgs 2:24Dan 6:26Ezek 14:15Ezek 14:21
2 Kings 17:2626The king of Assyria was told, “The nations whom you deported and settled in the cities of Samaria do not know the requirements of the God of the land, so he has sent lions among them. They are killing the people because they do not know the requirements of the God of the land.”Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:1 Sam 10:251 Sam 8:92 Kgs 17:27Amos 8:14
2 Kings 17:2727So the king of Assyria ordered, “Take back one of the priests whom you deported from there. He must settle there and teach them the requirements of the God of the land.”Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:1 Kgs 12:311 Kgs 13:22 Chr 11:15Judg 17:13
2 Kings 17:2828So one of the priests whom they had deported from Samaria went back and settled in Bethel. He taught them how to worship the Lord.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:1 Kgs 12:29-32Isa 29:13Matt 15:14
2 Kings 17:2929But each of these nations made its own gods and put them in the shrines on the high places that the people of Samaria had made. Each nation did this in the cities where they lived.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:1 Kgs 12:31Mic 4:51 Kgs 13:32Hos 8:5-6Isa 44:9-20Jer 10:3-5Ps 115:4-8Ps 135:15-18Rom 1:23
2 Kings 17:3030The people from Babylon made Sukkoth Benoth, the people from Cuth made Nergal, the people from Hamath made Ashima,Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:2 Kgs 17:24
2 Kings 17:3131the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their sons in the fire as an offering to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:2 Kgs 17:242 Kgs 17:172 Kgs 19:37Deut 12:28Deut 12:31Ezra 4:9Lev 18:21
2 Kings 17:3232At the same time they worshiped the Lord. They appointed some of their own people to serve as priests in the shrines on the high places.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:1 Kgs 12:312 Kgs 17:291 Kgs 13:332 Kgs 23:19Zeph 1:51 Kgs 13:31
2 Kings 17:3333They were worshiping the Lord and at the same time serving their own gods in accordance with the practices of the nations from which they had been deported.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:2 Kgs 17:41Luke 16:13Matt 6:241 Kgs 18:21Zeph 1:5Hos 10:2
2 Kings 17:3434To this very day they observe their earlier practices. They do not worship the Lord; they do not obey the rules, regulations, law, and commandments that the Lord gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he renamed Israel.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:Gen 32:28Gen 35:101 Kgs 18:312 Kgs 17:252 Kgs 17:27-282 Kgs 17:33Isa 48:11 Kgs 11:311 Kgs 18:11Gen 33:20
2 Kings 17:3535The Lord made a covenant with them and instructed them, “You must not worship other gods. Do not bow down to them, serve them, or offer sacrifices to them.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:Judg 6:10Deut 4:23-27Exod 20:4-5Exod 34:12-17Josh 23:16Josh 23:72 Kgs 17:15Deut 13:1-18Exod 24:6-8Heb 8:6-13
2 Kings 17:3636Instead you must worship the Lord, who brought you up from the land of Egypt by his great power and military ability; bow down to him and offer sacrifices to him.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:Exod 6:6Deut 6:13Exod 9:15Lev 19:32Acts 4:30Deut 10:20Deut 12:11-12Deut 12:5-6Deut 5:15Jer 32:21
2 Kings 17:3737You must carefully obey at all times the rules, regulations, law, and commandments he wrote down for you. You must not worship other gods.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:Deut 12:32Deut 4:44-45Deut 5:31-6:2Lev 19:37Neh 9:13-14Deut 31:9Ps 105:44-451 Chr 29:19Deut 31:11Ps 19:8-11
2 Kings 17:3838You must never forget the covenant I made with you, and you must not worship other gods.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:Deut 4:23Deut 6:12Deut 8:14-18
2 Kings 17:3939Instead you must worship the Lord your God; then he will rescue you from the power of all your enemies.”Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:1 Sam 12:24Luke 1:74-752 Kgs 17:36Jer 10:7Luke 1:50Matt 10:28Neh 9:27Isa 8:12-14Luke 1:71
2 Kings 17:4040But they paid no attention; instead they observed their earlier practices.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:2 Kgs 17:122 Kgs 17:342 Kgs 17:8Deut 4:28Jer 13:23
2 Kings 17:4141These nations were worshiping the Lord and at the same time serving their idols; their sons and grandsons are doing just as their fathers have done, to this very day.Copy LinkKJV+Strong’sMany Bible VersionsAsk AICross Refs:Matt 6:241 Kgs 18:21Zeph 1:52 Kgs 17:32-33Josh 24:14-20Ezra 4:1-3Rev 3:15-16
Open the full commentary units that overlap this chapter:
Open the lite commentary units that overlap this chapter:
Open the simple commentary units that overlap this chapter:
Review the broader setting, structure, and message of this biblical book.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.