28 Then one H259 of the priests H3548 whom they had carried away H1540 from Samaria H8111 came H935 and dwelt H3427 in Bethel, H1008 and taught H3384 them how they should fear H3372 the LORD. H3068
29 Howbeit every nation H1471 made H6213 gods H430 of their own, and put H3240 them in the houses H1004 of the high places H1116 which the Samaritans H8118 had made, H6213 every nation H1471 in their cities H5892 wherein they dwelt. H3427
30 And the men H582 of Babylon H894 made H6213 Succothbenoth, H5524 and the men H582 of Cuth H3575 made H6213 Nergal, H5370 and the men H582 of Hamath H2574 made H6213 Ashima, H807
31 And the Avites H5757 made H6213 Nibhaz H5026 and Tartak, H8662 and the Sepharvites H5616 burnt H8313 their children H1121 in fire H784 to Adrammelech H152 and Anammelech, H6048 the gods H430 of Sepharvaim. H5617
32 So they feared H3373 the LORD, H3068 and made H6213 unto themselves of the lowest H7098 of them priests H3548 of the high places, H1116 which sacrificed H6213 for them in the houses H1004 of the high places. H1116
33 They feared H3373 the LORD, H3068 and served H5647 their own gods, H430 after the manner H4941 of the nations H1471 whom they carried away H1540 from thence.
34 Unto this day H3117 they do H6213 after the former H7223 manners: H4941 they fear H3373 not the LORD, H3068 neither do H6213 they after their statutes, H2708 or after their ordinances, H4941 or after the law H8451 and commandment H4687 which the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 the children H1121 of Jacob, H3290 whom he named H7760 H8034 Israel; H3478
35 With whom the LORD H3068 had made H3772 a covenant, H1285 and charged H6680 them, saying, H559 Ye shall not fear H3372 other H312 gods, H430 nor bow H7812 yourselves to them, nor serve H5647 them, nor sacrifice H2076 to them:
36 But the LORD, H3068 who brought you up H5927 out of the land H776 of Egypt H4714 with great H1419 power H3581 and a stretched out H5186 arm, H2220 him shall ye fear, H3372 and him shall ye worship, H7812 and to him shall ye do sacrifice. H2076
37 And the statutes, H2706 and the ordinances, H4941 and the law, H8451 and the commandment, H4687 which he wrote H3789 for you, ye shall observe H8104 to do H6213 for evermore; H3117 and ye shall not fear H3372 other H312 gods. H430
38 And the covenant H1285 that I have made H3772 with you ye shall not forget; H7911 neither shall ye fear H3372 other H312 gods. H430
39 But the LORD H3068 your God H430 ye shall fear; H3372 and he shall deliver H5337 you out of the hand H3027 of all your enemies. H341
40 Howbeit they did not hearken, H8085 but they did H6213 after their former H7223 manner. H4941
41 So these nations H1471 feared H3373 the LORD, H3068 and served H5647 their graven images, H6456 both their children, H1121 and their children's H1121 children: H1121 as did H6213 their fathers, H1 so do H6213 they unto this day. H3117
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Kings 17
Commentary on 2 Kings 17 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 17
This chapter gives us an account of the captivity of the ten tribes, and so finishes the history of that kingdom, after it had continued about 265 years, from the setting up of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. In it we have,
2Ki 17:1-6
We have here the reign and ruin of Hoshea, the last of the kings of Israel, concerning whom observe,
2Ki 17:7-23
Though the destruction of the kingdom of the ten tribes was but briefly related, it is in these verses largely commented upon by our historian, and the reasons of it assigned, not taken from the second causes-the weakness of Israel, their impolitic management, and the strength and growing greatness of the Assyrian monarch (these things are overlooked)-but only from the First Cause. Observe,
Lastly, Here is a complaint against Judah in the midst of all (v. 19): Also Judah kept not the commandments of God; though they were not as yet quite so bad as Israel, yet they walked in the statutes of Israel; and this aggravated the sin of Israel, that they communicated the infection of it to Judah; see Eze. 23:11. Those that bring sin into a country or family bring a plague into it and will have to answer for all the mischief that follows.
2Ki 17:24-41
Never was land lost, we say, for want of an heir. When the children of Israel were dispossessed, and turned out of Canaan, the king of Assyria soon transplanted thither the supernumeraries of his own country, such as it could well spare, who should be servants to him and masters to the Israelites that remained; and here we have an account of these new inhabitants, whose story is related here that we may take our leave of Samaria, as also of the Israelites that were carried captive into Assyria.