2 Kings — Chapter 17

📖 2 Kings — Chapter 17 (KJV)

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Scripture source: Project Gutenberg KJV, ebook 10.

2 Kings 17:1 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years.

2 Kings 17:2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, ^Rbut not as the kings of Israel that were before him.

2 Kings 17:3 Against him came up ^RShalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and ^Tgave him ^Tpresents.

2 Kings 17:4 And the king of Assyria ^Rfound conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no ^Tpresent to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison.

2 Kings 17:5 Then ^Rthe king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.

2 Kings 17:6 In the ninth year of Hoshea ^Rthe king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

2 Kings 17:7 For so it was, that the children of Israel had ^Rsinned against the LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods,

2 Kings 17:8 And ^Rwalked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made.

2 Kings 17:9 And the children of Israel did ^Rsecretly those things that were not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.

2 Kings 17:10 And ^Rthey set them up ^Timages and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree:

2 Kings 17:11 And there they ^Rburnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger:

2 Kings 17:12 For they served idols, ^Rwhereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.

2 Kings 17:13 Yet the LORD ^Rtestified against Israel, and against Judah, ^Tby all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye 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.

2 Kings 17:14 Notwithstanding they would not hear, ^Rbut hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God.

2 Kings 17:15 And ^Rthey rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them.

2 Kings 17:16 And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them ^Rmolten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.

2 Kings 17:17 And ^Rthey caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

2 Kings 17:18 Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and ^Rremoved them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.

2 Kings 17:19 ^RAlso Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made.

2 Kings 17:20 And the LORD ^Rrejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight.

2 Kings 17:21 ^RFor he rent Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the LORD, and made them sin a great sin.

2 Kings 17:22 For the children of Israel ^Rwalked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them;

2 Kings 17:23 Until ^Rthe LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.

2 Kings 17:24 And ^Rthe king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.

2 Kings 17:25 And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there, that ^Rthey feared not the LORD: therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which slew some of them.

2 Kings 17:26 Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, saying, The nations which thou hast removed, and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land: therefore he hath sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land.

2 Kings 17:27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry thither ^Rone of the priests whom ye brought from thence; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the manner of the God of the land.

2 Kings 17:28 Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt ^Rin Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD.

2 Kings 17:29 Howbeit every nation ^Rmade gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt.

2 Kings 17:30 And the men of Babylon made Succothbenoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,

2 Kings 17:31 And ^Rthe Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.

2 Kings 17:32 So they feared the LORD, and ^Rmade unto themselves of the lowest of them priests of the high places, which sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places.

2 Kings 17:33 ^RThey feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations ^Twhom they carried away from thence.

2 Kings 17:34 Unto this day they do after the former manners: they ^Rfear not the LORD, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the LORD commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel;

2 Kings 17:35 ^RWith whom the LORD had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:

2 Kings 17:36 But the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and ^Ra stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice.

2 Kings 17:37 And ^Rthe statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods.

2 Kings 17:38 And the covenant that I have made with you ^Rye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods.

2 Kings 17:39 But ^Rthe LORD your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.

2 Kings 17:40 Howbeit ^Rthey did not hearken, but they did after their former manner.

2 Kings 17:41 So ^Rthese nations feared the LORD, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children’s children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.

📚 Study This Chapter

📖 What We’re Reading

2 Kings 17:1–6 — Samaria falls and Israel is taken captive

🌱 What These Verses Teach Us

Hoshea’s divided dealings with Assyria and Egypt lead to imprisonment and siege. After three years Samaria falls and Israel is deported. These events form the setting for the narrator’s covenant explanation, not merely a military account.

Key Truth: Read political consequences alongside the passage’s stated spiritual explanation.

Check What You Remember

📖 What We’re Reading

2 Kings 17:7–23 — The narrator explains persistent rebellion

🌱 What These Verses Teach Us

Israel serves idols, rejects repeated prophetic warnings, and abandons God’s covenant. Judah too is named as disobedient. The account traces a continuing refusal to hear, not a single accidental failure. The resulting exile fulfills earlier warnings.

Key Truth: Repeatedly refusing correction can harden a wrong direction.

Check What You Remember

📖 What We’re Reading

2 Kings 17:24–41 — Resettlement and divided worship

🌱 What These Verses Teach Us

Assyria brings other peoples into Samaria. A returned priest teaches them about the LORD, yet they continue serving their own images. The chapter contrasts their mixed worship with the covenant’s call to exclusive faithfulness; calling something worship does not make it obedient.

Key Truth: Do not combine a profession of faith with loyalty to rival gods.

Check What You Remember

Related Scripture (KJV)

Deuteronomy 6:13 — The covenant directs worship and service to the LORD.

Deuteronomy 6:13 (KJV) Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.

This related passage is selected for its connection with this chapter. It is separate from the chapter text.

Reflect and Apply

Which correction have you repeatedly put aside? Consider one concrete act of repentance.

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