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2 Kings Chapter
Seventeen
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 17
This
chapter relates the captivity of the ten tribes of Israel
and how it came
about
2 Kings 17:1
the
cause of it
their idolatry
which they persisted in
notwithstanding the
remonstrances made against it
2 Kings 17:7
in
whose stead were placed people from different parts
who exercised a mixed
religion
partly Heathenish
and partly Israelitish
2 Kings 17:24.
2 Kings 17:1 In
the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah
Hoshea the son of Elah became king of
Israel in Samaria
and he reigned nine years.
YLT
1In the twelfth year of Ahaz
king of Judah reigned hath Hoshea son of Elah in Samaria
over Israel -- nine
years
In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of
Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years. In this account there is
some difficulty
since it was in the twentieth of Jotham
that is
the fourth
of Ahaz
that Hosea conspired against Pekah king of Israel
and slew him
when
it might be reasonably thought he began his reign: now either there was an
interregnum until the twelfth of Ahaz
or Hoshea however was not generally
received and acknowledged as king till then
as others think; he being a
tributary to the king of Assyria
and a kind of viceroy
is not said to reign
until he rebelled against him; after which he reigned nine years
four in the
times of Ahaz
and five in the reign of Hezekiah
2 Kings 18:9
in
this way the author of the Jewish chronology goesF18Seder Olam
Rabba
c. 22.
in which he is followed by other Jewish writers; and this bids
as fair as any to remove the difficulty
unless these nine years refer to the
time of his reign before the twelfth of Ahaz; and the sense be
that in the
twelfth of Ahaz he had reigned nine year's; but it is said he "began"
to reign then.
2 Kings 17:2 2 And he did evil in the
sight of the Lord
but not as the kings of Israel who were before him.
YLT
2and he doth the evil thing
in the eyes of Jehovah
only
not as the kings of Israel who were before him;
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord
but not
as the kings of Israel that were before him. He did not worship Baal
as some of them had done; and he could not worship the calves
as all of them
had
for they were carried away by the Assyrians in the former captivities
as
the JewsF19Seder Olam Rabba
c. 22. say; and who also observeF20T.
Bab. Gittin
fol. 88. Kimchi in loc.
that he removed the garrisons set on the
borders of the land to watch the Israelites
that they might not go up to
Jerusalem; and this being done on the fifteenth of Ab
that day was afterwards
observed as a festival on that account; and they further remarkF21Seder
Olam Raba
ut supra. (c. 22.)
that the captivity of the ten tribes was in the
reign of this king
who was better than the rest
to show that it was not
barely the sins of the kings on whom the Israelites would cast the blame
that
they were carried captives
but their own
according to Hosea 5:3.
2 Kings 17:3 3 Shalmaneser king of
Assyria came up against him; and Hoshea became his vassal
and paid him tribute
money.
YLT
3against him came up
Shalmaneser king of Asshur
and Hoshea is to him a servant
and doth render to
him a present.
Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria
.... Which
some take to be the same with Tiglathpileser
see 1 Chronicles 5:26
but he rather seems to be his son; his name was to be found
as JosephusF23Antiqu.
l. 9. c. 14. sect. 2. relates
in the archives of the Tyrians
against whom he
had an expedition; his name is Salmanassar in MetasthenesF24De
Judicio Temp. fol. 221. 2.
who says he reigned seventeen years:
and Hoshea became his servant
and gave him presents
to depart
from him; he became tributary to him
and agreed to pay him a yearly tax.
2 Kings 17:4 4 And the king of Assyria
uncovered a conspiracy by Hoshea; for he had sent messengers to So
king of
Egypt
and brought no tribute 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.
YLT
4And the king of Asshur
findeth in Hoshea a conspiracy
in that he hath sent messengers unto So king of
Egypt
and hath not caused a present to go up to the king of Asshur
as year by
year
and the king of Asshur restraineth him
and bindeth him in a house of
restraint.
And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea
.... That he
was forming a scheme to rebel against him
and cast off his yoke; of this he
had intelligence by spies he sent
and placed to observe him very probably:
for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt; to treat with
him
and enter into alliance with him
to help him against
and free him from
the king of Assyria. This king of Egypt is supposed to be Sabacon the
Ethiopian
who reigned in Egypt ninety years; of whom HerodotusF25Euterpe
sive
l. 2. c. 137. and Diodorus SiculusF26Bibliothec l. 1. p. 59.
make mention; by Theodoret he is called Adramelech the Ethiopian
who dwelt in
Egypt:
and brought no presents to the king of Assyria
as he had done
year by year; did not pay him his yearly tribute:
therefore the king of Assyria shut him up
and bound him in prison; that is
after he took Samaria
the siege of which is next related; unless it can be
thought that he met with him somewhere out of the capital
and seized him
and
made him his prisoner
and after that besieged his city; which is not so
likely.
2 Kings 17:5 5 Now the king of Assyria
went throughout all the land
and went up to Samaria and besieged it for three
years.
YLT
5And the king of Asshur
goeth up into all the land
and he goeth up to Samaria
and layeth siege
against it three years;
Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land
.... Of
Israel
there being none to oppose his march; Hoshea not daring to come out
and meet him and fight him:
and went up to Samaria
and besieged it three years; so long the
city held out against him
see 2 Kings 18:9.
2 Kings 17:6 6 In the ninth year of
Hoshea
the king of Assyria took Samaria and carried Israel away to Assyria
and placed them in Halah and by the Habor
the River of Gozan
and in the
cities of the Medes.
YLT
6in the ninth year of Hoshea
hath the king of Asshur captured Samaria
and removeth Israel to Asshur
and
causeth them to dwell in Halah
and in Habor
[by] the river Gozan
and [in]
the cities of the Medes.
In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria
..... Which
was the last year of his reign
and to be reckoned either from the time of his
reigning in full power and authority
or from his first casting off the
Assyrian yoke; See Gill on 2 Kings 17:1.
and carried Israel away into Assyria; not only the
inhabitants of Samaria
but all the ten tribes inhabiting the several parts of
the kingdom
for which Josephus is expressF1Antiqu. l. 9. c. 10.
sect. 1. .
and placed them in Halah
and in Habor
by the river of Gozan; some of them
he placed here
which were in Assyria. Halah is the Calachena of Ptolemy
at
the north of Assyria
and Habor is the mount Chobaras of the same; from which
mountain
as you go to the Caspian sea
about midway
is the city Gauzania
the
same with Gozan
which might give name to this riverF2Vid. Witsium
de 10 Trib. Israel. c. 4. sect. 2. . The Jews sayF3Rambam apud Eliam
in Tishbi
p. 134.
this is the river Sambation
which runs so swiftly
that
there is no passing except on the sabbath day; and which then the Jews cannot
pass because of the profanation of the sabbath; and is the reason they give why
the ten tribes are there detained; and Manasseh ben IsraelF4Spes
Israelis
sect. 17. p. 55. fancies Habor to be Tabor
a province in Tartary
where some Jews are:
and in the cities of the Medes; others of them he placed
there
under his jurisdiction
the same with Hara
1 Chronicles 5:26
which with the Greeks is called Aria; and Herodotus saysF5Polymnia
sive
l. 7. c. 60. So Pausanias Corinthiac. sive
l. 2. p. 91. Vid. Vossium in
Melam
de Situ Orbis
l. 1. c. 2. p. 13.
these Medes formerly were called by
all Arii. It appears from hence that the kingdom of Media was now subject to
the king of Assyria: someF6See Bierwood's Inquiries
p. 104. take
Halach to be Colchi
and Habor to be Iberia
and Hara to be Armenia
and
Gauzani to be Media
which all bounded the north of Assyria.
2 Kings 17:7 7 For so it was that the
children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God
who had
brought them up out of the land of Egypt
from under the hand of Pharaoh king
of Egypt; and they had feared other gods
YLT
7And it cometh to pass
because the sons of Israel have sinned against Jehovah their God -- who
bringeth them up out of the land of Egypt
from under the hand of Pharaoh king
of Egypt -- and fear other gods
For so it was
that the children of Israel had sinned against the
Lord their God
.... By committing idolatry
which is the sin enlarged upon in
the following discourse
as the cause of their being carried captive:
which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt
from under the
hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt; which is observed to show their
ingratitude
and to aggravate their sin of idolatry:
and had feared other gods; which could do them
neither good nor hurt
wherefore it must be great stupidity to fear them.
2 Kings 17:8 8 and had walked in the
statutes of the nations whom the Lord had cast out from before
the children of Israel
and of the kings of Israel
which they had made.
YLT
8and walk in the statutes of
the nations that Jehovah dispossessed from the presence of the sons of Israel
and of the kings of Israel that they made;
And walked in the statutes of the heathen
whom the Lord cast out
from before the children of Israel
.... Meaning the
Canaanites
in whose idolatrous ways they walked
and whom they imitated;
though their ejection out of the land should have been a warning to them
and
they were the more inexcusable
as they were particularly cautioned against
walking in them
Leviticus 18:3.
and of the kings of Israel
which they had made; their laws
and statutes
to worship the golden calves
and not go up to Jerusalem to
worship.
2 Kings 17:9 9 Also the children of
Israel secretly did against the Lord their God things that were
not right
and they built for themselves high places in all their cities
from
watchtower to fortified city.
YLT
9and the sons of Israel do
covertly things that [are] not right against Jehovah their God
and build for
them high places in all their cities
from a tower of the watchers unto the
fenced city
And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not
right against the Lord their God
.... As being partly
conscious to themselves that they were not right
and ashamed to commit them
openly; and partly as foolishly imagining
that
being done privately
they
were not seen and observed of God
having imbibed some atheistical notions of
him
that he was not omniscient
or saw not
and had forsaken the earth; or
they "covered"F7יחפאו
"occultaverunt"
Montanus
Vatablus
Grotius;
"palliaverunt"
Piscator. these actions of theirs under reigned and
plausible pretences
that what they did they were obliged to by their kings
and with political views
and that they worshipped the true God in the calves;
but these were coverings too thin not to be seen through:
and they built them high places in all their cities
from the
tower of the watchmen to the fenced city; not content with those
built in former times
they built new ones; and these not in their metropolis
only
but in all the cities of the kingdom; and not in large cities only
but
in every town and village between one fortified city and another; even wherever
there was a watch tower erected
either for shepherds to watch their flocks
or
for keepers of gardens
orchards
and vineyards
to watch the fruits of them
that they were not taken away.
2 Kings 17:10 10 They set up for themselves
sacred pillars and wooden images[a] on every
high hill and under every green tree.
YLT
10and set up for them
standing-pillars and shrines on every high height
and under every green tree
And they set them up images and groves in every high hill
and
under every green tree. That is
statues and idols; for groves of trees could not be set
under green trees; but they placed idols of stone
and of wood
as the latter
were
in such places as Heathens were wont to do; see Jeremiah 3:6; see
Gill on 1 Kings 14:23
so
the Indians to this day have idols dispersed here and there in the fields
placed in little groves
or at the foot of some hill that casts a shadowF8Agreement
of Customs between the East Indians and Jews
art. 5. p. 34. .
2 Kings 17:11 11 There they burned incense
on all the high places
like the nations whom the Lord had carried
away before them; and they did wicked things to provoke the Lord to anger
YLT
11and make perfume there in
all high places
like the nations that Jehovah removed from their presence
and
do evil things to provoke Jehovah
And there they burnt incense in all the high places
.... As even
the tribe of Judah did
which is observed in all the preceding reigns:
as did the Heathen whom the Lord carried away before them: the
Canaanites
and therefore they might justly expect to be carried captive also:
and wrought wicked things to provoke the Lord to anger: by their
several immoralities
but especially their idolatries.
2 Kings 17:12 12 for they served idols
of
which the Lord
had said to them
“You shall not do this thing.”
YLT
12and serve the idols
of
which Jehovah said to them
`Ye do not do this thing;'
For they served idols
.... Baalim
as the
Targum; dunghill gods
as the word signifies
as they are often called in
Scripture; and Sterculius was one of the names of Saturn
an Heathen deity
which he had
as is supposed
by his finding out the method of making land
fruitful with dungF9Vid. Macrob. l. 1. c. 7. Lactant. de fals.
Relig. l. 1. c. 20. :
whereof the Lord said unto them
ye shall not do this thing; see Exodus 20:3.
2 Kings 17:13 13 Yet the Lord testified
against Israel and against Judah
by all of His prophets
every seer
saying
“Turn 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.”
YLT
13And Jehovah testifieth
against Israel
and against Judah
by the hand of every prophet
and every
seer
saying
`Turn back from your evil ways
and keep My commands
My
statutes
according to all the law that I commanded your fathers
and that I
sent unto you by the hand of My servants the prophets;'
Yet the Lord testified against Israel
and against Judah
by all
the prophets
and by all the seers
.... Against their sins
reproving them for them
dehorting them from them
exhorting them to repent and
leave them; as in all preceding reigns
by Ahijah the Shilonite
by Elijah and
Elisha
by Hosea
Amos
and Micah
and others:
saying
turn ye from your ways; repent of them
and
reform from them
worship of the calves particularly:
and keep my commandments
and my statutes
according to all the
law which I commanded your fathers; which was given them and
enjoined them at Mount Sinai:
and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets; by whom he
put them in mind of them
explained them
and urged obedience to them.
2 Kings 17:14 14 Nevertheless they would
not hear
but stiffened their necks
like the necks of their fathers
who did
not believe in the Lord
their God.
YLT
14and they have not
hearkened
and harden their neck
like the neck of their fathers
who did not
remain stedfast in Jehovah their God
Notwithstanding
they would not hear
.... Their
instructions
advice
and admonitions
and obey them:
but hardened their necks
like to the neck of their fathers
that
did not believe in the Lord their God: as Terah and Nahor
who
were idolaters; or rather
their fathers in the wilderness
that made and
served the calf
and those that rebelled against Moses and Aaron; it is a
metaphor taken from oxen
that will not submit their necks to the yoke
but
draw back from it
or cast it off
see Acts 7:51.
2 Kings 17:15 15 And they rejected His
statutes and His covenant that He had made with their fathers
and His
testimonies which He had testified against them; they followed idols
became
idolaters
and went after the nations who were all around them
concerning
whom the Lord
had charged them that they should not do like them.
YLT
15and reject His statutes and
His covenant that He made with their fathers
and His testimonies that He
testified against them
and go after the vain thing
and become vain
and after
the nations that are round about them
of whom Jehovah commanded them not to do
like them;
And they rejected his statutes
and his covenant that he made with
their fathers
.... At Sinai and Horeb
see Exodus 24:8
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
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
&c.
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.
and went after the heathen that were round about them: imitated them
in their idolatrous practices
as the Moabites
Ammonites
Edomites
&c.
concerning
whom the Lord had charged them
that they should not do like them; of this
charge see Deuteronomy 6:13.
2 Kings 17:16 16 So they left all the
commandments of the Lord
their God
made for themselves a molded image and two calves
made a
wooden image and worshiped all the host of heaven
and served Baal.
YLT
16And they forsake all the
commands of Jehovah their God
and make to them a molten image -- two calves
and make a shrine
and bow themselves to all the host of the heavens
and serve
Baal
And they left all the commandments of the Lord their God
.... Which
their idolatry led them to; and indeed he that offends in one point is guilty
of them all
James 2:10.
and made them molten images
even two calves; which they
set up at Dan and Bethel
in the times of their first king Jeroboam
1 Kings 13:28.
and made a grove; as Ahab
another of their kings
did
1 Kings 16:33.
and worshipped all the host of heaven: not the angels
sometimes so called
but
besides the sun and moon
Saturn
Jupiter
Mars
Mercury
Venus:
and served Baal; which was service to the sun
as Abarbinel
interprets it; this was the god of the Zidonians Ahab worshipped
having
married a princess of that people
1 Kings 16:31.
2 Kings 17:17 17 And they caused their sons
and daughters to pass through the fire
practiced witchcraft and soothsaying
and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord
to provoke
Him to anger.
YLT
17and cause their sons and
their daughters to pass over through fire
and divine divinations
and use
enchantments
and sell themselves to do the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah
to provoke Him;
And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the
fire
.... To Baal or Moloch
which were the same
and represented the
sun
which
as the above writer observes
presides in the element of fire; this
was done either by way of lustration
or so as to be burnt
see 2 Kings 16:3.
and used divination and enchantments: to get
knowledge of what was to be done at present
or of things to come
neglecting
the word of God and his prophets
and acting against the express law of God
Deuteronomy 18:10.
and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord
to
provoke him to anger; as Ahab their king did
see 1 Kings 21:20
they
were as much the servants of sin as if they had sold themselves to be slaves to
it.
2 Kings 17:18 18 Therefore the Lord was very angry
with Israel
and removed them from His sight; there was none left but the tribe
of Judah alone.
YLT
18That Jehovah sheweth
himself very angry against Israel
and turneth them aside from His presence;
none hath been left
only the tribe of Judah by itself.
Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel
.... Nothing
being more provoking to him than idolatry:
and removed them out of his sight; not out of the reach of
his all seeing eye
but from all tokens of his favour
from the good land he
had given them
and all the benefits and privileges of it:
there was none left but the tribe of Judah only; and part of
Benjamin
which was annexed to it
and incorporated in it
and made one kingdom
and maintained the same worship; and there was the lot of Simeon
which was
within the tribe of Judah; and the priests and the Levites
and various
individuals of the several tribes
that came and settled among them for the
sake of worship; but no perfect
distinct
tribe besides.
2 Kings 17:19 19 Also Judah did not keep
the commandments of the Lord
their God
but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made.
YLT
19Also Judah hath not kept
the commands of Jehovah their God
and they walk in the statutes of Israel that
they had made.
Also Judah kept not the commandments of the Lord their God
.... But were
infected with the idolatry of the ten tribes
and drawn into it by their
example
and persisted therein
notwithstanding what befell the ten tribes;
which are aggravations of the sins of them both
see Jeremiah 3:7
but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made; worshipping
the calves as they did
particularly in the times of Ahaz
he setting the
example
see 2 Kings 16:3.
2 Kings 17:20 20 And the Lord rejected all
the descendants of Israel
afflicted them
and delivered them into the hand of
plunderers
until He had cast them from His sight.
YLT
20And Jehovah kicketh against
all the seed of Israel
and afflicteth them
and giveth them into the hand of
spoilers
till that He hath cast them out of His presence
And the Lord rejected all the seed of Israel
.... The ten
tribes
with loathing and contempt
and wrote a "loammi" on them
rejected them from being his people
gave them a bill of divorce
and declared
them no more under his care and patronage:
and afflicted them; as he did before he utterly cast them off
as by famine
drought
and pestilence
Amos 4:6.
and delivered them into the hands of spoilers; as
first
into the hands of Hazael and Benhadad
kings of Syria
and then of
Tiglathpileser king of Assyria
2 Kings 13:3
until he had cast them out of his sight; by suffering
them
as now
to be carried captive by Shalmaneser
2 Kings 17:6.
2 Kings 17:21 21 For He tore Israel from
the house of David
and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. Then Jeroboam
drove Israel from following the Lord
and made them commit a
great sin.
YLT
21for He hath rent Israel
from the house of David
and they make Jeroboam son of Nebat king
and Jeroboam
driveth Israel from after Jehovah
and hath caused them to sin a great sin
For he rent Israel from the house of David
.... In the
times of Rehoboam the son of Solomon
when ten tribes revolted from him
signified by the rending of a garment in twelve pieces
ten of which were given
to Jeroboam; and it is here ascribed to the Lord
being according to his
purpose and decree
and which was brought about by his providence
agreeably to
a prophecy of his
see 1 Kings 11:30.
and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king; of
themselves
without consulting the Lord and his prophets; and which was
resented by him
though it was his will
and he had foretold it
that Jeroboam
should be king
see Hosea 8:4.
and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the Lord; forbidding
them to go up to Jerusalem to worship; the Targum is
"made
them to err:"
and made them sin a great sin; obliging them to worship
the calves he set up.
2 Kings 17:22 22 For the children of Israel
walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they did not depart from them
YLT
22and the sons of Israel walk
in all the sins of Jeroboam that he did
they have not turned aside therefrom
For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam
which he did
.... They observed his injunction
not to go to Jerusalem to
worship
and they worshipped the calves he did:
they departed not from them: in all succeeding
reigns
until the time of their captivity.
2 Kings 17:23 23 until the Lord removed Israel
out of His sight
as He had said by all His servants the prophets. So Israel
was carried away from their own land to Assyria
as it is to this day.
YLT
23till that Jehovah hath
turned Israel aside from His presence
as He spake by the hand of all His
servants the prophets
and Israel is removed from off its land to Asshur
unto
this day.
Until the Lord removed Israel out of his sight
.... Suffered
them to be carried captive into the land of Assyria:
as he had said by all his servants the prophets; by Hosea
Amos
Micah
and others; see their prophecies
and also 1 Kings 13:32
so was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria
unto
this day; the time of the writing this book; nor have they returned unto
our days
nearly 2
800 years later.
2 Kings 17:24 24 Then the king of Assyria
brought people from Babylon
Cuthah
Ava
Hamath
and from Sepharvaim
and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of
Israel; and they took possession of Samaria and dwelt in its cities.
YLT
24And 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;
And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon
.... Which was
at this time under the dominion of the king of Assyria; though in a little time
after this it revolted
and had a king of its own
2 Kings 20:12
this
king of Assyria was either Shalmaneser
who carried Israel captive
or it may
be rather his son Esarhaddon
see Ezra 4:2
and from Cuthah; which
according to JosephusF11Antiqu.
l. 9. c. 14. sect. 1.
was a city in Persia
where was a river of the same
name; but it was rather a place in Erech
in the country of Babylon; see Gill
on Genesis 10:10
and from Ava; the same with Ivah
Isaiah 37:13
where
perhaps a colony of the Avim had settled
Deuteronomy 2:23.
and from Hamath; a city of Syria
which lay on the northern
borders of the land of Canaan
Numbers 34:8
and from Sepharvaim; thought by some to be
the Sippara of Ptolemy
or the Sippareni of Abydenus
in Mesopotamia; though
Vitringa takes it to be a city in Syro-Phoenicia; see Gill on Isaiah 36:19
and placed them in the cities of Samaria
instead of the children
of Israel; not in Samaria
which was now destroyed
according to the
prophecy in Micah 1:6 as
Abarbinel and other Jewish writers note:
and they possessed Samaria; as an inheritance; sowed
it with corn
and planted vineyards there:
and dwelt in the cities thereof; in the several parts of
the kingdom.
2 Kings 17:25 25 And it was so
at the
beginning of their dwelling there
that they did not fear the Lord; therefore the
Lord sent lions
among them
which killed some of them.
YLT
25and 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.
And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there
that they
feared not the Lord
.... Did not serve him in any manner
but their idols only
which
they brought with them; whereas it was usual with Heathens to serve the gods of
the country
as they reputed them
where they came
along with their own; but
even this those men did not do:
therefore the Lord sent lions among them; even into
their cities
into which lions sometimes cameF12Aristot. Hist.
Animal. l. 9. c. 44. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 16.
especially when old
out
of the thickets of Jordan and other places where they haunted
see Jeremiah 49:19.
which slew some of them; this the Lord did to
assert his sovereignty
authority
and mighty power
and to let them know that
he could as easily clear the land of them
as they
by his permission
had
cleared the land of the Israelites
JosephusF13Ut supra. (Antiqu. l.
9. c. 14. sect. 1.) calls this a plague that was sent among them.
2 Kings 17:26 26 So they spoke to the king
of Assyria
saying
“The nations whom you have removed and placed in the cities
of Samaria do not know the rituals of the God of the land; therefore He has
sent lions among them
and indeed
they are killing them because they do not
know the rituals of the God of the land.”
YLT
26And 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.'
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"F14משפט "judicium"
Pagninus
Montanus
&c.
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
&c. 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.
2 Kings 17:27 27 Then the king of Assyria
commanded
saying
“Send there one of the priests whom you brought from there;
let him go and dwell there
and let him teach them the rituals of the God of
the land.”
YLT
27And 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.'
Then the king of Assyria commanded
saying
.... Gave the
following orders and directions:
carry thither one of the priests whom ye brought from thence; for they
carried away all the people of every class
civil and religious:
and let him go and dwell there
and let him teach them the manner
of the God of the land; it is in the plural number
"let them go"
&c.F15ילכו וישבו "eant et
sedeant"
Montanus. ; there might be more priests than one ordered
or
however
others
to attend and assist him in his work; the Jews sayF16Pirke
Eliezer
c. 38.
two were sent to circumcise them
and teach them the book of
the law; and they give their names
Dosthai
or Dosithaeus
and Zachariah; and
JosephusF17Antiqu. l. 9. c. 14. sect. 3. says
the people desired
that priests might be sent to them of the captives.
2 Kings 17:28 28 Then one of the priests
whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel
and taught
them how they should fear the Lord.
YLT
28And 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
Then one of the priests whom
they had carried away from Samaria
came and dwelt in Bethel
.... According to an Arabic writerF18Abulpharag. Hist.
Dynast. Dyn. 3. p. 65.
his name was Uzziah; but EpiphaniusF19Contr.
Haeres. l. 1. Haer. 8. says his name was Esdras; but he wrongly makes him to be
sent by Nebuchadnezzar
thirty years after the captivity of the Jews in
Babylon: this priest was
doubtless
one of the priests of the calves; for
there were none else in the kingdom of Israel carried captive
and as seems
also by his choosing to dwell in Bethel
where probably he formerly dwelt
and
officiated in the service of the calf there
and by teaching to make priests of
the lowest order of the people
as Jeroboam's priests were
2 Kings 17:32.
and taught them how they should fear the Lord; serve and
worship him; he might not teach them the worship of the calves
that being a
political business
and now no end to be answered by it; and besides
they were
now carried out of the land. This priest taught
no doubt
according to the law
of Moses
but was not the author of the Pentateuch; which ridiculous conceit of
Le Clerc is sufficiently exposed by WitsiusF20Miscellan. tom. 1. l.
1. c. 14. sect. 7. 28. .
2 Kings 17:29 29 However every nation
continued to make gods of its own
and put them in the shrines on the
high places which the Samaritans had made
every nation in the cities
where they dwelt.
YLT
29and they are making each
nation its gods
and place [them] in the houses of the high places that the
Samaritans have made
each nation in their cities where they are dwelling.
Howbeit
every nation made gods of their own
.... Served
and worshipped those they brought with them
and which were the work of their
own hands
even the nations
or those out of the nations
mentioned 2 Kings 17:24
these
notwithstanding the instructions they had about the worship of the God
of Israel
retained and served their own deities: and put them in the houses of
the high places which the Samaritans had made
every nation in their cities
wherein they dwelt; as the Israelites had built high places everywhere for
idolatry
and put images in them
2 Kings 17:9 these
Heathens placed their gods there in the room of them
which were as follow.
2 Kings 17:30 30 The men of Babylon made
Succoth Benoth
the men of Cuth made Nergal
the men of Hamath made Ashima
YLT
30And the men of Babylon have
made Succoth-Benoth
and the men of Cuth have made Nergal
and the men of
Hamath have made Ashima
And the men of Babylon made Succothbenoth
.... That is
those that came from Babylon made and served an idol of this name
which
according to the Jewish writersF21T. Bab. Sanhedrin
fol. 63. 2.
were the figures of an hen and chickens; but others suppose them to be the
Pleiades
or seven stars
the stars being had in great veneration by the
Babylonians; though others rather think those Succothbenoth
"tabernacles"
or "booths of the daughters"
as the words may be rendered
have
respect to the apartments in the temple of Venus
or Mylitta with the
Babylonians and Assyrians
in which women once in their lives prostituted
themselves to whomsoever asked them
in honour of Venus; of which filthy
practice of theirs HerodotusF23Clio
sive
l. 1. c. 199. makes
mention; and Valerius Maximus speaksF24L. 2. c. 6. sect. 15. of a
temple of Sicca Venus
which is near in sound to this
where the like
impurities were committed:
and the men of Cuth made Nergal; which
according to the
Jews
was in the likeness of a cock; but others
because the first part of the
word signifies a lamp
suppose fire is meant
worshipped by the Persians
from
whom it is thought these men came; but rather the word signifies
as HillerusF25Onomastic.
Sacr. p. 601. observes
the fountain of light
and denotes the sun
worshipped
by the Babylonians
Cuth being a province of theirs; from hence one of the
princes of Babylon had part of his name
Jeremiah 39:3.
and the men of Hamath made Ashima; which
the Jews say
was
in the form of a goat
without any wool on it
or an apeF26David de
Pomis Lexic. fol. 17. 2. ; but according to HillerusF1Onomast. Sacr.
p. 609.
with the Arabs
Ashima is the name of a lion
a symbol of the sun
under which form it might be worshipped; unless Ashima is the same with
Shamaim
the heavens
worshipped by the Heathens; we read of the Ashemath of
Samaria
by which they swore
Amos 8:14
though
that was before these men came thither.
2 Kings 17:31 31 and the Avites made Nibhaz
and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burned their children in fire to Adrammelech
and Anammelech
the gods of Sepharvaim.
YLT
31and the Avites have made
Nibhaz and Tartak
and the Sepharvites are burning their sons with fire to
Adrammelech and Anammelech
gods of Sepharvim.
And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak
.... The
former of which is represented by the Jews in the shape of a dog
deriving the
word from "nabach"
to bark
as if it was the same with the Anubis
Latrator of VirgilF2Aeneid. l. 6. So Ovid. Metamorph. l. 9. Fab. 12.
ver. 689.
an Egyptian deity; though that is saidF3Jablonski apud
Michael. Obs. Sacr. Exercit. 4. p. 66
67. to have its name from NOeb
which in
the Egyptian language signifies "gold"
the statutes of it being made
of gold; and the latter in the form of an ass
for what reason I cannot say;
but the first word
according to HillerusF4Ut supra
(Onomast.
Sacr.) p. 859.
signifies
"the remote one seeth"
that is
the sun
which beholds all things; and Tartak is a chain
and may denote the fixed stars
chained as it were in their places; or the satellites of the planets
chained
to their orbs:
and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech
and to Anammelech the gods of Sepharvaim; which were the same with
Moloch; which may be concluded
partly from the worship paid them
and partly
from the signification of their names; both end with "melech"
king
which Moloch also signifies; the first may be interpreted the mighty king
and
the latter the king that answers in an oracular way; from the first
one of the
sons of Sennacherib king of Assyria had his name
Isaiah 37:36
though the Jews
according to their fancy
represent the one in the likeness of
a mule
and the other in the likeness of a horse; and some make the one to be a
peacock
and the other a pheasantF5Vid. Kimchium in loc. ; the
Septuagint version puts the article before them in the feminine gender
excepting the two last
taking them for she deities
or leaving the word εικονα
"images"
to
be understood.
2 Kings 17:32 32 So they feared the Lord
and from
every class they appointed for themselves priests of the high places
who
sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places.
YLT
32And they are fearing
Jehovah
and make to themselves from their extremities priests of high places
and they are acting for them in the house of the high places.
So they feared the Lord
.... Worshipped the God
of Israel in the manner they were taught:
and made unto themselves of the lowest of them priests of the high
places
which sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places; these were
made after the manner of Jeroboam's priests
1 Kings 12:31
and
were to sacrifice to the God of Israel in the high places
and temples built
there; for otherwise they had
no doubt
priests of their own to sacrifice to
their gods
and which they brought with them.
2 Kings 17:33 33 They feared the Lord
yet served
their own gods—according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they
were carried away.
YLT
33Jehovah they are fearing
and their gods they are serving
according to the custom of the nations whence
they removed them.
They feared the Lord
and served their own gods
....
Worshipped both:
after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence; the
Israelites
whom they had carried captive from Samaria; they worshipped the
Lord in their idols
as they did
who pretended to worship God in the calves;
so they worshipped the supreme God in and by their idols
and made use of them
as mediators with him.
2 Kings 17:34 34 To this day they continue
practicing the former rituals; they do not fear the Lord
nor do they
follow their statutes or their ordinances
or the law and commandment which the
Lord had commanded
the children of Jacob
whom He named Israel
YLT
34Unto this day they are
doing according to the former customs -- they are not fearing Jehovah
and are
not doing according to their statutes
and according to their ordinances
and
according to the law
and according to the command
that Jehovah commanded the
sons of Jacob whose name He made Israel
Unto this day they do after the former manners
.... Which may
be understood either of the new colonies in Samaria doing after the former
customs in their own land
or after the customs of the idolatrous Israelites;
or of the Israelites in captivity continuing in their idolatry
not being in
the least reformed by their troubles; or of such of them as were left in the
land
who repented not of their idolatries
nor reformed from them:
they fear not the Lord; did not worship him
at
least not alone
and much less in a spiritual manner
with reverence and godly
fear:
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; that is
they did not observe the statutes
and ordinances of the law given on Mount Sinai respecting religious worship
to
act according to them.
2 Kings 17:35 35 with whom the Lord had made a
covenant and charged them
saying: “You shall not fear other gods
nor bow down
to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them;
YLT
35and Jehovah maketh with
them a covenant
and chargeth them
saying
`Ye do not fear other gods
nor bow
yourselves to them
nor serve them
nor sacrifice to them
With whom the Lord had made a covenant
.... As he did
at Sinai
2 Kings 17:15.
and charged them
saying
ye shall not fear other gods
nor bow
yourselves to them
nor serve them
nor sacrifice to them; all which is
contained in the first and second commandments of the law.
2 Kings 17:36 36 but the Lord
who brought
you up from the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm
Him you
shall fear
Him you shall worship
and to Him you shall offer sacrifice.
YLT
36but Jehovah who brought you
up out of the land of Egypt with great power
and with a stretched-out arm
Him
ye do fear
and to Him ye bow yourselves
and to Him ye do sacrifice;
But the Lord
which brought you up out of the land of Egypt
with
a great power
and a stretched out arm
.... Which is observed
to show the obligations they lay under
in point of gratitude
to serve the
Lord:
him shall ye fear
and him shall ye worship
and to him shall ye
do sacrifice: and him only
and not other gods; none but he being the object
of religious fear and divine worship
and to whom sacrifices should be offered.
2 Kings 17:37 37 And the statutes
the
ordinances
the law
and the commandment which He wrote for you
you shall be
careful to observe forever; you shall not fear other gods.
YLT
37and the statutes
and the
judgments
and the law
and the command
that He wrote for you
ye observe to
do all the days
and ye do not fear other gods;
And the statutes
and the ordinances
and the law
and the
commandment which he wrote for you
.... On the two tables of
stone:
ye shall observe to do for evermore; those commands relating
to religious worship
especially the object of it
and to moral duties
being
of eternal obligation; and all other statutes and ordinances of a ceremonial
kind he ordered to be written for them
being such that they were to regard
until the Messiah came
and a new world began:
and ye shall not fear other gods; which is repeated
that
it might be observed
as it also afterwards is.
2 Kings 17:38 38 And the covenant that I
have made with you
you shall not forget
nor shall you fear other gods.
YLT
38and the covenant that I
have made with you ye do not forget
and ye do not fear other gods;
And the covenant that I have made with you
ye shall not forget
.... The law
given at Mount Sinai; the first table of which chiefly concerned the worship of
the one true and living God
and forbid the worship of any other
as follows:
neither shall ye fear other gods; or make them the object
of worship.
2 Kings 17:39 39 But the Lord your God you
shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.”
YLT
39but Jehovah your God ye do
fear
and He doth deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies;'
But the Lord your God ye shall fear
.... Or worship him
both
internally and externally
according to his revealed will; for the fear of God
includes both internal and external worship:
and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies; that is
provided they feared and served him as he required
and it became them to do.
2 Kings 17:40 40 However they did not obey
but they followed their former rituals.
YLT
40and they have not
hearkened
but according to their former custom they are doing
Howbeit
they did not hearken
but did after their former manner. They did not
repent of their idolatries
but persisted in them
and even when they were in
captivity in Assyria
or such of them as were left in the land.
2 Kings 17:41 41 So these nations feared
the Lord
yet served their carved images; also their children and their children’s
children have continued doing as their fathers did
even to this day.
YLT
41and these nations are
fearing Jehovah
and their graven images they have served
both their sons and
their sons' sons; as their fathers did
they are doing unto this day.
So these nations feared the Lord
and served their graven images
.... Just in
like manner as the Israelites had done
who served the Lord and the calves
and
worshipped God and Baal:
both their children
and their children's children; that is
the
children and children's children of the Samaritans:
as did their fathers
so do they unto this day; to the
writing of this book
which some ascribe to Jeremiah
to whose times
and even
longer
they continued this mixed and mongrel worship
for the space of three
hundred years
to the times of Alexander the great
of whom Sanballat
governor
of Samaria
got leave to build a temple
on Gerizim
for his son-in-law
Manasseh
of which he became priest; and the Samaritans were prevailed upon to
relinquish their idolatry
and to worship only the God of Israel; and yet it
seems but ignorantly
and not without superstition
to the times of Christ
John 4:22.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)