2 Kings 17
BSA1 In the twelfth [twelve-year period, a dozen] year of the reign [kingly rule, dominion] of Ahaz [a king of Judah, son of Jotham] over Judah [the tribe and region of Judah], Hoshea [a common Israelite name, meaning salvation] son of Elah [an Israelite name, meaning oak valley] became king [monarch, ruler] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, and his descendants], and he reigned [ruled, governed] in Samaria [the capital city of the northern kingdom, watch mountain] nine [a numerical value, indicating a period of time] years [a period of time, like when Abraham was 100 years old]. word study 2 And he did [what was] evil [morally wrong, bad] in the sight [eye, presence] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God], but not [except] like the kings [rulers, monarchs] of Israel [God’s chosen people] who preceded [came before] him. word study 3 Shalmaneser [king of the Assyrian empire] king of Assyria attacked him, and Hoshea [a servant or vassal] became his vassal [or servant, in a state of subjection] and paid him tribute [or offerings, as a sign of submission]. word study 4 But the king [ruler, monarch] of Assyria [Asshur, a powerful nation] discovered [found, uncovered] that Hoshea [given to five different Israelites] had conspired [plotted, formed a secret alliance] to send [dispatch, commission] envoys [messengers, representatives] to King So [an Egyptian king, a ruler of Egypt] of Egypt [Mizraim, a country in northeastern Africa], and that he had not paid [failed to offer, withheld] tribute [a gift, tax, or offering] to the king of Assyria [the ruler of Asshur] as in previous years [year by year, annually]. Therefore the king of Assyria [the ruler of Asshur] arrested [seized, took into custody] Hoshea and put him in prison [a place of confinement, a house of restraint]. word study 5 Then the king [ruler, monarch] of Assyria [Asshur, a powerful nation] invaded [marched into, overran] the whole land [entire territory, all the earth], marched up [ascended, went up] to Samaria [watch mountain, the capital city], and besieged [confined, shut in] it for three [a period of thrice, a trio of years] years [a cycle of time, a period of 365 days]. word study 6 In the ninth year of Hoshea [a common Israelite name], the king [royal ruler, monarch] of Assyria [Asshur, the ancestor of the Assyrians] captured [seized, took control] Samaria [watch mountain, the capital of Israel] and carried away [deported, removed] the Israelites [Jacob’s descendants, God’s chosen people] to Assyria [a region in the ancient Near East], where he settled [caused to dwell, placed] them in Halah [a painful or troublesome region], in Gozan [a province, a cutting off] by the Habor River [a tributary of the Euphrates], and in the cities [towns, populated areas] of the Medes [a people descended from Japheth]. word study 7 All this happened because the people of Israel [the descendants of Jacob] had sinned [missed the mark, gone wrong] against the LORD [Yehovah, the one supreme God] their God [Elohim, the Creator and Ruler], who had brought them out of the land [the soil, the ground] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa] from under the hand [the power, the authority] of Pharaoh [the king of Egypt] king of Egypt. They had worshiped [feared, revered] other gods [idols, false deities] word study 8 and walked [lived, followed] in the customs [statutes, practices] of the nations [Gentiles, heathen] that the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] had driven out [dispossessed, cast out] before the Israelites [children of Israel], as well as in the practices [statutes, ways] introduced [made, established] by the kings [rulers, leaders] of Israel [God’s chosen people]. word study 9 The Israelites [in a hidden way] secretly did things [actions, deeds] against the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] their God [Elohim, the supreme God] that were not [lacking, without] right [just, upright]. From watchtower [tower of the watchmen] to fortified city [strong, fenced city], they built [constructed, established] high places [elevated platforms, cultic sites] in all [every, entire] their cities [towns, settlements]. word study 10 They set up for themselves sacred [sacred monuments, images] pillars [memorials, standing-pillars] and Asherah poles [idols, shrines] on every [all, each] high [elevated, lofty] hill and under every [all, each] green [luxuriant, fresh] tree [wood, wooden plank]. word study 11 They burned incense [offered sacrifices, made perfume] on all [every, the whole of] the high places [cultic platforms, elevations] like [in the same manner as] the nations [Gentiles, heathen] that the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] had driven out [removed, carried away] before them. They did [committed, wrought] wicked things [evil deeds, bad actions], provoking [angering, offending] the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] to anger [wrath, indignation]. word study 12 They served [worshipped, made themselves servants of] idols [disgusting things, abominations], although the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] had told them, “You shall not [must not, are not to] do this thing [this act, this affair].” word study 13 Yet through [all His spokesmen, every] all His prophets [those who speak for God, true messengers] and seers [those who receive visions from God, divinely inspired], the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] warned Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants] and Judah [the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob], saying, “Turn [return, come back] from your wicked [bad, evil] ways [paths, manner of life] and keep [obey, guard] My commandments [laws, rules given by God] and statutes [ordinances, decrees], according to [in accordance with, following] the entire [whole, complete] Law [Torah, instruction, guidance] that I commanded [gave orders to, appointed] your fathers [ancestors, forefathers] and delivered [sent, gave] to you through [by means of, by the hand of] My servants [those who serve Me, attendants] the prophets [those who speak for God, messengers].” word study 14 But they would not [refused to] listen, and they stiffened [hardened, became stubborn] their necks [the back of the neck] like their fathers [ancestors, forefathers], who did not [failed to] believe [have faith, trust] the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] their God [Elohim, the supreme deity]. word study 15 They rejected [spurned, refused to obey] His statutes [divine laws, decrees] and the covenant [promise, agreement] He had made with their fathers [ancestors, forefathers], as well as the decrees [ordinances, commands] He had given them. They pursued [followed, chased after] worthless [empty, vain] idols [false gods, images] and themselves became [were rendered, became empty] worthless [without value, futile], going after [imitating, following] the surrounding [neighboring, adjacent] nations that the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] had commanded [ordered, instructed] them not to imitate [copy, follow]. word study 16 They abandoned [forsook, turned their backs on] all the commandments [precepts, laws] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] their God [Elohim, the supreme God] and made [crafted, fashioned] for themselves two [a pair, a duo] cast idols of calves [young male cattle, nearly grown] and an Asherah pole [a tree or pole near an altar]. They bowed down [worshipped, prostrated themselves] to all the host [army, large group] of heaven [the visible sky and the spiritual realm] and served [worked for, were in bondage to] Baal [the Phoenician deity, a false god]. word study 17 They sacrificed [offered as burnt offerings] their sons and daughters [children, descendants] in the fire [burning, flame] and practiced [engaged in, used] divination [witchcraft, seeking guidance through magic] and soothsaying [enchantments, fortune-telling]. They devoted [sold, gave] themselves to doing [committing, practicing] evil [bad, morally wrong] in the sight [presence, eyes] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God], provoking [angering, offending] Him to anger [wrath, indignation]. word study 18 So the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] was very [exceedingly, greatly] angry [enraged, breathing hard] with Israel [the descendants of Jacob], and He removed [turned aside, departed from] them from His presence [face, being in front of Him]. Only [except, but] the tribe [clan] of Judah [the region and tribe descended from Judah] remained [was left, spared], word study 19 and even [also, too] Judah did not keep [obey, guard] the commandments [laws, decrees] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] their God [Elohim, the one true God], but lived [walked, followed] according to the customs [statutes, practices] Israel [the descendants of Jacob] had introduced [made, established]. word study 20 So the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] rejected [to spurn or cast off] all the descendants [seed, offspring] of Israel. He afflicted [to humble or oppress] them and delivered them into the hands [power or control] of plunderers [spoilers, those who take by force], until He had banished [cast out or thrown away] them from His presence [face, being before Him]. word study 21 When the LORD [Yehovah, the national name for God] had torn [rent, separated] Israel away from the house [family, dynasty] of David, they made Jeroboam [the people will contend] son of Nebat king, and Jeroboam led Israel away from following [obeying, imitating] the LORD [the supreme God] and caused them to commit [to sin, to miss the mark] a great [large, significant] sin [offense, rebellion]. word study 22 The Israelites [children of Israel, descendants of Jacob] persisted [continued, walked] in all [every, each] the sins [transgressions, guilt] that Jeroboam [the king who contended with God] had committed [done, made] and did not [refused to] turn away [depart, remove themselves] from them [those sins, that evil]. word study 23 Finally, the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] removed Israel [the descendants of Jacob] from His presence [face, being in front of Him], as He had declared [spoken, communicated] through all His servants [attendants, messengers] the prophets [those who speak for God]. So Israel was exiled [carried away, deported] from their homeland [land, earth, ground] into Assyria [the land of Asshur, a nation], where they are to this day [until now, to the present time]. word study 24 Then the king [ruler, monarch] of Assyria [Asshur, a powerful nation] brought people from Babylon [a city of confusion], Cuthah [a province in Assyria], Avva [a region of destruction], Hamath [an ancient city in Syria], and Sepharvaim [a city near the Euphrates River] and settled them in the towns [cities, urban areas] of Samaria [a region in northern Palestine, watch mountain] to replace [take the place of, succeed] the Israelites [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people]. They took possession [occupied, seized control] of Samaria and lived [dwelt, resided] in its towns [cities, villages]. word study 25 Now when the settlers [at the beginning of their dwelling] first lived there, they did not [feared not, had no reverence for] worship the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], so He sent [causing to depart, to go forth] lions among them, which [as a result of God’s judgment] killed [slew, put to death] some of them. word study 26 So they spoke to the king [ruler, monarch] of Assyria, saying, “The peoples [Gentile nations, non-Hebrews] that you have removed [carried away, deported] and placed [settled, relocated] in the cities [towns, communities] of Samaria [watch mountain, a region in northern Palestine] do not know [are unaware of, have no knowledge of] the requirements [customs, laws] of the God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] of the land [earth, territory, region]. Because of this, He has sent [dispatched, allowed to come] lions among them, which are indeed [in fact, truly] killing them off [destroying, slaying].” word study 27 Then the king [ruler, monarch] of Assyria commanded: “Send back one of the priests [spiritual leaders, mediators] you carried off from Samaria, and have him go back to live [dwell, reside] there and teach [instruct, guide] the requirements [laws, ordinances] of the God [Elohim, the supreme deity] of the land [territory, region].” word study 28 Thus one [a single, unique] of the priests [spiritual leaders, mediators between God and man] they had carried away [exiled, deported] came and lived [dwelt, resided] in Bethel [house of God, a sacred place], and he began to teach [instruct, guide] them how [in what manner, by what means] they should worship [revere, fear] the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God]. word study 29 Nevertheless, the people of each nation [Gentile, non-Hebrew] continued to make their own gods [idols, false deities] in the cities where they had settled, and they set them up in the shrines [houses of the high places, cultic platforms] that the people of Samaria [Samaritans, inhabitants of Samaria] had made on the high places [elevations, cultic sites]. word study 30 The men [people, inhabitants] of Babylon [Babel, a city of confusion] made [created, worshipped] Succoth-benoth [idolatrous tents, a Babylonian deity], the men of Cuth [Cuthah, an Assyrian province] made [established, revered] Nergal [a major Assyrian deity, hero], the men of Hamath [an ancient Syrian city] made [constructed, honored] Ashima [a deity worshipped in Hamath], word study 31 the Avvites [native people of Avvah, perverters] made [worshipped, created idols of] Nibhaz [a deity, idol] and Tartak [a dark prince, deity], and the Sepharvites [inhabitants of Sepharvaim, a city in Syria] burned [sacrificed, completely burned] their children [sons, descendants] in the fire [burning, flame] to Adrammelech [an Assyrian idol, a false god] and Anammelech [a false god, introduced to Israel] the gods [Elohim, deities, false gods] of the Sepharvaim [inhabitants of Sepharvaim, a city in Syria]. word study 32 So the new residents worshiped [feared, reverenced] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], but they also appointed for themselves [from among their own people] priests [spiritual leaders, mediators] of all sorts [from the lowest of them] to serve [sacrifice, offer] in the shrines [temples, houses] of the high places [elevations, cultic platforms]. word study 33 They worshiped [feared, revered] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], but they also served [worked for, were in bondage to] their own gods [Elohim, supernatural beings] according to the customs [justice, judgment] of the nations [Gentiles, non-Hebrew peoples] from which they had been carried away [revealed, uncovered, taken into exile]. word study 34 To this day [until now, as far as this point in time] they are still practicing their former customs [traditional ways, old manner]. None of them worship [fear, revere] the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] or observe [follow, keep] the statutes, ordinances [customs, regulations], laws [instructions, commandments], and commandments [precepts, rules] that the LORD [Yehovah] gave [commanded, appointed] the descendants of Jacob [the children of Israel], whom He named [called, appointed] Israel [the one who struggles with God]. word study 35 For the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] had made [cut, established] a covenant [promise, agreement] with the Israelites and commanded [given orders, appointed] them, “Do not worship [fear, revere] other [different, foreign] gods [Elohim, supreme beings] or bow down [prostrate, humble yourselves] to them; do not serve [be slaves, work for] them or sacrifice [offer, slaughter] to them. word study 36 Instead, worship the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], who brought you out of the land [territory, region] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa] with great [exceptional, remarkable] power [strength, might] and an outstretched [stretched out, extended] arm [the arm as stretched out; strength, might, power]. You are to bow down [prostrate yourself, show reverence] to Him and offer sacrifices [offerings, gifts] to Him. word study 37 And you must always be careful to observe the statutes [decrees, laws given by God], ordinances [justice, righteous judgments], laws [instructions, guiding principles], and commandments [rules, divine guidelines] He wrote [recorded, inscribed] for you. Do not worship [fear, revere] other gods [false deities, idols]. word study 38 Do not [by any means, utterly] forget [be oblivious to, mislay] the covenant [agreement, treaty] I have made [cut, established] with you [in a close relationship, near to you]. Do not [under any circumstances] worship [fear, revere] other [different, foreign] gods [Elohim, supreme beings], word study 39 but worship [revere, have reverence for] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [Elohim, the supreme deity], and He [the Creator, the Almighty] will deliver [rescue, save] you from the hands [power, control] of all [every, the entirety of] your enemies [adversaries, those who oppose].” word study 40 But they would not [refused to] listen [to hear and obey], and they persisted [continued steadfastly] in their former [long-standing, traditional] customs [practices, manner of life]. word study 41 So these nations [feared, revered, stood in awe of] worshiped the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] but also served [worshiped, gave allegiance to] their idols [graven images, carved statues], and to this day their children [descendants, offspring] and grandchildren [sons and daughters of their sons] continue to do [follow, imitate] as their fathers [ancestors, forefathers] did [lived, walked]. word study