Bible Commentary

They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence. 33. They feared the Lord ] It seems almost as if the writer had repeated this phrase here and in the previous verse, and afterwards in verse 41, in mockery of this spurious reverence … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 17:33”

So they feared the LORD, 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. 32. So they feared the Lord ] i.e. In the way in which their ideas of the worship of the local divinity demanded. This they … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 17:32”

And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. 31. And the Avites [R.V. Avvites ] made Nibhaz ] Of Nibhaz (for which the LXX. gives a very different word, ) nothing is known with certainty. The Jewish commentators explain the … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 17:31”

And the men of Babylon made Succothbenoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima, 30. Succoth-benoth ] This name of the deity of the Babylonians is probably (according to Rawlinson Herod. bk. i. p. 630) meant to represent the Chaldan goddess Zir-banit, the wife of Merodach ( i.e. … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 17:30”

Howbeit every nation made 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. 29. Howbeit every nation made gods of their own ] When they beheld the calves of Dan and Bethel, they would see nothing higher … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 17:29”

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. 28. Then [R.V. So ] one of the priests whom they had carried away ] We can see from this that the events here spoken of took place within … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 17:28”

Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry thither one 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. 27. one of the priests whom ye brought from thence ] The Assyrian king takes what he … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 17:27”

Wherefore they spoke 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 … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 17:26”

And [so] it was at the beginning of their dwelling there, [that] they feared not the LORD: therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which slew [some] of them. 25. the Lord sent lions among them, which slew [R.V. killed ] some of them ] The word rendered ‘slew’ is not the same here as … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 17:25”

And the 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. 24 41. Of those nations which were brought to inhabit … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 17:24”