And there they burnt 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:
Read it in contextIsrael Carried Captive to Assyria
Start reading at 2 Kings 17:5 (2 Kings 17:5 to 2 Kings 17:23).
An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
The accounts of the kings culminate in Assyria's conquest of Israel and an extended explanation of the disaster.
17:5Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.
17:6In the ninth year of Hoshea the 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.
17:7For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned 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,
17:8And walked 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.
17:9And the children of Israel did secretly 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.
17:10And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree:
17:11And there they burnt 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:
17:12For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.
17:13Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by 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.
17:14Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God.
17:15And they 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.
17:16And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.
17:17And they 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.
17:18Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.
17:19Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made.
17:20And the LORD rejected 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.
17:21For 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.
17:22For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them;
17:23Until the 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.
Study content, not yet reviewed.
Who
Who wrote the book? Jeremiah is the traditional Jewish attribution to Kings. The completed work incorporates records of Israel and Judah and events during exile; its final compiler is uncertain. Biblical references: 2 Kings 15:11; 2 Kings 25:27. Historical source: Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 14b–15a (record of Jewish attribution, not contemporary proof). traditionally held
Who was present or being addressed in this passage? In the surrounding chapter context (2 Kings 17:1–17:41): The northern kingdom of Israel, its kings and people, and Assyrian rulers are involved in the fall of Samaria. The account also describes the populations settled in its place. stated in the text
Who was the book written to? The Israelite and Judean community in and after the exile, reflecting on why both kingdoms fell and what remained of the Davidic line. Biblical references: 2 Kings 17:7; 2 Kings 23:27; 2 Kings 25:27. book background
What
What is the topic of this reading unit? Israel Carried Captive to Assyria. Read 2 Kings 17:5 through 2 Kings 17:23 as a connected unit. interpretation
How does it contribute to the book? The accounts of the kings culminate in Assyria's conquest of Israel and an extended explanation of the disaster. interpretation
When
When are the events or message set? The book continues the divided-kingdom histories through Assyria's conquest of Israel and Babylon's conquest of Judah, ending with a notice concerning Jehoiachin. book background
Where
What is the book’s geographic setting? The narrative ranges through Israel and Judah, including Samaria and Jerusalem, and ends with exile in Babylon. book background
Where does the context start?
This passage sits in Israel Carried Captive to Assyria (2 Kings 17:5 to 2 Kings 17:23).
Start reading at 2 Kings 17:5. An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
How
How does this book connect with Jesus Christ? Jesus cites the cleansing of Naaman in His discourse at Nazareth. This supplies a specific connection to the book's prophetic narratives and challenges assumptions about privilege. See 2 Kings 5:14, Luke 4:27. interpretation
How should this book guide our response? Hear warnings before repeated refusal hardens into habit. Reform, repentance, and faithfulness should be assessed from the narrated response to God's word, not merely a ruler's reputation. interpretation
Cross references from CrossReferences-org (CC BY 4.0).
Macro-Structure
See how this passage fits the chapter and the book.
Macro-Structure of 2 Kings 17
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Second Kings continues the histories of Israel and Judah through conquest and exile. Its account connects the kingdoms' destruction with persistent covenant unfaithfulness, while ending with a limited sign of favor toward Jehoiachin. Local headings and stanza divisions are editorial reading aids adapted from public-domain BSB headings; verse boundaries and Scripture links use the KJV. Connections describe the surrounding book movement.
Connection to the wholeThis opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. The accounts of the kings culminate in Assyria's conquest of Israel and an extended explanation of the disaster.
Connection to the wholeThis unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. The accounts of the kings culminate in Assyria's conquest of Israel and an extended explanation of the disaster.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.
Macro-Structure of 2 Kings
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Second Kings continues the histories of Israel and Judah through conquest and exile. Its account connects the kingdoms' destruction with persistent covenant unfaithfulness, while ending with a limited sign of favor toward Jehoiachin.
Connection to the wholeBabylon's conquest ends the kingdom's rule in Jerusalem; the closing notice concerning Jehoiachin leaves the reader beyond the destruction itself.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.