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2 kings 17:7-23

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2 Kings 17:7-23

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”

— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

7. For [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, 8. And 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. 9. And 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. 10. And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree: 11. 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: 12. For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing. 13. Yet 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. 14. Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God. 15. And 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. 16. And 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. And 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. 18. Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only. 19. Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made. 20. And 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. 21. For 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. 22. For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them; 23. Until 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.

2 Kings 17:7-23 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on 2 Kings 17:7

Theological / Devotional

For so it was, that. Literally, “and it was because,” or “and it came to pass because.” The writer proceeds to set forth the various reasons for which God permitted Israel to be smitten by their enemies and to be carried into captivity.

Israel had sinned. This was the primary reason for Israel’s downfall. Sin was responsible for our first parents’ expulsion from Eden, and it is the reason for all the woe that has since come upon the human race. Man has no greater enemy than sin. It destroys what it touches, be it a man, a nation, or a world.

Brought them up. Common courtesy would demand that the Israelites show respect for Him who had shown so great kindness to them. They could hardly display baser ingratitude than to forget God’s mercy and goodness. Idolatry involved infinitely more guilt among the Hebrews than among other peoples, for the heathen had only a limited degree of enlightenment and had not experienced the wonderful blessings that God had bestowed on His chosen people. The Israelites knew by their own personal experience that God was kind and beneficent, and yet in spite of all this they turned away from Him to the worship of false gods.

By SdaBc

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