2 Kings 17

King James Version

Full text for 2 Kings Chapter 17

1¶ In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years.

2And he did [that which was] evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as the kings of Israel that were before him.

3Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents.

4And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present 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.

5Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.

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.

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,

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.

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.

10And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree:

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:

12For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

19Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made.

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.

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.

22For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them;

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.

24¶ 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.

25And [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.

26Wherefore they spake 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 land.

27Then 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.

28Then 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.

29Howbeit 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.

30And the men of Babylon made Succothbenoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,

31And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.

32So 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.

33They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence.

34Unto this day they do after the former manners: they fear not the LORD, 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;

35With whom the LORD had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:

36But the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice.

37And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods.

38And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods.

39But the LORD your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.

40Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner.

41So these nations feared the LORD, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children's children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

The chapter details the final fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. King Hoshea's rebellion against Assyria led to Samaria's three-year siege and Israel's subsequent captivity. This judgment was a direct consequence of Israel's persistent idolatry and rejection of the LORD's commandments, despite prophetic warnings. New inhabitants were then settled in Samaria, who developed a syncretistic religion, fearing the LORD while also serving their own gods.

Medium Summary

The chapter opens with Hoshea's reign over Israel, marked by his submission to Assyria, followed by his conspiracy with Egypt. This treachery prompted Shalmaneser of Assyria to imprison Hoshea and besiege Samaria for three years, culminating in Israel's deportation to Assyria. The text then provides a theological explanation for this exile, attributing it to Israel's widespread idolatry, including the worship of other gods, molten images, and the host of heaven, and their rejection of the LORD's covenant and prophetic warnings. Despite God's deliverance from Egypt, Israel persistently walked in the statutes of the heathen, provoking divine anger. Even Judah, though not yet exiled, also followed Israel's sinful ways. Following Israel's removal, the king of Assyria resettled various foreign peoples in Samaria. These new inhabitants initially faced divine judgment through lions due to their ignorance of the "manner of the God of the land." Consequently, an exiled Israelite priest was sent to teach them, yet they continued to serve their own gods alongside the LORD, establishing a syncretistic worship that endured.

Long Summary

The seventeenth chapter of 2 Kings begins with the reign of Hoshea, the last king of Israel, who ruled for nine years in Samaria. He became a vassal to Shalmaneser king of Assyria, paying tribute annually. However, Hoshea conspired with So king of Egypt and ceased his payments, leading to his imprisonment by the Assyrian king. Subsequently, Shalmaneser besieged Samaria for three years, and in Hoshea's ninth year, the city fell, and the children of Israel were carried away into Assyria, settled in Halah, Habor, Gozan, and the cities of the Medes. The narrative then shifts to explain the divine rationale for this catastrophic exile. It states that Israel had sinned grievously against the LORD their God, who had delivered them from Egypt, by fearing other gods and walking in the statutes of the heathen. They built high places, set up images and groves, burnt incense to idols, and engaged in practices like child sacrifice, divination, and enchantments, provoking the LORD's anger. Despite repeated warnings from prophets and seers to turn from their evil ways and keep God's commandments, Israel hardened their necks, rejected His statutes and covenant, and followed vanity. They abandoned the LORD's commands, making molten images of calves and worshipping the host of heaven and Baal. Consequently, the LORD was exceedingly angry and removed Israel from His sight, leaving only the tribe of Judah. The text notes that Judah also did not keep the LORD's commandments, walking in Israel's statutes. The LORD rejected all the seed of Israel, afflicting them until they were cast out of His sight, fulfilling the prophecies. After Israel's deportation, the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and Sepharvaim to inhabit Samaria. These new settlers initially did not fear the LORD, prompting Him to send lions among them. Upon learning of this, the Assyrian king commanded that one of the exiled Israelite priests be sent back to Bethel to teach them the "manner of the God of the land." While they learned to fear the LORD, each nation also continued to make and serve their own gods, resulting in a mixed form of worship. They feared the LORD but served their own gods, a practice that persisted "unto this day," demonstrating a persistent syncretism contrary to the LORD's exclusive worship.

Core Concepts

  • Assyrian CaptivityThe forced deportation of the Northern Kingdom of Israel by the Assyrian king Shalmaneser, resulting from King Hoshea's rebellion and the siege of Samaria. This event marked the end of Israel as an independent kingdom.
  • Israel's IdolatryThe primary reason for Israel's downfall, characterized by their worship of other gods, the construction of high places, the use of images and groves, and engagement in practices like child sacrifice and divination, all in direct violation of the LORD's commands.
  • Rejection of Prophetic WarningsDespite the LORD sending prophets and seers to admonish Israel to repent and return to His statutes, the people hardened their hearts and refused to listen, thereby sealing their fate.
  • Divine JudgmentThe LORD's active punishment of Israel through their defeat and exile, demonstrating His anger and faithfulness to His covenant warnings against disobedience. This judgment was a direct consequence of their persistent sin.
  • Syncretistic WorshipThe mixed religious practices of the new inhabitants of Samaria, who, after being taught by an Israelite priest, feared the LORD but also continued to serve their own national gods, creating a hybrid religion.
  • Covenant DisobedienceIsrael's consistent failure to adhere to the covenant the LORD made with their fathers, specifically by fearing other gods, serving idols, and neglecting His statutes and ordinances, which led to their rejection and removal.
  • The God of the LandA concept introduced by the new settlers in Samaria, who perceived the LORD as a local deity whose "manner" needed to be understood to avoid His wrath, rather than as the one true God of all the earth.