2 Kings 17:41

2 Kings 17:41 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)So 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.
• New International Version (NIV)Even while these people were worshiping the Lord, they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their ancestors did.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So these nations feared the Lord and also served their carved images. Their children did likewise, and their children's children—as their fathers did, so they do to this day.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So these nations feared the Lord, yet served their carved images; also their children and their children’s children have continued doing as their fathers did, even to this day.

Context of 2 Kings 17:41

39But the Lord your God you shall fear [and worship]; then He will rescue you from the hands of all your enemies.” 40However, they did not listen, but they acted in accordance with their former custom. So these nations [superficially] feared the Lord; they also served their idols, as did their children and their children’s children, just as their fathers did, so do they to this day [the date of this writing].

2 Kings 17:41 word by word

וַיִּהְי֣וּ׀ הַגּוֹיִ֣ם הָאֵ֗לֶּה יְרֵאִים֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה וְאֶת־פְּסִֽילֵיהֶ֖ם הָי֣וּ עֹֽבְדִ֑ים גַּם־בְּנֵיהֶ֣ם׀ וּבְנֵ֣י בְנֵיהֶ֗ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשׂ֤וּ אֲבֹתָם֙ הֵ֣ם עֹשִׂ֔ים עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• So these nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
• fearedיָרֵאyârê' · afraidH3373
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• and servedעָבַד‛âbad · to serve: ministerH5647
• their graven imagesפָּסִילpesîyl · idolH6456
• both their childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• as didעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• their fathersאָב'âb · fatherH1
• they unto this dayיוֹםyôm · day: todayH3117

Cross-references for 2 Kings 17:41

• 2 Kings 17:32They also feared the Lord and appointed from among themselves priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places.
• Joshua 24:14“Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and in truth; remove the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the [Euphrates] River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.
• 1 Kings 18:21Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people [of Israel] did not answer him [so much as] a word.
• Zephaniah 1:5And those who bow down and worship the host of heaven [the sun, the moon, and the stars] on their housetops And those who bow down and swear [oaths] to [and pretend to worship] the Lord and [yet also] swear by [the pagan god called] Milcom [god of the Ammonites],
• Matthew 6:24“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].
• Revelation 3:15‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold (invigorating, refreshing) nor hot (healing, therapeutic); I wish that you were cold or hot.
• Ezra 4:1Now when [the Samaritans] the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles from the captivity were building a temple to the Lord God of Israel,

Commentaries on 2 Kings 17:41

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 41So do they unto this day - This must have been written before the Babylonish captivity; because, after that time, none of the Israelites ever lapsed into idolatry. But this may chiefly refer to the heathenish people who were sent to dwell among the remains of the ten tribes. On these nations and the objects of their worship, I present my readers with the following extracts from Dodd and Parkhurst. 2 Kings 17:30. The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth. We…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 41Their graven images - The Babylonians appear to have made a very sparing use of animal forms among their religious emblems. They represented the male Sun, Shamas, by a circle, plain or crossed; the female Sun, Anunit, by a six-rayed or eight-rayed star; Nebo by a single wedge or arrow-head, the fundamental element of their writing; the god of the atmosphere by a double or triple thunderbolt. The gods generally were represented under human forms. A few of…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 24-41Verses 24-41 The terror of the Almighty will sometimes produce a forced or feigned submission in unconverted men; like those brought from different countries to inhabit Israel. But such will form unworthy thoughts of God, will expect to please him by outward forms, and will vainly try to reconcile his service with the love of the world and the indulgence of their lusts. May that fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom, possess our hearts, and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 40-41worshiped the LORD but also served their idols: The Samaritan religion mixed the worship of Israel’s God with other religions. This kind of mixture is called syncretism (an eclectic combination of religions). Because of this, Samaritans were later viewed with suspicion and treated with contempt (see Nehemiah 4:1–2; 10:28–31; John 4:7–9).Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 17:41

• Children
• Judgments
• Samaria

In the dictionaries

• Assyria
• Captivity
• Fear
• Haggai
• Kings, Books of
• Syriac Versions
• Samaritans

Commentaries on 2 Kings 17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings