2 Kings 17:32

2 Kings 17:32 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)They worshiped the Lord, but they also appointed all sorts of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the shrines at the high places.
• English Standard Version (ESV)They also feared the Lord and appointed from among themselves all sorts of people as priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So they feared the Lord, and from every class they appointed for themselves priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places.

Context of 2 Kings 17:32

30The people from Babylon made idols of the god called Succoth-Benoth. The people from Cuthah made idols of the god called Nergal. The people from Hamath made idols of the god called Ashima. 31The people from Avva made idols of their gods called Nibhaz and Tartak. The people from Sepharvaim burned their children in fire as offerings to their gods, Adrammelech and Anammelech. The foreign people in Samaria also worshipped the Lord. They chose some of their own people to serve as priests at the altars on the hills. 33In this way, they worshipped the Lord, but they also served their own gods. They did that in the way that they had always done in their own countries. That was what they did before the Assyrians sent them to live in Samaria. 34Even today, they still do things in the same way that they have always done them. They do not truly worship the Lord. They do not obey his rules, his laws or his teaching. They do not obey the commands that the Lord gave to the descendants of Jacob. Jacob was the man that the Lord gave a new name to. He gave him the name ‘Israel’.

2 Kings 17:32 word by word

וַיִּהְי֥וּ יְרֵאִ֖ים אֶת־יְהוָ֑ה וַיַּעֲשׂ֨וּ לָהֶ֤ם מִקְצוֹתָם֙ כֹּהֲנֵ֣י בָמ֔וֹת וַיִּהְי֛וּ עֹשִׂ֥ים לָהֶ֖ם בְּבֵ֥ית הַבָּמֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• So they fearedיָרֵאyârê' · afraidH3373
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• and madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• unto themselves of the lowestקָצָהqâtsâh · endH7098
• of them priestsכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• of the high placesבָּמָהbâmâh · high placeH1116
• which sacrificedעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: offerH6213
• for them in the housesבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004

Cross-references for 2 Kings 17:32

• 1 Kings 12:31Jeroboam also built places on hills for people to worship. He chose men who were not from Levi's tribe to be priests.
• 1 Kings 13:33Even after this happened, Jeroboam did not stop doing evil things. He chose ordinary people to be priests for the altars on the hills. If somebody wanted to become a priest, Jeroboam agreed to make him a priest.
• 2 Kings 17:29But the people of each nation that had gone to live in Samaria made their own idols to worship. They put them at the altars that the Israelites had built on the hills. They did this in each town where they lived.
• 2 Kings 23:19King Josiah removed the altars on the hills in all the towns of Samaria. The kings of Israel had built those altars and that had made the Lord angry. Josiah destroyed all of them, in the same way that he destroyed the altar at Bethel.
• 1 Kings 13:31When they had buried the man, the old prophet said to his sons, ‘When I die, bury me in the same grave where we buried the servant of God. Put my bones there, beside his bones.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 17:32

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 32Of the lowest of them priests - One priest was not enough for this motley population; and, as the priesthood was probably neither respectable nor lucrative, it was only the lowest of the people who would enter into the employment.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 32Of the lowest of them - Rather, “from all ranks.” See marginal reference note.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. 32-34They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods: The Hebrew faith, already mixed with Jeroboam I's religion, now included many foreign customs. Genuine worship of the Lord nearly vanished. Only a few faithful Israelites responded to Hezekiah’s later invitation to come to Judah for the Passover celebration (2 Chronicles 30:10–19).Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 17:32

• Babylon
• Judgments
• Rulers
• Samaria

In the dictionaries

• Adrammelech and Anammelech
• Assyria
• Captivity
• Fear
• Haggai
• High Place
• Jesus Christ
• Kings, Books of
• Syriac Versions

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