2 Kings 17:33

2 Kings 17:33 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)They feared the Lord, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence.
• New International Version (NIV)They worshiped the Lord, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So they feared the Lord but also served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away.
• New King James Version (NKJV)They feared the Lord, yet served their own gods—according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away.

Context of 2 Kings 17:33

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. 32The 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. In 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’. 35The Lord made a covenant with the descendants of Israel. He said to them, ‘Do not worship any other gods. Do not bend down low to give them honour. Do not serve them. Do not offer any sacrifices to them.

2 Kings 17:33 word by word

אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה הָי֣וּ יְרֵאִ֑ים וְאֶת־אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶם֙ הָי֣וּ עֹֽבְדִ֔ים כְּמִשְׁפַּט֙ הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־הִגְל֥וּ אֹתָ֖ם מִשָּֽׁם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• They fearedיָרֵאyârê' · afraidH3373
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• and servedעָבַד‛âbad · to serve: ministerH5647
• their own godsאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• after the mannerמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: customH4941
• of the nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
• whom they carried awayגָּלָהgâlâh · to reveal: removeH1540

Cross-references for 2 Kings 17:33

• 2 Kings 17:41Even while they were worshipping the Lord, they continued to serve their own idols. Their children and their grandchildren continue to live as their fathers did, even today.
• 1 Kings 18:21Elijah stood up in front of the people and he said, ‘You must now decide who to worship! If the Lord is the true God, worship him. But if Baal is God, worship him.’ But the people said nothing.
• Hosea 10:2They do not truly trust God. They are guilty and they must receive their punishment. The Lord will break their altars. He will destroy their special pillars.
• Zephaniah 1:5Some people stand on the roof tops to worship the sun, the moon and the stars. I will remove those people. Some people say that they love me. But they say also that they love Malcam (a false god). So I will remove them, too.’
• Matthew 6:24Jesus said, ‘Nobody can work as a slave for two masters at the same time. Maybe he will hate one of the masters, but he will love the other one. Or he will work well for one master, but he will think bad things about the other master. God and money are like different masters. You cannot work for both of them.
• Luke 16:13A slave cannot work for two masters at the same time. Maybe he will hate one of the masters, but he will love the other one. Or he will work well for one master, but he will think bad things about the other one. God and money are like different masters. You cannot work for both of them.’

Commentaries on 2 Kings 17:33

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 33They feared the Lord, and served their own gods - They did not relinquish their own idolatry but incorporated the worship of the true God with that of their idols. They were afraid of Jehovah, who had sent lions among them; and therefore they offered him a sort of worship that he might not thus afflict them: but they served other gods, devoted themselves affectionately to them, because their worship was such as gratified their grossest passions, and most…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 33Understand the passage thus: “They (the colonists) served their own gods after the manner of the nations from which they (the government) removed them,” i. e., after the manner of their own countrymen at home.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 17:33

• Judgments
• Samaria

In the dictionaries

• Calf
• Assyria
• Captivity
• Fear
• Gods
• Haggai
• 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