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

39Instead, you must only worship the Lord your God. It is he who will save you from the power of all your enemies.’ 40But the foreign people who now lived in Samaria would not accept the Lord's teaching. They continued to live in the way that they always had done. Even 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.

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 17:32The 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.
• Joshua 24:14Joshua said to the people, ‘Now you must serve the Lord with fear. You must worship him. You must continue to trust him. Throw away the gods that your ancestors worshipped when they lived beyond the Euphrates river and in Egypt. Worship the Lord.
• 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.
• 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.
• Revelation 3:15I know everything that you do. I know that you are neither cold nor hot. It would be better if you were either cold or hot.
• Ezra 4:1The Israelites who had returned to Jerusalem from exile were building the temple for the Lord, Israel's God. The enemies of the people of Judah and Benjamin heard that the Israelites had begun to build.

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