God’s Word Translation
2 Kings 17:27
27The king of Assyria gave this command: “Bring one of the priests you captured from there. Let him go back to teach them the customs of the god of that country.”
2 Kings 17:27 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then 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.
- New International Version (NIV)Then the king of Assyria gave this order: “Have one of the priests you took captive from Samaria go back to live there and teach the people what the god of the land requires.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then the king of Assyria commanded, "Send there one of the priests whom you carried away from there, and let him go and dwell there and teach them the law of the god of the land."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, “Send there one of the priests whom you brought from there; let him go and dwell there, and let him teach them the rituals of the God of the land.”
Context of 2 Kings 17:27
25When they first came to live there, they didn’t worship the Lord. So the Lord sent lions to kill some of them. 26Then someone said to the king of Assyria, “The people you took as captives and settled in the cities of Samaria don’t know the customs of the god of that country, so he sent lions. Now the lions are killing them because they don’t know the customs of the god of this country.” The king of Assyria gave this command: “Bring one of the priests you captured from there. Let him go back to teach them the customs of the god of that country.” 28So one of the priests who had been taken prisoner from Samaria went to live in Bethel. He taught them how to worship the Lord. 29But each group ⌞that settled in Samaria⌟ continued to make its own gods. They put them at the illegal places of worship, which the people of Samaria had made. Each group did this in the cities where they lived:
Read all of 2 Kings 172 Kings 17:27 word by word
וַיְצַ֨ו מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֜וּר לֵאמֹ֗ר הֹלִ֤יכוּ שָׁ֙מָּה֙ אֶחָ֤ד מֵהַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִגְלִיתֶ֣ם מִשָּׁ֔ם וְיֵלְכ֖וּ וְיֵ֣שְׁבוּ שָׁ֑ם וְיֹרֵ֕ם אֶת־מִשְׁפַּ֖ט אֱלֹהֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Assyriaאַשּׁוּר'ashshûr 'ashshûr · AssyriaH804
- commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Carryיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- thither oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- of the priestsכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
- whom ye broughtגָּלָהgâlâh · to reveal: removeH1540
- and dwellיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- there, and let him teachיָרָהyârâh yârâ' · to showH3384
- them the mannerמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: ruleH4941
- of the Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- of the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
Cross-references for 2 Kings 17:27
- Judges 17:13Then Micah said, “Now I know that the Lord will be good to me. I have a Levite for my priest.”
- 1 Kings 12:31Jeroboam built worship sites on hilltops. He appointed men who were not descended from Levi to be priests.
- 1 Kings 13:2By a command of the Lord, this man condemned the altar. “Altar, altar! This is what the Lord says: There will be a son born in David’s family line. His name will be Josiah. Here on you Josiah will sacrifice the priests from the illegal worship sites who offer sacrifices on you. Human bones will be burned on you.”
- 2 Chronicles 11:15Instead, Jeroboam appointed ⌞his own⌟ priests for the illegal worship sites and the goat and calf statues he had made as idols.
Commentaries on 2 Kings 17:27
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 27Carry thither one of the priests - Imperfect as this teaching was, it, in the end, overthrew the idolatry of these people, so that soon after the Babylonish captivity they were found to be as free from idolatry as the Jews themselves, and continue so to the present day. But they are now nearly annihilated: the small remains of them is found at Naplouse and Jaffa; they are about thirty families; and men, women, and children, amount to about two hundred…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 27Carry one of the priests ; let them go and dwell there, and let him teach - The double change of number is curious; but rise text needs no emendation. The priest would require to be accompanied by assistants, who would “go and dwell,” but would not be qualified to “teach.” The arcana of the worship would be known to none excepting the priests who had ministered at the two national sanctuaries of Dan and Bethel.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. 26-31The king of Assyria was Sargon II. He ruled from 721 to 705 BC. the God of the land … has sent lions: People in the ancient Near East believed a land's peace and success were tied to its god and religious practices. One of the priests returned to Bethel, but his teachings on worshiping the Lord were likely influenced by Jeroboam I's religion and mixed with pagan practices. The foreigners also continued to worship their own gods. They added the worship of…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 24-2824-28. the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, etc.--This was not Shalmaneser, but Esar-haddon (Eze 4:2). The places vacated by the captive Israelites he ordered to be occupied by several colonies of his own subjects from Babylon and other provinces. from Cuthah--the Chaldee form of Cush or Susiana, now Khusistan. Ava--supposed to be Ahivaz, situated on the river Karuns, which empties into the head of the Persian Gulf. Hamath--on the Orontes…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Kings 17:27
In the dictionaries
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
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