God’s Word Translation
2 Kings 17:31
31The people from Avva made Nibhaz and Tartak. The people from Sepharvaim burned their children for Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.
2 Kings 17:31 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.
- New International Version (NIV)the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire as sacrifices to Adrammelek and Anammelek, the gods of Sepharvaim.
- English Standard Version (ESV)and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.
- New King James Version (NKJV)and the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burned their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.
Context of 2 Kings 17:31
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: 30The people from Babylon made Succoth Benoth. The people from Cuth made Nergal. The people from Hamath made Ashima. The people from Avva made Nibhaz and Tartak. The people from Sepharvaim burned their children for Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. 32So while these people were worshiping the Lord, they also appointed all kinds of people to serve as priests for the shrines at their illegal places of worship. 33They worshiped the Lord but also served their own gods according to the customs of the nations from which they had come.
Read all of 2 Kings 172 Kings 17:31 word by word
וְהָעַוִּ֛ים עָשׂ֥וּ נִבְחַ֖ז וְאֶת־תַּרְתָּ֑ק וְהַסְפַרְוִ֗ים שֹׂרְפִ֤ים אֶת־בְּנֵיהֶם֙ בָּאֵ֔שׁ לְאַדְרַמֶּ֥לֶךְ וַֽעֲנַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֱלֹהֵ֥י סְפַרְוָֽיִם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the Avitesעַוִּי‛avviy · AvitesH5757
- madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
- Nibhazנִבְחַזnibchaz · NibhazH5026
- and Tartakתַּרְתָּ֑קtartâq · TartakH8662
- and the Sepharvitesסְפַרְוִיsepharvîy · SepharvaimH5616
- burntשָׂרַףώâraph · to burnH8313
- their childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- in fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
- to Adrammelechאַדְרַמֶּ֫לֶךְ'adrammelek · AdrammelechH152
- and Anammelechעֲנַמֶּ֫לֶךְ‛ănammelek · AnammelechH6048
- the godsאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- of Sepharvaimסְפַרְוַ֫יִםsepharvayim sephârîym · SepharvaimH5617
Cross-references for 2 Kings 17:31
- 2 Kings 17:24The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its cities.
- Ezra 4:9At that time, Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe were with the others of their group—the people from Denya, Partakka, Tarpel, Persia, Erech, Babylon, Susa, (that is, those of Elam),
- 2 Kings 17:17They sacrificed their sons and daughters by burning them alive. They practiced black magic and cast evil spells. They sold themselves by doing what the Lord considered evil, and they made him furious.
- Leviticus 18:21Never give your children as sacrifices to the god Molech ⌞by burning them alive⌟. If you do, you are dishonoring the name of your God. I am the Lord.
- Deuteronomy 12:28Be sure you obey all these instructions I’m giving you. Then things will always go well for you and your descendants because you will be doing what the Lord your God considers good and right.
Commentaries on 2 Kings 17:31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31The Avites made Nibhaz - This was supposed to be the same as the Anubis of the Egyptians; and was in form partly of a dog, and partly of a man. A very ancient image of this kind now lies before me: it is cut out of stone, about seven inches high; has the body, legs, and arms, of a man; the head and feet of a dog; the thighs and legs covered with scales; the head crowned with a tiara; the arms crossed upon the breasts, with the fingers clenched. The figure…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31Nibhaz and Tartak are either gods of whom no other notice has come down to us, or intentional corruptions of the Babylonian names Nebo and Tir, the great god of Borsippa, who was the tutelar deity of so many Babylonian kings. The Jews, in their scorn and contempt of polytheism, occasionally and purposely altered, by way of derision, the names of the pagan deities. Anammelech is possibly an instance of the same contemptuous play upon words. Adrammelech…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. 3131. Nibhaz--under that of a dog--that Egyptian form of animal-worship having prevailed in ancient Syria, as is evident from the image of a large dog at the mouth of the Nahr-el-Kelb, or Dog river. Tartak--According to the rabbis, it was in the form of an ass, but others understand it as a planet of ill-omen, probably Saturn. Adrammelech--supposed by some to be the same as Molech, and in Assyrian mythology to stand for the sun. It was worshipped in the…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Kings 17:31
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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