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 Succoth Benoth. The people from Cuth made Nergal. The people from Hamath made Ashima. 31The people from Avva made Nibhaz and Tartak. The people from Sepharvaim burned their children for Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. So 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. 34Today they are still following their customs, as they’ve done from the beginning. They don’t fear the Lord or live by the decrees, customs, teachings, or commands that the Lord gave to the descendants of Jacob (whom he named 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 built worship sites on hilltops. He appointed men who were not descended from Levi to be priests.
• 1 Kings 13:33Even after this, Jeroboam didn’t change his evil ways, but he once again made some men priests for the illegal worship sites. He took all who were willing and appointed them to be priests at the worship sites.
• 2 Kings 17:29But 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:
• 2 Kings 23:19Josiah also got rid of all the temples at the illegal places of worship in the cities of Samaria. The kings of Israel had built these places to make the Lord furious. He did to them everything that he had done to the worship places at Bethel.
• 1 Kings 13:31After he had buried the man of God, he said to his sons, “When I die, bury me in the tomb where the man of God was buried. Lay my bones 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