2 Kings 17:9

2 Kings 17:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the Lord their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.
• New International Version (NIV)The Israelites secretly did things against the Lord their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city they built themselves high places in all their towns.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the people of Israel did secretly against the Lord their God things that were not right. They built for themselves high places in all their towns, from watchtower to fortified city.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Also the children of Israel secretly did against the Lord their God things that were not right, and they built for themselves high places in all their cities, from watchtower to fortified city.

Context of 2 Kings 17:9

7Now it was so because the men of Israel had sinned against Adonai their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods. 8Instead they followed the customs of the nations, whom Adonai had dispossessed before Bnei-Yisrael, yet which the kings of Israel practiced. Bnei-Yisrael secretly did things against Adonai their God that were not right. They built shrines for themselves in all their settlements—from watchtowers to fortified cities, 10and they set up pillars and Asherah poles for themselves on every high hill and under every leafy tree. 11There they burned incense on all the high places, like the nations whom Adonai had driven out before them. So they did wicked things to provoke Adonai.

2 Kings 17:9 word by word

וַיְחַפְּא֣וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל דְּבָרִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־כֵ֔ן עַל־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּבְנ֨וּ לָהֶ֤ם בָּמוֹת֙ בְּכָל־עָ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם מִמִּגְדַּ֥ל נוֹצְרִ֖ים עַד־עִ֥יר מִבְצָֽר׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• did secretlyחָפָאchâphâ' · to do secretlyH2644
• thingsדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
• not right against the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• their Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• and they builtבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
• them high placesבָּמָהbâmâh · high placeH1116
• in all their citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• from the towerמִגְדָּלmigdâl migdâlâh · towerH4026
• of the watchmenנָצַרnâtsar · to watchH5341
• to the fencedמִבְצָרmibtsâr mibtsârâh · fortificationH4013

Cross-references for 2 Kings 17:9

• Deuteronomy 13:6That prophet or dreamer of dreams must be put to death! For he has spoken falsehood against Adonai your God, who brought you out from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to entice you from the way Adonai your God commanded you to walk. So you will purge the evil from your midst.
• Deuteronomy 27:15‘Cursed is the one who makes a carved or molten image—an abomination to Adonai, the work of a craftsman’s hands—and sets it up in secret.’ Then all the people are to answer and say, ‘Amen.’
• Job 31:27so that my heart was secretly enticed, and my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,
• Ezekiel 8:12Then He said to me: “Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in his chamber of his carved idol? For they say, ‘Adonai does not see us. Adonai has forsaken the land.’”
• 2 Kings 18:8He defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territories, from watchtower to fortified city.
• Hosea 12:11I also spoke through the prophets and I multiplied visions. Now through the prophets I will make parables.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 17:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Did secretly those things - There was much hidden iniquity and private idolatry among them, as well as public and notorious crimes. From the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city - That is, the idolatry was universal; every place was made a place for some idolatrous rite or act of worship; from the largest city to the smallest village, and from the public watchtower to the shepherd's cot.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Literally, the words run thus - “And the children of Israel concealed (or dissembled‘) words which were not so concerning the Lord their God;” the true meaning of which probably is, the Israelites cloaked or covered their idolatry with the pretence that it was a worship of Yahweh: they glossed it over and dissembled toward God, instead of openly acknowledging their apostasy. From the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city - This phrase was probably a…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-23Verses 7-23 Though the destruction of the kingdom of the ten tribes was but briefly related, it is in these verses largely commented upon, and the reasons of it given. It was destruction from the Almighty: the Assyrian was but the rod of his anger, Is 10:5. Those that bring sin into a country or family, bring a plague into it, and will have to answer for all the mischief that follows. And vast as the outward wickedness of the world is, the secret sins…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-13Israel committed many sins, including pagan rituals and practices. Whether done openly or in secret, God knew about them all. Israel's kings often started these practices by building pagan shrines, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles. They copied pagan sacrifices and idol worship (2 Kings 10:29; 15:18, 28; 1 Kings 12:28–33; 15:34; 16:30–33). People from all parts of Israelite society, both royalty and commoners, continued these sins. They ignored warnings…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 17:9

• Assyria
• Babylon
• High Places
• Judgments
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• God
• Israel
• Children of Israel
• Watches
• Assyria
• Captivity
• Fear
• Gardener
• High Place
• Hoshea

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