Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

2 Kings 17

Clinging to a Counterfeit Cross
Introduction

1  Hoshea's wicked reign.
3  Being subdued by Shalmaneser, he conspires against him with So, king of Egypt.
5  Samaria for sinning is led into captivity.
24  The strange nations which were transplanted into Samaria, being plagued with lions, make a mixture of religions.
Verse 1

In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years.
A. M. 3274. B.C. 730. In the twelfth. In ch. 15:30, this is said to be "the twentieth year of Jotham," which Calmet thus reconciles: "Hosea conspired against Pekah, the 20th year of the reign of this prince, which was the 18th of Jotham, king of Judah. Two years after this, that is, the 4th of Ahaz and the 20th of Jotham, Hosea made himself master of a part of the kingdom, according to ch. 15:30. Finally, the 12th year of Ahaz, Hosea had peaceable possession of the whole kingdom, agreeably to ch. 17:1."
Hoshea
"After an interregnum, ch. 15:30; 18:9."
Verse 2

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as the kings of Israel that were before him.
but not as the kings
3:2, 10:31, 13:2,11, 15:9,18,24, 2 Chronicles 30:5-11
Verse 3

Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents.
Shalmaneser
This was the son and successor of Tiglath-pileser: he reigned 14 years, from A.M. 3276 to 3290.
18:9, Hosea 10:14
Shalman
king of Assyria.
15:19,29, 16:7, 18:13, 19:36,37, Isaiah 7:7,8, 10:5,6,11,12
and Hoshea
16:8, 18:14-16,31
gave
Heb. rendered. presents. or, tribute.
2 Samuel 8:2,6
Verse 4

And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison.
A. M. 3279. B.C. 725. found conspiracy
24:1,20, Ezekiel 17:13-19
king of Egypt
18:21, Isaiah 30:1-4, 31:1-3, Ezekiel 17:15
brought
18:14,15
bound him
25:7, 2 Chronicles 32:11, Psalms 149:7,8
Verse 5

Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.
A. M. 3281-3283. B.C. 723-721. the king
18:9
three years
25:1-3, Jeremiah 52:4,5
Verse 6

In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
A. M. 3283. B.C. 721. the king of Assyria
18:10,11, Hosea 1:6,9, 13:16
foretold
carried.
Leviticus 26:32,33,38, Deuteronomy 4:25-28, 28:36,64, 29:27,28, 30:18, 1 Kings 14:15,16, Amos 5:27
Halah
19:12, 1 Chronicles 5:26, Isaiah 37:12,13
the Medes
Isaiah 13:17, 21:2, Daniel 5:28
Verse 7

For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods,
sinned
Deuteronomy 31:16,17,29, 32:15-52, Joshua 23:16, Judges 2:14-17, 2 Chronicles 36:14-16, Nehemiah 9:26, Psalms 106:35-41, Ezekiel 23:2-16, Hosea 4:1-3, 8:5-14
the Lord
16:2, 1 Kings 11:4, 15:3, 2 Chronicles 36:5
which had
Exodus 20:2
and had feared
35, Jeremiah 10:5
Verse 8

And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made.
walked
16:3,10, 21:2, Leviticus 18:3,27-30, Deuteronomy 12:30,31, 18:9, 1 Kings 12:28, 1 Kings 16:31-33, 21:26, Psalms 106:35, Jeremiah 10:2
of the kings of Israel
Hosea 5:11, Micah 6:16
Verse 9

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.
secretly
Deuteronomy 13:6, 27:15, Job 31:27, Ezekiel 8:12
from the tower
18:8, Hosea 12:11
Verse 10

And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree:
they set
16:4, Exodus 34:13, Leviticus 26:1, 1 Kings 14:23, Isaiah 57:5
images
Heb. statues. groves.
Deuteronomy 16:21, Micah 5:14
in every
16:4, 1 Kings 14:23, Deuteronomy 12:2,3
Verse 11

And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger:
burnt
1 Kings 13:1, 2 Chronicles 28:25, Jeremiah 44:17
to provoke
21:6, Psalms 78:56-58
Verse 12

For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.
whereof
Exodus 20:3-5, 34:14, Leviticus 26:1, Deuteronomy 4:19, 5:7-9
Ye shall not
Deuteronomy 4:15-19,23-25, 12:4
Verse 13

Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.
testified
Deuteronomy 8:19, 31:21, Nehemiah 9:29,30, Psalms 50:7, 81:8,9, Jeremiah 42:19, Acts 20:21
and against
2 Chronicles 36:15,16, Jeremiah 3:8-11, Hosea 4:15
all
Heb. the hand of all.
Deuteronomy 4:26, Joshua 23:16, Judges 6:10, 10:11-14, 1 Samuel 12:7-15, Isaiah 1:5-15,21-24, Jeremiah 5:29-31, Zechariah 1:3-6
seers
1 Samuel 9:9, 1 Chronicles 29:29
Turn ye
Isaiah 1:16-20, 55:6,7, Jeremiah 7:3-7, 18:11, 25:4,5, 35:15, Ezekiel 18:31, Hosea 14:1, 2 Peter 3:9
keep
Jeremiah 7:22,23, 26:4-6
Verse 14

Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God.
but hardened
Deuteronomy 31:27, 2 Chronicles 36:13, Proverbs 29:1, Isaiah 48:4, Jeremiah 7:26, Romans 2:4,5, Hebrews 3:7,8
did not believe
Deuteronomy 1:32, Psalms 78:22,32, 106:24, Hebrews 3:12
Verse 15

And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them.
they rejected
Jeremiah 8:9
his covenant
Exodus 24:6-8, Deuteronomy 29:10-15,25,26, Jeremiah 31:32
testimonies
Deuteronomy 6:17,18, 2 Chronicles 36:15,16, Nehemiah 9:26,29,30, Jeremiah 44:4,23
vanity
Deuteronomy 32:21,31, 1 Samuel 12:21, 1 Kings 16:13, Psalms 115:8, Jeremiah 10:8,15, John 2:8
became vain
Jeremiah 2:5, Romans 1:21-23, 1 Corinthians 8:4
concerning whom
8,11,12, Deuteronomy 12:30,31, 2 Chronicles 33:2,9
Verse 16

And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.
molten images
Exodus 32:4,8, 1 Kings 12:28, Psalms 106:18-20, Isaiah 44:9,10
a grove
10, 1 Kings 14:15,23, 15:13, 16:33
worshipped
Deuteronomy 4:19, Jeremiah 8:2
Baal
10:18-28, 11:18, 1 Kings 16:31, 22:53
Verse 17

And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
they caused
16:3, 21:6, Leviticus 18:21, 2 Chronicles 28:3, Psalms 106:37,38, Ezekiel 20:26,31, Ezekiel 23:37,39
used
21:6, Deuteronomy 18:10-12, 2 Chronicles 33:6, Isaiah 8:19, 47:9,12,13, Jeremiah 27:9, Micah 5:12, Acts 16:16, Galatians 5:26
sold
1 Kings 21:20,25, Isaiah 50:1
in the sight
11, 21:6
Verse 18

Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.
removed
13:23, 23:27, Deuteronomy 29:20-28, 32:21-26, Joshua 23:13,15, Jeremiah 15:1, Hosea 9:3
the tribe
1 Kings 11:13,32,36, 12:20, Hosea 11:12
Verse 19

Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made.
Also Judah
1 Kings 14:22,23, 2 Chronicles 21:11,13, Jeremiah 2:28, 3:8-11, Ezekiel 16:51,52, Ezekiel 22:2-16, 23:4-13
walked
8:18,27, 16:3
Verse 20

And the LORD rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight.
rejected
15, 1 Samuel 15:23,26, 16:1, Jeremiah 6:30, Romans 11:1,2
all the seed
1 Chronicles 16:13, Nehemiah 9:2, Isaiah 45:25, Jeremiah 31:36,37, 33:24-26, 46:28
delivered
13:3,7, 15:18-20,29, 18:9, 2 Chronicles 28:5,6, Nehemiah 9:27,28
until he had cast
18, Deuteronomy 11:12, Jonah 1:3,10, Matthew 25:41, 2 Thessalonians 1:9
Verse 21

For he rent Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the LORD, and made them sin a great sin.
For he rent
1 Kings 11:11,31, 14:8, Isaiah 7:17
they made
1 Kings 12:19,20, 2 Chronicles 10:15-19
Jeroboam drave
1 Kings 12:20,28-30, 14:16, 2 Chronicles 11:11,15
a great sin
Genesis 20:9, Exodus 32:21, 1 Samuel 2:17,24, Psalms 25:11, John 19:11
Verse 22

For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them;
walked in all the sins
3:3, 10:29,31, 13:2,6,11, 15:9
Verse 23

Until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.
the Lord
18,20
as he had said
13, 1 Kings 13:2, 14:16, Hosea 1:4-9, Amos 5:27, Micah 1:6
So was Israel
6, 18:11,12
Verse 24

And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.
A. M. 3326. B.C. 678. the king
Ezra 4:2-10
Babylon
30, 2 Chronicles 33:11
Ava
31, 18:31, Isaiah 37:13
Ivah
Hamath.
19:13, Isaiah 10:9, 36:19
in the cities thereof
6, Matthew 10:5
Verse 25

And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they feared not the LORD: therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which slew some of them.
they feared
28,32,34,41, Joshua 22:25, Jeremiah 10:7, Daniel 6:26, Jonah 1:9
the Lord sent
2:24, 1 Kings 13:24, 20:36, Jeremiah 5:6, 15:3, Ezekiel 14:15,21
Verse 26

Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, saying, The nations which thou hast removed, and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land: therefore he hath sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land.
and placed
know not
27, 1 Samuel 8:9, 10:25, Amos 8:14
Verse 27

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.
one of the priests
Judges 17:13, 1 Kings 12:31, 13:2, 2 Chronicles 11:15
Verse 28

Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD.
in Bethel
1 Kings 12:29-32
taught them
Isaiah 29:13, Matthew 15:14
Verse 29

Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt.
made gods
Psalms 115:4-8, 135:15-18, Isaiah 44:9-20, Jeremiah 10:3-5, Hosea 8:5,6, Micah 4:5, Romans 1:23
Verse 30

And the men of Babylon made Succothbenoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,
Babylon
Succoth benoth
Succoth benoth, literally "the tents of the daughters."
Cuth
Cuth is probably the Cush watered by the Gihon, or Araxes, now Aras (Ge 2:13,) the ancient country of the Scythians, where we meet with the Quitians, Coëthians, or Coëtæ, and Cytheans, and the cities of Cotatis, Cetemane, Cythanum, Cyta, Cethena, etc.
Nergal
Supposed to denote the solar orb; the emblem of which, according to the Rabbins, was a cock.
Ashima
Jarchi says this idol was of the form of a goat.
Verse 31

And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.
the Avites
24, Ezra 4:9
Nibhaz
Supposed to be the same as the Anubis of the Egyptians; and was in form partly a dog and partly a man.
burnt their children
17, Leviticus 18:21, Deuteronomy 12:28,31
Verse 32

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.
made unto themselves
1 Kings 12:31, 13:33
the houses
29, 23:19, 1 Kings 13:31
Verse 33

They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence.
They feared
41, 1 Kings 18:21, Hosea 10:2, Zephaniah 1:5, Matthew 6:24, Luke 16:13
whom they carried, etc
or, who carried them away from thence. The new inhabitants of the land imitated the idolatrous Israelites, by associating their idols with Jehovah, as the objects of worship. The remainder, however, of the verses seem to relate to the Israelites after they were carried captive. They still persevered in idolatry and disobedience; and not being purified, were left to be consumed in the furnace. It is said that the Israelites "did not fear the Lord," yet the heathens, who followed their example, are said "to have feared the Lord." The Israelites did not so much as fear the wrath of Almighty God; but, on the other hand, the poor pagans feared the power of his wrath, and to avert it paid some ignorant worship, according to the wretched instructions given them. As this was an external acknowledgement of his power and Godhead, and a homage paid to him,he was pleased in consequence to withdraw his judgements from them.--SCOTT
Verse 34

Unto this day they do after the former manners: they fear not the LORD, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the LORD commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel;
fear not
25,27,28,33
whom he named Israel
Genesis 32:28, 33:20, 35:10, 1 Kings 11:31, 18:11, Isaiah 48:1
Verse 35

With whom the LORD had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:
With whom
15, Exodus 19:5,6, 24:6-8, Deuteronomy 29:10-15, Jeremiah 31:31-34, Hebrews 8:6-13
charged them
Exodus 20:4,5, 34:12-17, Deuteronomy 4:23-27, 13:1-18, Joshua 23:7,16
fear other gods
Judges 6:10, Jeremiah 10:5
Verse 36

But the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice.
a stretched
Exodus 6:6, 9:15, Deuteronomy 5:15, Jeremiah 32:21, Acts 4:30
him shall ye fear
Leviticus 19:32, Deuteronomy 6:13, 10:20, 12:5,6,11,12, Matthew 10:28, Revelation 15:4
Verse 37

And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods.
the statutes
Leviticus 19:37, Deuteronomy 4:44,45, 5:31-33, 6:1,2, 12:32, 1 Chronicles 29:19, Psalms 19:8-11, Psalms 105:44,45
wrote for you
Deuteronomy 31:9,11, Nehemiah 9:13,14
and ye shall not
Verse 38

And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods.
ye shall not forget
Deuteronomy 4:23, 6:12, 8:14-18
Verse 39

But the LORD your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.
the Lord
36, 1 Samuel 12:24, Isaiah 8:12-14, Jeremiah 10:7, Matthew 10:28, Luke 1:50
he shall deliver
Nehemiah 9:27, Luke 1:71,74,75
Verse 40

Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner.
they did not
Jeremiah 13:23
but they did
8,12,34, Deuteronomy 4:28
Verse 41

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.
these nations
32,33, Joshua 24:14-20, 1 Kings 18:21, Zephaniah 1:5, Matthew 6:24, Revelation 3:15,16
unto this day
Ezra 4:1-3

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