2 Kings 13 11

2 Kings 13:11 kjv

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD; he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin: but he walked therein.

2 Kings 13:11 nkjv

And he did evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin, but walked in them.

2 Kings 13:11 niv

He did evil in the eyes of the LORD and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he continued in them.

2 Kings 13:11 esv

He also did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin, but he walked in them.

2 Kings 13:11 nlt

But he did what was evil in the LORD's sight. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.

2 Kings 13 verses

2 Kings 13 11 Meaning

2 Kings 13:11 describes the continued wicked reign of Jehoahaz, king of Israel. He persistently engaged in actions disapproved by the LORD, failing to turn away from the fundamental idolatry initiated by Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. This implies a systemic spiritual failure within the Northern Kingdom, passed down through its kings, with Jehoahaz fully participating in these rebellious practices. His actions were openly in opposition to God's will and the covenant He established with Israel.

2 Kings 13 11 Context

The verse is part of the historical narrative of the Northern Kingdom of Israel during the reign of King Jehoahaz. Chapter 13 opens with Jehoahaz becoming king and immediately states that "he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin; he did not depart from them" (2 Kgs 13:2). This repeated condemnation in verse 11 (with slightly varied phrasing) reinforces the deeply ingrained nature of his sin.

Historically, Jehoahaz ruled during a period of severe oppression from Aram (Syria). Though he cried out to the LORD for deliverance (2 Kgs 13:4) and the LORD heard him and sent a "deliverer" (2 Kgs 13:5) – often understood as God providing some relief or sending a military figure, possibly Naaman's defeat (2 Kgs 5) or the initial victories of Joash/Jeroboam II – this partial salvation did not lead to a complete spiritual transformation. Even after experiencing God's mercy, Jehoahaz did not depart from the foundational sin of Jeroboam, meaning the golden calves at Bethel and Dan remained. This highlights a persistent superficiality in Israel's "repentance"; they sought relief from consequences but did not abandon the idolatrous system that invited the judgment.

The broader historical context is the steady decline of the Northern Kingdom due to its perpetual failure to worship the LORD exclusively in Jerusalem, as mandated by the Mosaic Covenant. Jeroboam I had set up golden calves to prevent his people from returning to Judah, establishing an idolatrous religious system that became the defining sin of all subsequent kings of Israel.

2 Kings 13 11 Word analysis

• And he did: Transliteration: Wayya'as. This immediate conjunction "And" connects directly to the preceding narrative of Jehoahaz's reign. The verb "did" (‘āśâ) here denotes an action or practice.
• what was evil: Transliteration: Hara‘. The Hebrew definite article ha ("the") makes it "the evil" or "the bad thing." This isn't merely a subjective judgment; it's a fixed moral and theological evaluation by God. In the biblical narrative, "evil" often denotes acts of disobedience, injustice, and idolatry against God's revealed will.
• in the sight of the LORD: Transliteration: B'ênê YHWH. "In the eyes of" is an anthropomorphism for God's pervasive knowledge, judgment, and standard. It emphasizes that these actions were openly and definitively displeasing to the holy God. God is depicted as one who sees and assesses human conduct.
• and did not depart: Transliteration: W’lō-sār. "Did not turn aside," "did not remove himself," "did not deviate." This emphasizes a persistent, conscious choice not to change course. It signifies a lack of true repentance or a fundamental turning away from sin.
• from all the sins: Transliteration: Mi-kol-khaṭṭō't. "From the totality of the transgressions" or "all the failures." The emphasis on "all" indicates a comprehensive continuation, not merely isolated acts but a deep-rooted commitment to the system of sin. "Sins" (khaṭṭā't) refer to acts that miss the mark, fall short, or actively rebel against God's law.
• of Jeroboam the son of Nebat: This phrase serves as a foundational benchmark for spiritual evil in the Northern Kingdom. Jeroboam I was the first king of Israel after the kingdom split (1 Kgs 12). His primary sin was establishing golden calves for worship in Dan and Bethel, thereby institutionalizing idolatry and preventing worship at the Temple in Jerusalem. This became the standard apostasy for all succeeding kings of Israel.
• which he made Israel to sin: This highlights Jeroboam's active role as a corporate sinner and tempter, leading an entire nation astray. His sin was not merely personal but national and systemic.
• but he walked in them: Transliteration: Va-yēlekh bāhem. "He walked in them" is an idiomatic expression for habitually living and conducting oneself in a particular way. It signifies active participation and commitment to the sinful practices, rather than a passive continuation. It denotes a lifestyle characterized by these sins.

2 Kings 13 11 Bonus section

The consistent use of the phrase "sins of Jeroboam" throughout the Books of Kings serves as a powerful literary and theological device. It provides continuity to the narrative of Israel's apostasy, emphasizing the cumulative effect of disobedience that ultimately led to the fall of the Northern Kingdom in 2 Kings 17. The kings who followed Jeroboam essentially consecrated his transgression, making it foundational to Israelite political and religious life outside Jerusalem. Even those who reformed other cults, like Jehu with Baal worship (2 Kgs 10:28-29), often failed to abandon the golden calves, revealing a profound and fatal misunderstanding of the singularity and exclusivity of Yahweh's worship. This shows a limitation of partial repentance, emphasizing that true faithfulness requires complete obedience and dismantling of all idolatrous practices, not just the ones perceived as most egregious.

2 Kings 13 11 Commentary

2 Kings 13:11 offers a terse yet potent indictment of King Jehoahaz, summarizing his reign as fundamentally displeasing to the LORD. This assessment hinges on his unwavering adherence to "the sins of Jeroboam." This fixed formula in the book of Kings is more than a simple repetitive statement; it functions as a critical theological measuring stick. It underlines the consistent spiritual failing of the Northern Kingdom's monarchy, which chose national idolatry (the golden calves at Dan and Bethel) over loyalty to the covenant with the LORD and worship at His prescribed dwelling in Jerusalem.

Jehoahaz's case is particularly significant because, as verse 4 of the same chapter records, he did cry out to the LORD in distress when Aram severely oppressed Israel. The LORD, in His mercy, heard his plea and provided a "deliverer." However, verse 11 shows the superficiality of this cry: despite experiencing divine deliverance, Jehoahaz refused to dismantle the core idolatrous structures. He desired relief from punishment, not genuine repentance or a true turning away from the source of the national sin. This reveals a tragic pattern: God’s grace extended does not necessarily compel obedience if the heart remains unwilling to fully submit. The verse highlights the vital distinction between seeking divine help in times of trouble and committing to fundamental obedience. His walking in these sins indicated a continuous, intentional commitment to disobedience, solidifying his reign's moral decay in God's eyes.