2 Kings 17 15

2 Kings 17:15 kjv

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.

2 Kings 17:15 nkjv

And they rejected His statutes and His covenant that He had made with their fathers, and His testimonies which He had testified against them; they followed idols, became idolaters, and went after the nations who were all around them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them that they should not do like them.

2 Kings 17:15 niv

They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the LORD had ordered them, "Do not do as they do."

2 Kings 17:15 esv

They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the LORD had commanded them that they should not do like them.

2 Kings 17:15 nlt

They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors, and they despised all his warnings. They worshiped worthless idols, so they became worthless themselves. They followed the example of the nations around them, disobeying the LORD's command not to imitate them.

2 Kings 17 verses

2 Kings 17 15 Meaning

Second Kings 17:15 explains Israel's profound apostasy. It details their deliberate rejection of God's explicit statutes, His covenant made with their ancestors, and His repeated warnings. Consequently, they pursued and worshiped worthless idols, becoming empty and futile themselves, imitating the forbidden practices of the surrounding pagan nations. This comprehensive departure from the living God directly led to their downfall and exile.

2 Kings 17 15 Context

This verse is part of the extensive summary in 2 Kings 17:7-23 that explains why the Northern Kingdom of Israel fell and was taken into Assyrian captivity (2 Kings 17:6). The text attributes Israel's destruction not to the strength of Assyria, but to their chronic and deliberate spiritual unfaithfulness to God. Verse 15 highlights the specific actions and attitudes that characterized their apostasy, specifically their rejection of the Mosaic Covenant and their embrace of idolatry, mirroring the practices of their pagan neighbors. This verse underscores the Deuteronomistic theological theme throughout Kings, where obedience to the covenant leads to blessing, and disobedience to curse and exile.

2 Kings 17 15 Word analysis

• And they rejected (וַיִּמְאֲסוּ - vayyim'asu): From the root מָאַס (ma'as), meaning to despise, reject, loathe. This is a strong term implying a deliberate, scornful act of dismissal, not merely passive forgetfulness. It conveys an active disdain for what God had established.
• his statutes (חֻקֹּתָיו - chuqqotav): Divine decrees, ordinances, or established laws. These were foundational commands given by God for the proper conduct of life and worship. Their rejection implied a refusal to live according to God's defined boundaries.
• and his covenant (וּבְרִיתוֹ - uverito): The sacred bond or solemn agreement God made with Israel at Sinai (the Mosaic Covenant). This covenant established Israel's unique relationship with God as His chosen people, obligating them to exclusive worship and obedience. Rejecting it meant breaking their foundational relationship with God.
• that he made with their fathers (אֲשֶׁר כָּרַת עִם אֲבֹתָם - asher karat im avotam): This phrase emphasizes the historical depth and continuity of God's faithfulness and their corresponding rejection. The covenant wasn't new or arbitrary; it was a foundational relationship established generations prior, which they actively nullified. "Fathers" refers to figures like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the generation that entered the covenant at Sinai.
• and his warnings (וְעֵדְוֹתָיו - ve'edvotav): From עֵדוּת (edut), meaning testimonies or warnings. This points to God's persistent, repeated efforts to call them back, usually through His prophets. It indicates that their rejection was not due to ignorance but despite consistent, gracious admonitions.
• with which he warned them (אֲשֶׁר הֵעִיד בָּם - asher he'id bam): Literally, "that He testified against them." Reinforces the idea of God bearing witness to their sins and continually urging them to repentance. It implies the prophetic word being a persistent witness.
• and they followed after worthless things (וַיֵּלְכוּ אַחֲרֵי הַהֶבֶל - vayyelkhu acharey hahevel): "Worthless things" (הֶבֶל - hevel) literally means "vapor," "breath," "futility," or "vanity." This term powerfully describes idols and false gods, which are utterly without substance, power, or lasting value. To "follow after" implies diligent pursuit and adherence to these empty entities.
• and became worthless (וַיֶּהְבָּלוּ - vayyehavalu): This is a remarkable Hebrew wordplay, literally "and they became hevel." It indicates that those who worshipped futile, empty things themselves became empty, devoid of true spiritual substance and purpose. Their identity and character became like the objects of their devotion.
• and went after the nations that were around them (וַיֵּלְכוּ אַחֲרֵי הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתָם - vayyelkhu acharey haggoyim asher sevivotam): This denotes cultural and religious assimilation. Israel mimicked the idolatrous practices, moral systems, and lifestyles of the surrounding Canaanite and other pagan peoples, abandoning their distinct identity as God's set-apart nation.
• concerning whom the Lord had commanded them that they should not do like them (אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֹתָם לְבִלְתִּי עֲשׂוֹת כָּהֶם - asher tziwwah YHWH otam lebil-ti asot kahem): This final phrase highlights the flagrant disobedience. God had explicitly forbidden them from adopting the practices of these nations (e.g., in Leviticus 18 and Deuteronomy 12), yet they directly violated this command. This emphasizes the intentionality of their sin against known divine will.

2 Kings 17 15 Bonus section

This verse exemplifies the "cycle of apostasy" seen throughout Israel's history in Judges and Kings: divine deliverance/blessing, followed by disobedience, then judgment, and often, subsequent repentance and restoration (though not fully for the Northern Kingdom here). It serves as a stark warning to all believers against spiritual compromise and the pursuit of things lacking eternal substance. The concept of becoming like what one worships is a profound theological insight; worship of the True God leads to being filled with His glory and righteousness, while worship of nothing (idols) leads to spiritual emptiness. The constant theme of God sending His prophets as "warnings" demonstrates His persistent grace and longsuffering even in the face of persistent rebellion.

2 Kings 17 15 Commentary

2 Kings 17:15 lays bare the essence of Israel's spiritual adultery. It details a profound, multi-layered rebellion. First, the core of their offense was a rejection – a strong, active spurning of God's statutes, His foundational covenant, and His repeated warnings. This wasn't ignorance, but a deliberate turning away from known truth and relationship. Second, their defection led them to pursue worthlessness. They traded the living, mighty God for empty idols – "hevel," mere breath or vanity, entities devoid of power or reality. This pursuit of the empty inherently led to a profound transformation: they themselves became worthless, mirroring the emptiness of their chosen deities. This demonstrates a deep spiritual principle: what you worship defines you. Finally, their actions were an explicit disobedience to a specific command. God had clearly forbidden them from adopting the practices of the surrounding pagan nations, recognizing the corrupting influence of idolatry and immorality inherent in those cultures. Yet, they actively assimilated, erasing their unique, set-apart identity given by God. This verse therefore explains their spiritual descent: from active rejection to futile pursuit to corrupted identity, all in the face of abundant divine warning and clear prohibition, making their ultimate judgment inevitable.