2 Kings 17 25

2 Kings 17:25 kjv

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.

2 Kings 17:25 nkjv

And it was so, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they did not fear the LORD; therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which killed some of them.

2 Kings 17:25 niv

When they first lived there, they did not worship the LORD; so he sent lions among them and they killed some of the people.

2 Kings 17:25 esv

And at the beginning of their dwelling there, they did not fear the LORD. Therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which killed some of them.

2 Kings 17:25 nlt

But since these foreign settlers did not worship the LORD when they first arrived, the LORD sent lions among them, which killed some of them.

2 Kings 17 verses

2 Kings 17 25 Meaning

At the initial stage of their settlement in the former territory of Israel, the newly arrived foreign inhabitants did not possess the reverent fear and knowledge of the LORD. Consequently, the LORD, the true God of the land, actively sent lions among them as a divine judgment, which resulted in some of these settlers being killed. This divine intervention was a direct response to their spiritual ignorance and failure to acknowledge His sovereignty.

2 Kings 17 25 Context

This verse is situated immediately after the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Samaria) and the Assyrian deportation of its inhabitants (2 Kgs 17:6). The Assyrian king, as part of his imperial strategy, resettled various foreign peoples from Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim into the emptied cities of Samaria (2 Kgs 17:24). The verse introduces the consequence of these new inhabitants' initial ignorance and disregard for the LORD, the God who possessed sovereign control over this land. Historically, nations often believed that a land was under the dominion of its own specific deities. The Assyrians, and likely the resettled peoples, held a polytheistic worldview. The sudden plague of lions was a significant theological challenge, demonstrating Yahweh's claim over His territory and serving as a divine signal to these foreign settlers that they needed to acknowledge "the god of the land" (2 Kgs 17:26), which was the LORD God of Israel.

2 Kings 17 25 Word analysis

• And so it was (וַיְהִי, vayehî): A common Hebrew narrative conjunction, marking a temporal or logical sequence of events. It establishes the immediate link between the foreign peoples' arrival and the subsequent judgment.
• at the beginning of their dwelling there (בִּתְחִלַּת שִׁבְתָּם שָׁם, bitḥillat shivtam sham): This phrase specifies the initial phase of their settlement in Samaria. It highlights that the problem and the divine response occurred relatively quickly, soon after their establishment, indicating immediate consequence for their spiritual state upon occupying God's land.
• that they did not fear the LORD (לֹא יָרְאוּ אֶת־יְהוָה, lo yare'u et-YHWH):
  • "did not fear" (לֹא יָרְאוּ, lo yare'u): Yare' (fear) in biblical Hebrew is profound. It's not mere terror but a comprehensive reverence, awe, worship, and obedient submission to a supreme authority. Their lack of "fear" implied spiritual ignorance, disregard for divine law, and a failure to acknowledge God's unique sovereignty, especially over the land they now occupied. This was their fundamental spiritual failing.
  • "the LORD" (יְהוָה, YHWH): The sacred, covenantal name of God. Using YHWH emphasizes that the divine judgment came from the specific, sovereign God of Israel, not just any generic deity. It highlights His identity as the active agent in judgment.
• therefore the LORD sent (וַיְשַׁלַּח יְהוָה, vayeshallaḥ YHWH):
  • "therefore": A clear statement of cause and effect. Their failure to fear the LORD directly led to His action.
  • "sent" (וַיְשַׁלַּח, vayeshallaḥ): A strong verb, indicating deliberate and purposeful divine action. God is not passive but directly orchestrates events as a judicial response.
• lions among them (בָּהֶם אֲרָיוֹת, bahem arayot):
  • "lions" (אֲרָיוֹת, arayot): Lions were apex predators and symbols of power, sometimes representing judgment (as seen elsewhere in Scripture). While naturally present in the region, their sudden prevalence and coordinated attacks signified supernatural intervention.
• which killed some of them (וַיַּהַרְגוּ בָהֶם, vayyahargu vahem):
  • "killed some of them": The judgment was severe enough to cause fatalities, designed to grab their attention and demonstrate God's power. It was a partial judgment, meant to elicit a response rather than total annihilation, preparing the ground for them to seek instruction (2 Kgs 17:27).

Words-group analysis:

• "at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they did not fear the LORD": This sequence establishes a direct correlation between their ungodly entry into God's territory and the divine retribution. Their lack of reverent acknowledgement was an immediate spiritual offense.
• "the LORD sent lions among them, which killed some of them": This phrase details the specific, tangible, and severe form of judgment. It underscores God's absolute sovereignty over creation, even over predatory animals, using them as instruments of His justice against those who disregard Him on His own land. This also subtly critiques pagan polytheism, demonstrating Yahweh's real and active power where their foreign deities seemingly failed to protect them.

2 Kings 17 25 Bonus section

• The incident highlights a core ancient Near Eastern concept: a deity's power was often tied to its land. The foreign settlers assumed there was a "god of the land" (2 Kgs 17:26) whose ways needed to be learned for peaceful dwelling. This was God’s polemical response to that assumption, demonstrating His unique sovereignty beyond mere territorial guardianship.
• The "fear of the LORD" is consistently presented in the Bible as a holistic response encompassing reverence, obedience, and understanding, forming the bedrock of a proper relationship with God (e.g., Ps 111:10, Prov 9:10). Their failure to possess this true fear necessitated a tangible divine lesson.
• The immediate, observable nature of the judgment (lions killing people) demanded an immediate, observable response from the settlers. It wasn't subtle or delayed, ensuring the message was unmistakable and requiring direct action. This contrasts with their previous idolatry, which often involved more ritualistic or philosophical transgressions, highlighting the direct impact of not fearing the sovereign God.

2 Kings 17 25 Commentary

2 Kings 17:25 articulates the LORD's immediate judgment upon the new inhabitants of Samaria. Their primary offense was not fearing the LORD, which implies a profound lack of reverential knowledge and acknowledgement of His rightful sovereignty over the land and its occupants. In a worldview where territorial gods were common, these foreigners failed to recognize Yahweh as the ultimate divine authority. The LORD's response was swift and precise: He supernaturally orchestrated a surge in lion attacks. This was not random natural disaster but a targeted divine intervention. The killing of some settlers served as a clear, dramatic demonstration of God's power and a strong summons to spiritual attention, forcing them to confront the reality of the God of Israel. This event sets the stage for their subsequent, albeit incomplete and syncretistic, attempts to understand and placate "the god of the land."