2 Kings 17 31

2 Kings 17:31 kjv

And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.

2 Kings 17:31 nkjv

and the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burned their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.

2 Kings 17:31 niv

the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire as sacrifices to Adrammelek and Anammelek, the gods of Sepharvaim.

2 Kings 17:31 esv

and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.

2 Kings 17:31 nlt

The Avvites worshiped their gods Nibhaz and Tartak. And the people from Sepharvaim even burned their own children as sacrifices to their gods Adrammelech and Anammelech.

2 Kings 17 verses

2 Kings 17 31 Meaning

2 Kings 17:31 describes the specific idolatrous practices of two foreign groups resettled into Samaria by the Assyrians: the Avvites crafted idols for Nibhaz and Tartak, while the Sepharvites engaged in the horrific act of child sacrifice, burning their own children in fire as offerings to their deities Adrammelech and Anammelech, gods from their original city of Sepharvaim. This verse highlights the deep corruption and abomination of pagan worship introduced into the former Israelite territory.

2 Kings 17 31 Context

The verse 2 Kings 17:31 is part of a larger section (2 Kgs 17:24-41) describing the aftermath of the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Following Samaria's capture and the exile of the Israelites by the Assyrian king Shalmaneser V and Sargon II, various foreign peoples from Cutha, Ava, Hamath, Sepharvaim, and other places were resettled into the depopulated territories of Samaria. These new inhabitants brought their native customs and deities with them, establishing them in the cities of Samaria. When attacked by lions (interpreted by them as the "god of the land" showing displeasure), they petitioned the Assyrian king, who then sent one of the exiled Israelite priests back to teach them "the law of the god of the land," Yahweh. This led not to pure worship of Yahweh but to a syncretistic blend where they feared Yahweh yet continued to serve their own gods according to their original customs, passing on this mixed worship to their children. Verse 31 specifically details some of the most abhorrent practices among these new settlers, underscoring the spiritual pollution and depravity introduced into what was once Yahweh's land.

2 Kings 17 31 Word analysis

• And the Avvites: This identifies one of the foreign groups resettled by the Assyrians into Samaria (see 2 Kgs 17:24). They are believed to originate from a region near Assyria.
• made: Refers to the crafting, fashioning, or setting up of idols. This implies human creation of an object to be worshipped, directly contrasting with the biblical understanding of God as the Creator who cannot be made.
• Nibhaz: (Hebrew: נִבְחַז, Nibhaz) An obscure deity, possibly linked to the Assyrian-Babylonian god Nabu or associated with canine features due to a possible connection with a Hebrew root meaning "to bark." Its worship suggests devotion to a specific pagan pantheon or local manifestation.
• and Tartak: (Hebrew: תַּרְתָּק, Tartak) Another enigmatic deity mentioned alongside Nibhaz. Some scholars suggest a connection to a deity with a donkey head or a stellar god. Its precise identity remains unclear but signifies another aspect of pagan polytheism.
• and the Sepharvites: Another distinct ethnic group relocated to Samaria. They originated from Sepharvaim, likely the ancient city of Sippar in Mesopotamia, known for its extensive religious traditions, including astral worship.
• burned their children in the fire: This describes child sacrifice, a heinous practice considered an absolute abomination by God. The Hebrew phrase for "burned... in the fire" (שָׂרְפוּ בְנֵיהֶם בָּאֵשׁ, sarəp̄ū bənêhem bāʾēš) is the same or similar to descriptions of offerings to Moloch (e.g., Lev 18:21; 20:2). This practice highlights the extreme spiritual depravity and the ultimate degradation of human life found in pagan systems.
• to Adrammelech: (Hebrew: אַדְרַמֶּלֶךְ, ʾAdrammeleḵ) One of the two primary gods of the Sepharvites, indicating specific objects of their child sacrifices. The name contains "melech" (king), reminiscent of "Moloch," suggesting a similar practice and possibly a connection to a fire god or sun deity. Interpretations link it to Adad/Hadad or other major Mesopotamian storm/solar deities.
• and Anammelech: (Hebrew: עֲנַמֶּלֶךְ, ʿAnammeleḵ) The second primary god of the Sepharvites to whom child sacrifices were offered. The name also contains "melech" (king). Some scholars connect it to the god Anu (Mesopotamian sky god) or a moon god, suggesting a male and female pair of deities alongside Adrammelech, perhaps symbolizing sun and moon, or distinct powerful rulers.
• the gods of Sepharvaim: This specifies that Nibhaz and Tartak (from the Avvites) were distinct from Adrammelech and Anammelech, who were explicitly the deities brought from Sepharvaim. This clarifies the origin and particular focus of worship for each group, underscoring the diversity of pagan religions coalescing in Samaria.

Word-groups analysis:

• "the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak": This phrase portrays the act of creating and establishing specific cultic objects (idols) for worship by a foreign people. It implies human fabrication of divinity, in stark contrast to the living God who creates humanity.
• "the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech": This deeply disturbing phrase highlights the ultimate moral decay of paganism. Child sacrifice was a central and most offensive practice of ancient Near Eastern religions, serving as the antithesis to Yahwistic ethics, which demanded protection of human life. The specificity of the gods Adrammelech and Anammelech reveals particular aspects of Sepharvite religious identity centered on this abhorrent rite.
• "the gods of Sepharvaim": This emphasizes that these deities were particular to the land of origin of the Sepharvites, not local gods of Israel. Their importation into Samaria illustrates the spread of pagan practices and the subsequent syncretism that developed among the resettled populations.

2 Kings 17 31 Bonus section

• Polemics against Canaanite/Mesopotamian practices: This verse is a powerful polemic against the horrific fertility cults and fear-driven rituals prevalent in the ancient Near East. Child sacrifice, particularly, stood as the ultimate abomination, sharply distinguishing Yahweh's demand for life and purity from the pagan gods' demand for gruesome, self-destructive devotion. It contrasts God's command to offer the firstborn to Him in consecration or redemption (Exod 13:2, 13) with the literal human sacrifice of the pagans.
• Significance for Samaritan Identity: The practices described in 2 Kings 17 formed the foundational religious identity of the Samaritans, the people who emerged from this syncretistic blend of foreign cultures and limited Yahwistic teaching. While later Samaritans became monotheistic, tracing their heritage to Moses, their initial formation included these deeply pagan roots, contributing to the historical animosity and religious schism with the pure worship in Judah.
• The Deceptive Nature of Idolatry: The text implicitly teaches that worship of "other gods" is not benign. It leads to escalating perversion, culminating in the destruction of family, morality, and innocent life. The very "worship" described involves profound self-debasement.
• Contrast with God's Character: The actions attributed to Adrammelech and Anammelech starkly contrast with the character of Yahweh. While these gods demanded human lives in fire, Yahweh rescues and redeems (e.g., Israel from Egypt through the Passover of the firstborn). This highlights God's love and mercy as fundamentally opposed to the cruel and demanding nature of false deities.

2 Kings 17 31 Commentary

2 Kings 17:31 paints a grim picture of the religious landscape that replaced true Yahwism in Samaria following the exile of the Northern Kingdom. It stands as a stark testament to the depth of pagan depravity and its inherent clash with the holiness of the God of Israel. The crafting of idols like Nibhaz and Tartak reflects a foundational aspect of idolatry—the human creation of a god in their own image or imagination, leading to futile worship of non-existent deities. More horrifyingly, the practice of child sacrifice to Adrammelech and Anammelech represents the zenith of human barbarity in the name of religion. This act, repeatedly condemned by Yahweh as an abomination (e.g., Lev 18:21, Deut 12:31), underscores the utter difference between the false gods who demand the life of children and the God of Israel, who demonstrated His redemptive love through the offering of His own Son (Isa 53:10). The inclusion of this verse in the historical narrative serves to demonstrate why the Northern Kingdom was judged and exiled, not merely for their own idolatry but for creating a void that was filled with an even greater darkness of syncretistic paganism, fundamentally alien to the divine covenant.