2 Kings 17 32

2 Kings 17:32 kjv

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.

2 Kings 17:32 nkjv

So they feared the LORD, and from every class they appointed for themselves priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places.

2 Kings 17:32 niv

They worshiped the LORD, but they also appointed all sorts of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the shrines at the high places.

2 Kings 17:32 esv

They also feared the LORD and appointed from among themselves all sorts of people as priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places.

2 Kings 17:32 nlt

These new residents worshiped the LORD, but they also appointed from among themselves all sorts of people as priests to offer sacrifices at their places of worship.

2 Kings 17 verses

2 Kings 17 32 Meaning

The verse describes the foreign inhabitants settled in Samaria by the Assyrians, who, while experiencing a superficial or pragmatic "fear of the Lord" due to previous divine judgment (lions attacking them), did not abandon their existing idolatrous practices. Instead, they appointed their own unauthorized priests from among themselves to serve in the pagan shrines of the high places, thus establishing a syncretistic religion that blended reverence for YHWH with the worship of other deities. This demonstrates a fundamentally flawed and incomplete obedience, not genuine devotion.

2 Kings 17 32 Context

This verse is situated within 2 Kings chapter 17, which recounts the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the subsequent Assyrian policy of deportation and resettlement. The Assyrian king brings people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim to inhabit the deserted cities of Samaria (v. 24). When these new inhabitants do not worship the God of the land, lions begin attacking them, which they interpret as divine judgment (v. 25). Upon learning this, the Assyrian king sends back an exiled Israelite priest to teach them about the "customs of the God of the land" (v. 27-28). The passage describes the resulting religious practices of these various groups (v. 29-33), and verse 32 specifically illustrates the syncretism they adopted: a pragmatic acknowledgment of YHWH while simultaneously maintaining their former pagan rituals and practices, exemplified by their self-appointed priesthood at the illicit high places.

2 Kings 17 32 Word analysis

• So they feared the Lord: (וַיִּהְיוּ יְרֵאִים אֶת־יְהוָה, vayyiheyu yere'im 'et-YHWH).

  • feared: yare'. Here it implies a reverential fear or awe, but critically, it's driven by perceived divine retribution (lion attacks), not true covenant loyalty or submission. It’s a practical, rather than spiritual, fear.
  • the Lord: YHWH. Refers to the God of Israel. Their recognition of YHWH was superficial, an attempt to appease a local deity without true commitment.

• but also appointed from among themselves: (וַיַּעֲשׂוּ לָהֶם מִקְצֵיהֶם, vayya'asu lahem miqtsêhem).

  • appointed: Literally "made for themselves." Signifies human initiation and self-will, rather than divine ordination. This directly contrasts God's establishment of the Levitical priesthood.
  • from among themselves: Highlights their independent, non-sanctioned selection process. No regard for the Aaronic line or God's instructions for priests.

• priests of the high places: (כֹּהֲנֵי בָמוֹת, kohanei bamot).

  • priests: kohen. Religious officiants, but in this context, unauthorized and illicit.
  • high places: bamot. Elevated locations, natural or artificial, used for cultic worship. Originally, these were pagan Canaanite sites, later adopted by some Israelites, contrary to God's command for centralized worship at one chosen place (Deut 12).

• who officiated for them in the shrines of the high places: (וַיִּהְיוּ עֹשִׂים לָהֶם בְּבָתֵּי הַבָּמוֹת, vayyiheyu 'osim lahem bevattê habbamot).

  • officiated: 'osim. Literally "doing," meaning they performed the religious rites and sacrifices.
  • shrines of the high places: battê habbamot. Specifically refers to the structures or temples built on these elevated sites for their illicit worship, further solidifying their syncretistic practices.

• Words-group Analysis

  • "feared the Lord but also appointed from among themselves priests": This juxtaposition powerfully highlights the inherent contradiction and syncretism. Their "fear" of YHWH was not exclusive or obedient but existed alongside a self-initiated pagan system. This shows a pragmatic adaptation to perceived local spiritual forces rather than true faith and conversion.
  • "priests of the high places... in the shrines of the high places": The repetition emphasizes the illicit nature of their worship. "High places" were consistently condemned in Israel's history (from Samuel through the monarchy) as centers of idolatry and departure from pure Yahwistic worship. Appointing priests for such locations directly defied God's covenant.

2 Kings 17 32 Bonus section

This verse, and the surrounding context of 2 Kings 17, provides a crucial theological lesson often emphasized in scholarly discourse: genuine faith involves an exclusive allegiance to YHWH, manifested in worship according to His revealed will, not through human innovation or integration of foreign religious practices. The narrative indirectly polemicizes against the idea that God is just one among many deities who can be placated or added to a pantheon. It stresses YHWH's absolute sovereignty and uniqueness. The Samaritans, descended from these foreign settlers and remaining Israelites, would continue this mixed worship for centuries, famously seen in their encounter with Jesus at the well, where their place of worship on Mount Gerizim was a direct consequence of this historical syncretism (John 4:20-24). Their "fear" was not one of loving obedience, but a utilitarian act to avoid temporal misfortune, failing to grasp the true spiritual nature of God.

2 Kings 17 32 Commentary

2 Kings 17:32 encapsulates the deep-seated spiritual problem of syncretism. The foreign peoples settling in Samaria illustrate a pragmatic "fear" of God, prompted by the natural consequence of lion attacks, but not a transformative reverence leading to exclusive worship. Their continued reliance on self-appointed priests for "high places"—centers of pagan worship—demonstrates a spiritual pragmatism: they sought to placate YHWH alongside their ancestral gods rather than wholeheartedly forsaking all idols and cleaving to Him alone. This lukewarm, blended devotion stood in stark contrast to the absolute monotheism and singular worship prescribed by the Law of Moses. It served as a historical mirror to Israel's own prior covenant infidelity, underscoring that partial obedience or external reverence without internal, exclusive devotion is fundamentally unacceptable to the true God.