2 Kings 17 39

2 Kings 17:39 kjv

But the LORD your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.

2 Kings 17:39 nkjv

But the LORD your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies."

2 Kings 17:39 niv

Rather, worship the LORD your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies."

2 Kings 17:39 esv

but you shall fear the LORD your God, and he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies."

2 Kings 17:39 nlt

You must worship only the LORD your God. He is the one who will rescue you from all your enemies."

2 Kings 17 verses

2 Kings 17 39 Meaning

2 Kings 17:39 articulates a fundamental command and promise within God's covenant with Israel. It mandates that true reverence, obedience, and exclusive loyalty must be directed solely toward Yahweh, their personal God. In return, God promises to act as their complete deliverer, rescuing them from the power and oppression of all their enemies. This verse highlights the profound link between sincere fear of God and divine protection and deliverance.

2 Kings 17 39 Context

2 Kings chapter 17 details the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and their exile to Assyria due to their consistent idolatry, disobedience to God's covenant, and abandonment of the Law (2 Kgs 17:7-12). Following their removal, the Assyrian king resettles foreign peoples into Samaria (2 Kgs 17:24), who subsequently combine the worship of Yahweh with the worship of their own gods, fearing Yahweh "yet serving their own gods" (2 Kgs 17:33). This verse, 2 Kings 17:39, is part of a larger historical commentary (2 Kgs 17:34-40) explaining that the fundamental error of both the exiled Israelites and the new Samaritan settlers was failing to observe God's commands and fully and exclusively fear Him. It acts as a polemical statement, explicitly contrasting God's demand for singular worship with the syncretism being practiced. The verse presents God's unwavering covenant demand for exclusive fear and loyalty as the sole path to security and deliverance, thereby condemning all forms of divided worship.

2 Kings 17 39 Word analysis

• But (אַךְ – ’akh): This Hebrew particle introduces a strong contrast or an emphatic exception. Here, it highlights the stark difference between the illicit syncretism and idolatry described in the surrounding verses and the singular devotion Yahweh demands. It signifies a crucial corrective or essential point.
• the LORD (יְהוָה – Yahweh): The tetragrammaton, God’s personal and covenantal name, revealing His unchanging, self-existent, and active presence. Using Yahweh emphasizes His unique identity, covenant faithfulness, and supreme authority, distinguishing Him definitively from all pagan deities. He is the specific God who entered into covenant with Israel.
• your God (אֱלֹהֵיכֶם – Eloheikhem): This term combines Elohim (God, indicating power and might) with the second-person plural possessive suffix, establishing a specific and personal relationship. It reminds the audience that this omnipotent God is their God, who had chosen and delivered them, further reinforcing the claim to exclusive worship due to His unique relationship with them.
• ye shall fear (תִּירָאוּ – tir’u): The verb is yare’, imperfect form, acting as an imperative or command. This "fear" is not merely terror but profound reverence, awe, deep respect, humble submission, and faithful obedience that translates into worship and moral conduct. It is the acknowledgement of God’s absolute sovereignty and a foundational principle of the Mosaic covenant, leading to a desire to please Him above all else.
• and he shall deliver (וְהוּא יַצִּיל – v’hu yatzil): The conjunctive "and" links the command with its certain outcome. "He shall deliver" (yatzil) uses the hiphil stem of natsal, meaning "to pluck out," "rescue," or "save completely." This active promise confirms God's power and willingness to act on behalf of those who honor Him. The personal pronoun "he" (hu) emphatically underscores that it is Yahweh Himself who will perform the deliverance.
• you (אֶתְכֶם – etkhem): The direct object, specifying the beneficiaries of God's deliverance—those who respond with fear and obedience.
• out of the hand (מִיַּד – miyad): Literally "from the hand of," this is a common Hebrew idiom meaning from the power, control, or grasp of. It signifies complete liberation from subjugation or threat, emphasizing the totality of God's redemptive act.
• of all your enemies (כָּל־אֹיְבֵיכֶם – kol-’oyeveikhem): "All" (kol) highlights the comprehensive scope of God’s power. No enemy, no matter how numerous or mighty (like the Assyrians or any opposing nation or force), is beyond His ability to conquer. It signifies absolute, unfailing divine protection.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "But the LORD your God ye shall fear": This phrase encapsulates the central demand of the Mosaic Covenant, contrasting with Israel’s historical failure to exclusively worship Yahweh. It emphasizes reverential obedience as the sole legitimate form of devotion, establishing the condition for all subsequent blessings.
• "and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies": This is the divine promise, the direct consequence and reward for fulfilling the aforementioned command. It illustrates God's unreserved commitment to protecting and rescuing His loyal people from every threat, affirming His supreme sovereignty and capacity as Deliverer.

2 Kings 17 39 Bonus section

• The call to "fear the LORD" is foundational to biblical wisdom (Prov 1:7, 9:10) and prosperous living. This verse implicitly suggests that ignoring this fear is folly leading to destruction.
• This passage's condemnation of Israel's syncretism by mixing the worship of Yahweh with that of other gods (even by the newly settled peoples) speaks to the purity and exclusivity required in worship. Yahweh does not share His glory.
• The promise of deliverance against "all your enemies" includes not only external physical foes but also potentially spiritual adversaries or forces of chaos that stand against God's order and His people's well-being.
• The New Testament expands on the concept of fear of God as reverence leading to eternal salvation and avoiding spiritual peril, linking it directly to obedience and holy living (e.g., Acts 9:31; 2 Cor 7:1; Phil 2:12).

2 Kings 17 39 Commentary

2 Kings 17:39 functions as a timeless covenant reminder, serving as both a profound warning and a steadfast promise within the narrative of Israel's catastrophic decline. In the immediate context of Israel's fall and the ensuing syncretism in Samaria, this verse pinpoints the fundamental deviation that led to national ruin: the failure to fear Yahweh exclusively. True "fear of the LORD" transcends mere intellectual acknowledgment; it is an active, worshipful reverence expressed through singular loyalty, obedience, and total devotion to Him alone, distinguishing Him from all human or pagan powers.

The verse is inherently polemical, directly countering the prevailing syncretistic and polytheistic tendencies of the era. It emphatically declares that ultimate protection and deliverance from threats – whether the military might of empires like Assyria or any spiritual opposition – reside solely with the One, True God, Yahweh. Security is not found in appeasing multiple deities or aligning with earthly powers, but in absolute faithfulness to the Lord. God’s promise to "deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies" is conditional upon this singular and obedient fear. It communicates that His power to save is absolute and all-encompassing, ensuring protection against any adversary. The historical outcome for Israel in this chapter serves as a tragic demonstration of what happens when this simple, foundational truth is ignored.