2 Kings 17:12

For they served idols,.... Baalim, as the Targum; dunghill gods, as the word signifies, as they are often called in Scripture; and Sterculius was one of the names of Saturn, an Heathen deity, which he had, as is supposed, by his finding out the method of making land fruitful with dung (i): whereof the Lord said unto them, ye shall not do this thing; see Exodus 20:3. (i) Vid. Macrob. l. 1. c. 7. Lactant. de fals. Relig. l. 1. c. 20.

17:7-23 Though the destruction of the kingdom of the ten tribes was but briefly related, it is in these verses largely commented upon, and the reasons of it given. It was destruction from the Almighty: the Assyrian was but the rod of his anger, Isa 10:5. Those that bring sin into a country or family, bring a plague into it, and will have to answer for all the mischief that follows. And vast as the outward wickedness of the world is, the secret sins, evil thoughts, desires, and purposes of mankind are much greater. There are outward sins which are marked by infamy; but ingratitude, neglect, and enmity to God, and the idolatry and impiety which proceed therefrom, are far more malignant. Without turning from every evil way, and keeping God's statutes, there can be no true godliness; but this must spring from belief of his testimony, as to wrath against all ungodliness and unrighteousness, and his mercy in Christ Jesus.

The burning of incense was a common religious practice among the Egyptians and the Babylonians; and from the present passage we gather that the Canaanite nations practiced it as one of their ordinary sacred rites. The Israelites are frequently reproached with it Hosea 2:13 ; Hosea 4:13 ; Isaiah 65:3 .

2Ki 17:7-41. Samaria Taken, and Israel for Their Sins Carried Captive. 7. For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned—There is here given a very full and impressive vindication of the divine procedure in punishing His highly privileged, but rebellious and apostate, people. No wonder that amid so gross a perversion of the worship of the true God, and the national propensity to do reverence to idols, the divine patience was exhausted; and that the God whom they had forsaken permitted them to go into captivity, that they might learn the difference between His service and that of their despotic conquerors.

12 . idols, whereof the Lord had said ] The prohibition is given in the Ten Commandments ( Exodus 20:4 ) and repeated in many parts of the Law (cf. Deuteronomy 4:16 ; Deuteronomy 5:8 ; Deuteronomy 27:15 ). Ye shall not do this thing ] The LXX. adds ‘unto the Lord’ τῷ κυρίῳ . This addition, though unsupported by the Hebrew, is in harmony with Deuteronomy 12:31 , where after a warning against the practices of the heathen, it is added, ‘Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God ’. Cf. also Deuteronomy 12:4 . The golden calves were set up by Jeroboam as a form of worship to Jehovah.

Verse 12. - For they served idols ; rather, and they served idols . The sense flows on from ver. 7, each verso being joined to the preceding one by the van connective. Gillulim , the term translated "idols," is a word rarely used, except by Ezekiel, with whom it is common. "It contains," as Bahr says, "a subordinate contemptuous and abusive signification;" the primary meaning of galal being "dung," "ordure." Whereof the Lord had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing (see Exodus 20:4, 5, 23 ; Deuteronomy 4:16-18 , etc.). 2 Kings 17:12

2 Kings 17:32 . So they feared the Lord — Worshipped him externally in that way which the Israelites had used: having and serving gods of their own besides. And made unto themselves of the lowest of them priests, &c. — See note on 1 Kings 12:31 . Which sacrificed in the high places — Unto the true God; for as to the worship of their own gods, they needed no instruction, and would not permit a person of another religion to minister therein.