2 Kings 17:35
in 2 Kings 17For the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites and commanded them, “Do not worship other gods or bow down to them; do not serve them or sacrifice to them.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
with whom Jehovah had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:
KJV
With whom the Lord had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:
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This verse in 2 Kings 17
Commentary
3 notes on this verseWith whom the Lord had made a covenant,.... As he did at Sinai, 2Ki 17:15. and charged them, saying, ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them; all which is contained in the first and second commandments of the law.
This site's exposition
Do not worship other gods or bow down to them
on 2 Kings 17:35-39
Verses 35 to 39 recite the Sinai covenant, the commandments of Exodus 20:2 to 5, in the LORD's own words. Its first command is “Do not worship other gods or bow down to them”. Five verses circle one command broken for generations, and the chapter states what was always required.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Israel Subdued by Assyria. 1 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years. 2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the L ORD , but not as the kings of Israel that were before him.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:90%@v1-3
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּכְרֹ֨ת | vaiyikhrot | and he made | H3772 → | 288 times |
| יְהוָ֤ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אִתָּם֙ | ʾitam | with them | H854 → | 929 times |
| בְּרִ֔ית | berit | a covenant | H1285 → | 284 times |
| וַיְצַוֵּ֣ם | vaytzavem | and he commanded them | H6680 → | 494 times |
| לֵאמֹ֔ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תִֽירְא֖וּ | tireu | you must fear | H3372 → | 315 times |
| אֱלֹהִ֣ים | ʾelohim | gods | H430 → | 2601 times |
| אֲחֵרִ֑ים | ʾacherim | other | H312 → | 166 times |
| וְלֹא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תִשְׁתַּחֲו֣וּ | tishtachavu | you must bow down | H7812 → | 172 times |
| לָהֶ֔ם | lahem | to them | ||
| וְלֹ֣א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תַעַבְד֔וּם | taavdum | you must serve them | H5647 → | 288 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תִזְבְּח֖וּ | tizbechu | you must sacrifice | H2076 → | 134 times |
| לָהֶֽם׃ | lahem | to them |
וַיִּכְרֹ֨תand he made
vaiyikhrotH3772 →288 times
יְהוָ֤הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אִתָּם֙with them
ʾitamH854 →929 times
בְּרִ֔יתa covenant
beritH1285 →284 times
וַיְצַוֵּ֣םand he commanded them
vaytzavemH6680 →494 times
לֵאמֹ֔ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
תִֽירְא֖וּyou must fear
tireuH3372 →315 times
אֱלֹהִ֣יםgods
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
אֲחֵרִ֑יםother
ʾacherimH312 →166 times
וְלֹא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
תִשְׁתַּחֲו֣וּyou must bow down
tishtachavuH7812 →172 times
לָהֶ֔םto them
lahem
וְלֹ֣אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
תַעַבְד֔וּםyou must serve them
taavdumH5647 →288 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
תִזְבְּח֖וּyou must sacrifice
tizbechuH2076 →134 times
לָהֶֽם׃to them
lahem
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Joshua 23:7So you are not to associate with these nations that remain among you. You must not call on the names of their gods or swear by them, and you must not serve them or…
it leads to
- Exodus 23:13
Pay close attention to everything I have said to you. You must not invoke the names of other gods; they must not be heard on your lips.
- Psalms 16:4
Sorrows will multiply to those who chase other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood, or speak their names with my lips.
- Jeremiah 5:7
“Why should I forgive you? Your children have forsaken Me and sworn by gods that are not gods. I satisfied their needs, yet they committed adultery and assembled at the houses of prostitutes.
- Deuteronomy 7:2–3
and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you to defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy.
- Joshua 23:12
For if you turn away and cling to the rest of these nations that remain among you, and if you intermarry and associate with them,
- Exodus 23:13
Through
Judges 6:10And I said to you: ‘I am the LORD your God. You must not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.’ But you did not obey Me.”
it leads to
- Jeremiah 10:2
This is what the LORD says: “Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by the signs in the heavens, though the nations themselves are terrified by them.
- Jeremiah 9:13
And the LORD answered, “It is because they have forsaken My law, which I set before them; they have not walked in it or obeyed My voice.
- 2 Kings 17:35–39
For the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites and commanded them, “Do not worship other gods or bow down to them; do not serve them or sacrifice to them.
- Jeremiah 10:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies11
About 2 Kings
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.