2 Kings 17:9 BSB — MannaFest

2 Kings 17:9

The Israelites secretly did things against the LORD their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city, they built high places in all their cities.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

And the children of Israel did secretly things that were not right against Jehovah their God: and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city;

KJV

And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the Lord their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.

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Commentary

3 voices

Ishodad of Merv

BOOKS OF SESSIONS 2 KINGS 16:15 (850)

With the words "from watchtower to fortified city" [the Scripture] denounces the large number of their idols, that is, [there were] idols from border to border. The text refers to the "fortified city" as Jerusalem, but other [interpreters] say Antioch.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

If in any place there was but the tower of the watchmen (a country tower that had no walls, but only a tower to shelter the watch in time of danger), or but a lodge for shepherds, it must be honoured with a high place, and that with an altar. If there was a fenced city, it must be further fortified with a high place.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Albert Barnes

1798–1870

Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)

Literally, the words run thus - “And the children of Israel concealed (or ‘dissembled’) words which were not so concerning the Lord their God;” the true meaning of which probably is, the Israelites cloaked or covered their idolatry with the pretence that it was a worship of Yahweh: they glossed it over and dissembled toward God, instead of openly acknowledging their apostasy.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

20 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
וַיְחַפְּא֣וּ	vay.cha.pe.'U	and they did secretly	H2644 →
בְנֵֽי־	ve.nei-	[the] people of	H1121 →
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל	Yis.ra.'El	Israel	H3478 →
דְּבָרִים֙	de.va.Rim	things	H1697 →
אֲשֶׁ֣ר	'a.Sher	which	H834 →
לֹא־	lo'-	[were] not	H3808 →
כֵ֔ן	Khen	right	H3651 →
עַל־	'al-	on	H5921 →
יְהוָ֖ה	Yah.weh	Yahweh	H3068 →
אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם	'e.lo.hei.Hem	God their	H430 →
וַיִּבְנ֨וּ	vai.yiv.Nu	and they built	H1129 →
לָהֶ֤ם	la.Hem	for themselves
בָּמוֹת֙	ba.mOt	high places	H1116 →
בְּכָל־	be.khol	in all	H3605 →
עָ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם	'a.rei.Hem	cities their	H5892 →
מִמִּגְדַּ֥ל	mi.mig.Dal	from a tower of	H4026 →
נוֹצְרִ֖ים	notz.Rim	watchmen	H5341 →
עַד־	'ad-	unto	H5704 →
עִ֥יר	'ir	a city of	H5892 →
מִבְצָֽר׃	miv.Tzar	fortification	H4013 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Ezekiel 8:12
“Son of man,” He said to me, “do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his own idol? For they are…
leads to
- Isaiah 29:15
  Woe to those who dig deep to hide their plans from the LORD. In darkness they do their works and say, “Who sees us, and who will know?”
- Ezekiel 9:9
  He replied, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great. The land is full of bloodshed, and the city is full of perversity. For they say, ‘The LORD has forsaken…
- Ezekiel 8:15
  “Son of man,” He said to me, “do you see this? Yet you will see even greater abominations than these.”
Through
Deuteronomy 13:6
If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you embrace, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (which neither you nor…
leads to
- Deuteronomy 17:2–7
  If a man or woman among you in one of the towns that the LORD your God gives you is found doing evil in the sight of the LORD your God by transgressing His…
- 2 Peter 2:1
  Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on…
Through
2 Kings 18:8
He defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its borders, from watchtower to fortified city.
leads to
- Isaiah 14:29
  Do not rejoice, all you Philistines, that the rod that struck you is broken. For a viper will spring from the root of the snake, and a flying serpent from its egg.
Through
Hosea 12:11
Is there iniquity in Gilead? They will surely come to nothing. Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal? Indeed, their altars will be heaps of stones in the furrows of the field.
leads to
- Hosea 4:15
  Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel, may Judah avoid such guilt! Do not journey to Gilgal, do not go up to Beth-aven, and do not swear on oath, ‘As surely as the LORD lives!’
- Hosea 8:11
  Though Ephraim multiplied the altars for sin, they became his altars for sinning.

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About 2 Kings

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Continue: 2 Kings 17 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About 2 Kings

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About 2 Kings