2 Kings 17:34

Unto this day they do after the former manners: they fear not the LORD, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the LORD commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel;

Unto this day {H3117} they do {H6213} after the former {H7223} manners {H4941}: they fear {H3373} not the LORD {H3068}, neither do {H6213} they after their statutes {H2708}, or after their ordinances {H4941}, or after the law {H8451} and commandment {H4687} which the LORD {H3068} commanded {H6680} the children {H1121} of Jacob {H3290}, whom he named {H7760}{H8034} Israel {H3478};

To this day they continue to follow their former [pagan] customs. They do not fear ADONAI. They do not follow the regulations, rulings, Torah or mitzvah which ADONAI ordered the descendants of Ya'akov, to whom he gave the name Isra'el,

To this day they are still practicing their former customs. None of them worship the LORD or observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom He named Israel.

Unto this day they do after the former manner: they fear not Jehovah, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law or after the commandment which Jehovah commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel;

Commentary

2 Kings 17:34 describes the spiritual state of the foreign peoples settled in Samaria by the Assyrians after the exile of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, along with any remaining Israelites. The verse highlights their persistent failure to genuinely worship the LORD, instead continuing their mixed religious practices.

Context of 2 Kings 17:34

This verse is part of a longer explanation for the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Samaria) to Assyria. After deporting the Israelites, the Assyrian king brought people from various foreign lands to resettle Samaria. These new inhabitants initially faced divine judgment (lions) because they did not know how to worship the God of the land. In response, an exiled Israelite priest was sent back to teach them "the manner of the God of the land." However, this resulted in a syncretistic religion: they worshipped the LORD alongside their own ancestral gods. Verse 34 emphasizes that this spiritual compromise and failure to truly obey God's commands continued "unto this day," meaning up to the time the historical account was written.

Key Themes

  • Syncretism and Idolatry: The primary issue is the blending of worship. These foreign nations did not abandon their own gods but merely added the LORD to their pantheon, failing to give Him exclusive devotion as explicitly commanded in the first commandment of the Decalogue. This spiritual compromise was a profound offense against the one true God.
  • Lack of True Reverence: The phrase "they fear not the LORD" is central. This "fear" (Hebrew: yare') signifies not just terror, but profound respect, awe, and obedient submission to God's authority and will. Their actions demonstrated a clear lack of this essential reverence, leading to their continued disobedience.
  • Covenant Disobedience: The verse explicitly states they did not follow God's "statutes, or ordinances, or after the law and commandment." This refers to the Mosaic Law given to the children of Jacob, whom God named Israel. Their failure to adhere to these divine laws was a direct breach of the covenant relationship God had established.

Linguistic Insight

The Hebrew word for "fear" (יָר֡א, yare') in "they fear not the LORD" is crucial. It denotes a reverential awe and obedient submission to God, not merely fright. The absence of this yare' indicates a fundamental spiritual deficiency and explains their continued disobedience to God's commands. It's a lack of proper worship and commitment.

Significance and Application

2 Kings 17:34 serves as a powerful warning against spiritual compromise and superficial faith. It highlights that true worship involves exclusive devotion and obedient adherence to God's revealed will, not merely adding Him to a list of other priorities or beliefs. For believers today, this verse underscores the importance of a genuine fear of the Lord as the beginning of wisdom and the necessity of living according to His Word, rather than blending Christian faith with worldly values or practices. It reminds us that God desires wholehearted devotion and obedience, not syncretism or partial commitment.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated β€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Genesis 35:10

    And God said unto him, Thy name [is] Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.

  • Genesis 32:28

    And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

  • 2 Kings 17:27

    Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry thither one of the priests whom ye brought from thence; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the manner of the God of the land.

  • 2 Kings 17:28

    Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD.

  • 2 Kings 17:25

    And [so] it was at the beginning of their dwelling there, [that] they feared not the LORD: therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which slew [some] of them.

  • Isaiah 48:1

    ΒΆ Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, [but] not in truth, nor in righteousness.

  • 1 Kings 18:31

    And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:
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