2 Kings 17:12
New International Version
They worshiped idols, though the LORD had said, “You shall not do this.”

New Living Translation
Yes, they worshiped idols, despite the LORD’s specific and repeated warnings.

English Standard Version
and they served idols, of which the LORD had said to them, “You shall not do this.”

Berean Standard Bible
They served idols, although the LORD had told them, “You shall not do this thing.”

King James Bible
For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.

New King James Version
for they served idols, of which the LORD had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.”

New American Standard Bible
They served idols, concerning which the LORD had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.”

NASB 1995
They served idols, concerning which the LORD had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.”

NASB 1977
And they served idols, concerning which the LORD had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.”

Legacy Standard Bible
And they served idols, concerning which Yahweh had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.”

Amplified Bible
And they served idols, of which the LORD had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.”

Christian Standard Bible
They served idols, although the LORD had told them, “You must not do this.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They served idols, although the LORD had told them, “You must not do this.”

American Standard Version
and they served idols, whereof Jehovah had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.

Contemporary English Version
Even though the LORD had commanded the Israelites not to worship idols, they did it anyway.

English Revised Version
and they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They served idols, although the LORD had said, "Never do this."

Good News Translation
and disobeyed the LORD's command not to worship idols.

International Standard Version
and they served idols, a practice that the LORD had warned them, "You are not to do this."

Majority Standard Bible
They served idols, although the LORD had told them, ?You shall not do this thing.?

NET Bible
They worshiped the disgusting idols in blatant disregard of the LORD's command.

New Heart English Bible
and they served idols, of which the LORD had said to them, "You shall not do this thing."

Webster's Bible Translation
For they served idols, of which the LORD had said to them, Ye shall not do this thing.

World English Bible
and they served idols, of which Yahweh had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and serve the idols, of which YHWH said to them, “You do not do this thing.”

Young's Literal Translation
and serve the idols, of which Jehovah said to them, 'Ye do not do this thing;'

Smith's Literal Translation
And they will serve blocks which Jehovah said to them, Ye shall not do this word.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they worshipped abominations, concerning which the Lord had commanded them that they should not do this thing.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they worshipped impurities, concerning which the Lord instructed them that they should not do this word.

New American Bible
and served idols, although the LORD had told them: You must not do this.

New Revised Standard Version
they served idols, of which the LORD had said to them, “You shall not do this.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For they served idols, of which the LORD had said to them, You shall not do this thing.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they worked for idols of which LORD JEHOVAH said to them: “You shall not do this thing”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
and they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them: 'Ye shall not do this thing';

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they served the idols, of which the Lord said to them, Ye shall not do this thing against the Lord.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Israel Exiled Because of Idolatry
11They burned incense on all the high places like the nations that the LORD had driven out before them. They did wicked things, provoking the LORD to anger. 12They served idols, although the LORD had told them, “You shall not do this thing.” 13Yet through all His prophets and seers, the LORD warned Israel and Judah, saying, “Turn from your wicked ways and keep My commandments and statutes, according to the entire Law that I commanded your fathers and delivered to you through My servants the prophets.”…

Cross References
Exodus 20:3-5
You shall have no other gods before Me. / You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. / You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,

Deuteronomy 5:7-9
You shall have no other gods before Me. / You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. / You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,

Deuteronomy 6:14
Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you.

Deuteronomy 8:19
If you ever forget the LORD your God and go after other gods to worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely perish.

Deuteronomy 11:16
But be careful that you are not enticed to turn aside to worship and bow down to other gods,

Deuteronomy 13:1-4
If a prophet or dreamer of dreams arises among you and proclaims a sign or wonder to you, / and if the sign or wonder he has spoken to you comes about, but he says, “Let us follow other gods (which you have not known) and let us worship them,” / you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. For the LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul. ...

Deuteronomy 29:26
They went and served other gods, and they worshiped gods they had not known—gods that the LORD had not given to them.

Deuteronomy 32:16-17
They provoked His jealousy with foreign gods; they enraged Him with abominations. / They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to gods they had not known, to newly arrived gods, which your fathers did not fear.

Judges 2:11-13
And the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals. / Thus they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they followed after various gods of the peoples around them. They bowed down to them and provoked the LORD to anger, / for they forsook Him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.

1 Kings 14:9
You have done more evil than all who came before you. You have proceeded to make for yourself other gods and molten images to provoke Me, and you have flung Me behind your back.

1 Kings 16:31-33
And as if it were not enough for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, he even married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and he then proceeded to serve and worship Baal. / First, Ahab set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he had built in Samaria. / Then he set up an Asherah pole. Thus Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel before him.

2 Kings 21:21
He walked in all the ways of his father, and he served and worshiped the idols his father had served.

Jeremiah 25:6
Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands. Then I will do you no harm.’

Jeremiah 44:3
because of the evil they have done. They provoked Me to anger by continuing to burn incense and to serve other gods that neither they nor you nor your fathers ever knew.

Hosea 13:2
Now they sin more and more and make for themselves cast images, idols skillfully made from their silver, all of them the work of craftsmen. People say of them, “They offer human sacrifice and kiss the calves!”


Treasury of Scripture

For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said to them, You shall not do this thing.

whereof

Exodus 20:3-5
Thou shalt have no other gods before me…

Exodus 34:14
For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

Leviticus 26:1
Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God.

Ye shall not

Deuteronomy 4:15-19,23-25
Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: …

Deuteronomy 12:4
Ye shall not do so unto the LORD your God.

Jump to Previous
Disgusting Idols Servants Serve Served Themselves Whereof Worshiped
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Disgusting Idols Servants Serve Served Themselves Whereof Worshiped
2 Kings 17
1. Hoshea the Last King of Israel
3. Being subdued by Shalmaneser, he conspires against him with So, king of Egypt
5. Samaria for sinning is led into captivity
24. The strange nations transplanted into Samaria make a mixture of religions.














They served idols
The phrase "They served idols" reflects the persistent disobedience of the Israelites, who turned away from worshiping Yahweh, the one true God, to serve false gods. The Hebrew word for "served" is עָבַד (avad), which implies not just worship but also enslavement or bondage. This indicates that the Israelites were not merely worshiping idols but were in bondage to them, highlighting the spiritual captivity that idolatry brings. Historically, the worship of idols was prevalent among the surrounding nations, and the Israelites were influenced by these practices, despite God's clear commandments against idolatry.

although the LORD had told them
This phrase underscores the direct communication and covenant relationship between God and Israel. The Hebrew name for "LORD" here is יְהוָה (Yahweh), the personal name of God, emphasizing His authority and the personal nature of His commandments. God had explicitly instructed the Israelites through the Law given to Moses, as well as through prophets, to avoid idolatry. This highlights the willful nature of their disobedience, as they chose to ignore the clear instructions of a God who had revealed Himself to them in powerful and miraculous ways.

'You shall not do this thing.'
This direct command from God is a reference to the prohibitions against idolatry found in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-5) and other parts of the Mosaic Law. The phrase "You shall not" is a strong imperative in Hebrew, indicating a non-negotiable command. The "thing" refers to the act of idolatry, which is not just a religious error but a breach of the covenant relationship with God. This command is rooted in the understanding that God is a jealous God (Exodus 34:14), desiring exclusive worship and allegiance from His people. The historical context shows that despite numerous warnings and the consequences of previous disobedience, the Israelites continued to fall into the sin of idolatry, leading to their eventual exile. This serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of faithfulness and obedience to God's commands.

(12) For they served idols.--Rather, and they served the dunglings; a term of contempt used in 1Kings 15:19; Deuteronomy 29:16, where see Note.

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.).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
They served
וַיַּֽעַבְד֖וּ (way·ya·‘aḇ·ḏū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5647: To work, to serve, till, enslave

idols,
הַגִּלֻּלִ֑ים (hag·gil·lu·lîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1544: A log, an idol

although the LORD
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

had told them,
אָמַ֤ר (’ā·mar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“You shall not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

do
תַעֲשׂ֖וּ (ṯa·‘ă·śū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make

this.”
הַזֶּֽה׃ (haz·zeh)
Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that


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OT History: 2 Kings 17:12 And they served idols of which Yahweh (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 17:11
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