2 Kings 17:35
New International Version
When the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites, he commanded them: “Do not worship any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them.

New Living Translation
For the LORD had made a covenant with the descendants of Jacob and commanded them: “Do not worship any other gods or bow before them or serve them or offer sacrifices to them.

English Standard Version
The LORD made a covenant with them and commanded them, “You shall not fear other gods or bow yourselves to them or serve them or sacrifice to them,

Berean Standard Bible
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.

King James Bible
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:

New King James Version
with whom the LORD had made a covenant and charged them, saying: “You shall not fear other gods, nor bow down to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them;

New American Standard Bible
The LORD made a covenant with them and commanded them, saying, “You shall not fear other gods, nor bow down to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them.

NASB 1995
with whom the LORD made a covenant and commanded them, saying, “You shall not fear other gods, nor bow down yourselves to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them.

NASB 1977
with whom the LORD made a covenant and commanded them, saying, “You shall not fear other gods, nor bow down yourselves to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them.

Legacy Standard Bible
with whom Yahweh cut a covenant and commanded them, saying, “You shall not fear other gods, nor worship them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them.

Amplified Bible
with whom the LORD had made a covenant and commanded them, saying, “You shall not fear other gods or bow yourselves to them nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them.

Christian Standard Bible
The LORD made a covenant with Jacob’s descendants and commanded them, “Do not fear other gods; do not bow in worship to them; do not serve them; do not sacrifice to them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The LORD made a covenant with them and commanded them, “Do not fear other gods; do not bow down to them; do not serve them; do not sacrifice to them.

American Standard Version
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:

Contemporary English Version
At the time when the LORD had made his solemn agreement with the people of Israel, he told them: Do not worship any other gods! Do not bow down to them or offer them a sacrifice.

English Revised Version
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:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When the LORD made a promise to Israel, he commanded, "Never worship other gods, bow down to them, serve them, or sacrifice to them.

Good News Translation
The LORD had made a covenant with them and had ordered them: "Do not worship other gods; do not bow down to them or serve them or offer sacrifices to them.

International Standard Version
and with whom the LORD had made a covenant when he gave these orders to them: "You are not to fear other gods, bow down to them, serve them, or sacrifice to them.

Majority Standard Bible
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.

NET Bible
The LORD made an agreement with them and instructed them, "You must not worship other gods. Do not bow down to them, serve them, or offer sacrifices to them.

New Heart English Bible
with whom the LORD had made a covenant, and commanded them, saying, "You shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them;

Webster's Bible Translation
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:

World English Bible
with whom Yahweh had made a covenant and commanded them, saying, “You shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them;
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and YHWH makes a covenant with them and charges them, saying, “You do not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them,

Young's Literal Translation
and Jehovah maketh with them a covenant, and chargeth them, saying, 'Ye do not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them,

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jehovah cut out a covenant with them, and he commanded them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, and ye shall not worship to them, and ye shall not serve them, and ye shall not sacrifice to them.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
With whom he made a covenant, and charged them, saying: You shall not fear strange gods, nor shall you adore them, nor worship them, nor sacrifice to them.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he had struck a covenant with them, and he had commanded them, saying: “You shall not fear foreign gods, and you shall not adore them, and you shall not worship them, and you shall not sacrifice to them.

New American Bible
When the LORD made a covenant with them, he commanded them: You must not venerate other gods, nor bow down to them, nor serve them, nor offer sacrifice to them,

New Revised Standard Version
The LORD had made a covenant with them and commanded them, “You shall not worship other gods or bow yourselves to them or serve them or sacrifice to them,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
With whom the LORD had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, You shall not revere other gods nor worship them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And LORD JEHOVAH covenanted a covenant with them and commanded them and said: “You shall not fear other gods and you shall not worship them and you shall not work for them and you shall not sacrifice to them.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
with whom the LORD had made a covenant, and charged them, saying: 'Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow down to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the Lord made a covenant with them, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, neither shall ye worship them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Israel's Cities Resettled by Foreigners
34To 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. 35For 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. 36Instead, worship the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm. You are to bow down to Him and offer sacrifices to Him.…

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 6:13-15
Fear the LORD your God, serve Him only, and take your oaths in His name. / Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you. / For the LORD your God, who is among you, is a jealous God. Otherwise the anger of the LORD your God will be kindled against you, and He will wipe you off the face of the earth.

Exodus 34:14
For you must not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

Deuteronomy 4:23-24
Be careful that you do not forget the covenant of the LORD your God that He made with you; do not make an idol for yourselves in the form of anything He has forbidden you. / For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

Joshua 23:7-8
So 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 bow down to them. / Instead, you shall hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day.

Deuteronomy 10:20
You are to fear the LORD your God and serve Him. Hold fast to Him and take your oaths in His name.

Matthew 4:10
“Away from Me, Satan!” Jesus told him. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”

Luke 4:8
But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”

Isaiah 42:8
I am the LORD; that is My name! I will not yield My glory to another or My praise to idols.

Isaiah 45:5
I am the LORD, and there is no other; there is no God but Me. I will equip you for battle, though you have not known Me,

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 35:15
Again and again I have sent you all My servants the prophets, proclaiming: ‘Turn now, each of you, from your wicked ways, and correct your actions. Do not go after other gods to serve them. Live in the land that I have given to you and your fathers.’ But you have not inclined your ear or listened to Me.

Hosea 13:4
Yet I am the LORD your God ever since the land of Egypt; you know no God but Me, for there is no Savior besides Me.

1 Corinthians 8:4-6
So about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no God but one. / For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many so-called gods and lords), / yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist.


Treasury of Scripture

With whom the LORD had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, You shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:

With whom

2 Kings 17:15
And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them.

Exodus 19:5,6
Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: …

Exodus 24:6-8
And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar…

charged them

Exodus 20:4,5
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: …

Exodus 34:12-17
Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee: …

Deuteronomy 4:23-27
Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee…

fear other gods

Judges 6:10
And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.

Jeremiah 10:5
They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

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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.














For the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites
This phrase refers to the Mosaic Covenant, established at Mount Sinai, where God gave the Law to Moses. This covenant was a binding agreement between God and the Israelites, emphasizing their unique relationship. It required the Israelites to follow God's commandments, and in return, God promised to be their God and bless them. This covenant is foundational to understanding Israel's identity and their obligations to God, as seen in Exodus 19:5-6 and Deuteronomy 7:6-11.

and commanded them,
God's commands were not mere suggestions but divine mandates that required obedience. The commandments were given to guide the Israelites in living a life that was pleasing to God and distinct from the surrounding nations. This reflects the holiness and authority of God, as seen in Leviticus 19:2, where God calls His people to be holy because He is holy.

“Do not worship other gods
This command is rooted in the First Commandment (Exodus 20:3), which prohibits idolatry. The worship of other gods was a constant temptation for Israel, as they were surrounded by polytheistic cultures. This command underscores the monotheistic nature of Israel's faith and the exclusivity of their worship to Yahweh. It highlights the spiritual adultery that idolatry represents, as seen in Hosea 4:12.

or bow down to them;
Bowing down is an act of reverence and submission, often associated with worship. This prohibition emphasizes that physical acts of worship, such as bowing, should be directed only to the LORD. The act of bowing to idols is seen as a betrayal of the covenant relationship with God, as illustrated in Daniel 3:18, where Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse to bow to Nebuchadnezzar's image.

do not serve them
Serving other gods implies allegiance and devotion, which should be reserved for the LORD alone. This command reflects the call to serve God with all one's heart and soul, as seen in Deuteronomy 10:12. Serving idols is portrayed as slavery, contrasting with the freedom found in serving the true God.

or sacrifice to them.
Sacrifices were a central part of worship in ancient cultures, symbolizing devotion and appeasement. Offering sacrifices to other gods was strictly forbidden, as it violated the covenant and was an abomination to the LORD. This command is reinforced in Deuteronomy 12:31, where God warns against adopting the detestable practices of the nations. Sacrifices were to be made only to the LORD, pointing to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who fulfilled the sacrificial system (Hebrews 10:10).

Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant-making God of Israel, who commands exclusive worship and loyalty.

2. Israel
The Northern Kingdom, which is the primary audience of this command, often struggling with idolatry.

3. Covenant
A solemn agreement between God and His people, emphasizing exclusive worship and obedience.

4. Other gods
The false deities of surrounding nations, which Israel was tempted to worship.

5. Assyrian Captivity
The context of this passage, where Israel's disobedience led to their exile by the Assyrians.
Teaching Points
Exclusive Worship
God demands exclusive worship and loyalty. Just as Israel was commanded not to fear or serve other gods, Christians today are called to worship God alone, avoiding modern forms of idolatry such as materialism or self-worship.

Covenant Faithfulness
The covenant relationship with God requires faithfulness. Believers are reminded of their commitment to God, which involves obedience and devotion, reflecting the seriousness of the covenant.

Consequences of Disobedience
Israel's history serves as a warning. Disobedience and idolatry led to their downfall and exile. Christians are encouraged to learn from this and remain steadfast in their faith.

Fear of the LORD
The fear of the LORD is foundational to wisdom and obedience. It involves reverence, awe, and a commitment to follow His commands, recognizing His authority and holiness.

Cultural Influence
Just as Israel was influenced by surrounding nations, Christians must be vigilant against cultural pressures that lead away from God. This involves discernment and a commitment to biblical values.Verse 35. - 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 (see Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 5:7; Deuteronomy 6:14; Deuteronomy 11:28. For the "covenant," see Exodus 19:5-8; Exodus 24:3-8).

Parallel Commentaries ...


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

had made
וַיִּכְרֹ֨ת (way·yiḵ·rōṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3772: To cut, to destroy, consume, to covenant

a covenant
בְּרִ֔ית (bə·rîṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1285: A covenant

with [the Israelites]
אִתָּם֙ (’it·tām)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among

and commanded them,
וַיְצַוֵּ֣ם (way·ṣaw·wêm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 6680: To lay charge (upon), give charge (to), command, order

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

worship
תִֽירְא֖וּ (ṯî·rə·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

other
אֲחֵרִ֑ים (’ă·ḥê·rîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 312: Hinder, next, other

gods
אֱלֹהִ֣ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

[or]
וְלֹא־ (wə·lō-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

bow down to them;
תִשְׁתַּחֲו֣וּ (ṯiš·ta·ḥă·wū)
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 7812: To depress, prostrate

do not
וְלֹ֣א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

serve them
תַעַבְד֔וּם (ṯa·‘aḇ·ḏūm)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5647: To work, to serve, till, enslave

[or]
וְלֹ֥א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

sacrifice to them.
תִזְבְּח֖וּ (ṯiz·bə·ḥū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 2076: To slaughter for sacrifice


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OT History: 2 Kings 17:35 With whom Yahweh had made a covenant (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 17:34
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