2 Kings 23:37
New International Version
And he did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as his predecessors had done.

New Living Translation
He did what was evil in the LORD’s sight, just as his ancestors had done.

English Standard Version
And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

Berean Standard Bible
And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, just as his fathers had done.

King James Bible
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

New King James Version
And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

New American Standard Bible
He did evil in the sight of the LORD, in accordance with all that his forefathers had done.

NASB 1995
He did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

NASB 1977
And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

Legacy Standard Bible
And he did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, according to all that his fathers had done.

Amplified Bible
He did evil in the sight of the LORD, in accordance with everything that his forefathers had done.

Christian Standard Bible
He did what was evil in the LORD’s sight just as his ancestors had done.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He did what was evil in the LORD’s sight just as his ancestors had done.

American Standard Version
And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, according to all that his fathers had done.

Contemporary English Version
Jehoiakim disobeyed the LORD by following the example of his ancestors.

English Revised Version
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Jehoiakim did what the LORD considered evil, as his ancestors had done.

Good News Translation
Following the example of his ancestors, Jehoiakim sinned against the LORD.

International Standard Version
Eliakim practiced what the LORD considered to be evil, just as his ancestors had done.

Majority Standard Bible
And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, just as his fathers had done.

NET Bible
He did evil in the sight of the LORD as his ancestors had done.

New Heart English Bible
He did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

World English Bible
He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, according to all that his fathers had done.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and he does evil in the eyes of YHWH, according to all that his fathers did.

Young's Literal Translation
and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that his fathers did.

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will do evil in the eyes of Jehovah according to all which his fathers did.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he did evil before the Lord according to all that his fathers had done.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he did evil before the Lord, in accord with all that his fathers had done.

New American Bible
He did what was evil in the LORD’s sight, just as his ancestors had done.

New Revised Standard Version
He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, just as all his ancestors had done.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he did evil before LORD JEHOVAH as his fathers had done.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he did that which was evil in the eyes of the lord, according to all that his fathers had done.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jehoiakim Reigns in Judah
36Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Zebidah daughter of Pedaiah; she was from Rumah. 37And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, just as his fathers had done.

Cross References
2 Kings 21:20
And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done.

2 Kings 21:2
And he did evil in the sight of the LORD by following the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.

2 Kings 24:9
And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, just as his father had done.

2 Kings 24:19
And Zedekiah did evil in the sight of the LORD, just as Jehoiakim had done.

2 Chronicles 36:5
Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD his God.

2 Chronicles 36:12
And he did evil in the sight of the LORD his God and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke for the LORD.

Jeremiah 22:2-3
saying, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, who sits on the throne of David—you and your officials and your people who enter these gates. / This is what the LORD says: Administer justice and righteousness. Rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow. Do not shed innocent blood in this place.

Jeremiah 22:13-17
“Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms without justice, who makes his countrymen serve without pay, and fails to pay their wages, / who says, ‘I will build myself a great palace, with spacious upper rooms.’ So he cuts windows in it, panels it with cedar, and paints it with vermilion. / Does it make you a king to excel in cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He administered justice and righteousness, and so it went well with him. ...

Jeremiah 26:20-23
Now there was another man prophesying in the name of the LORD, Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim. He prophesied against this city and against this land the same things that Jeremiah did. / King Jehoiakim and all his mighty men and officials heard his words, and the king sought to put him to death. But when Uriah found out about it, he fled in fear and went to Egypt. / Then King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt: Elnathan son of Achbor along with some other men. ...

Ezekiel 18:24
But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, committing the same abominations as the wicked, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness and sin he has committed, he will die.

Ezekiel 18:26
If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, he will die for this. He will die because of the iniquity he has committed.

Isaiah 1:4
Alas, O sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children who act corruptly! They have forsaken the LORD; they have despised the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on Him.

Isaiah 1:16-17
Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil! / Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.”

Romans 1:28-32
Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. / They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, / slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful. They invent new forms of evil; they disobey their parents. ...

Romans 3:10-12
As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one. / There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. / All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”


Treasury of Scripture

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

he did.

Jeremiah 22:13-17
Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work; …

Jeremiah 26:20-23
And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjathjearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah: …

Jeremiah 36:23-26,31
And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth…

all that.

2 Chronicles 28:22-25
And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this is that king Ahaz…

2 Chronicles 33:4-10,22,23
Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever…

Jump to Previous
Evil Eyes Fathers Sight
Jump to Next
Evil Eyes Fathers Sight
2 Kings 23
1. Josiah causes the book to be read in a solemn assembly.
3. He renews the covenant of the Lord.
4. He destroys idolatry.
15. He burns dead men's bones upon the altar of Bethel, as was prophesied.
21. He keeps a most solemn Passover.
24. He puts away witches and all abomination.
26. God's final wrath against Judah.
29. Josiah, provoking Pharaoh Neco, is slain at Megiddo.
31. Jehoahaz, succeeding him,
33. is imprisoned by Pharaoh Neco, who makes Jehoiakim king.
36. Jehoiakim's wicked reign.














And he did evil
The phrase "did evil" in Hebrew is often translated from the word "ra‘a," which means to act wickedly or to do harm. In the context of the Kings of Israel and Judah, this phrase is frequently used to describe actions that are contrary to God's commandments and covenant. The repetition of this phrase throughout the books of Kings serves as a somber reminder of the persistent disobedience of the leaders of God's chosen people. It underscores the importance of aligning one's actions with God's will, as deviation leads to spiritual and often physical decline.

in the sight of the LORD
This phrase emphasizes the omnipresence and omniscience of God. The Hebrew word for "sight" is "ayin," which literally means "eye." It conveys the idea that nothing is hidden from God’s view. The actions of the king are not just political or social missteps; they are moral failings observed by God Himself. This serves as a powerful reminder that all actions, whether public or private, are seen by God and will be judged according to His righteous standards.

just as his fathers had done
The reference to "his fathers" highlights the generational cycle of sin and disobedience. The Hebrew word "ab" can mean father, ancestor, or forefather, indicating a lineage of behavior. This phrase points to the influence of familial and cultural patterns in shaping one's actions. It serves as a cautionary note about the dangers of unrepentant sin being passed down through generations. From a conservative Christian perspective, it underscores the need for each generation to break free from the sins of the past and to seek a personal relationship with God, grounded in repentance and obedience.

Verse 37. - And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done. Jeremiah says of Jehoiakim, "Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbor's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work; that saith, I will build me a large house and wide chambers, and cutteth him out windows; and it is coiled with cedar, and painted with vermilion. Shalt thou reign, because thou closest thyself in cedar? did not thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice, and then it was well with him? He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the Lord. But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it" (Jeremiah 22:13-17). Josephus calls him "an unjust man and an evil-doer, neither pious in his relations towards God nor equitable in his dealings with his fellow men" ('Ant. Jud.,' 10:5. § 2). His execution of Urijah, the son of Shemalah, for prophesying the destruction of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 26:20-23), was an act at once of cruelty and impiety. It is suspected (Ewald, 'History of Israel,' vol. 4. p. 252) that, besides reintroducing into Judah all the foreign rites extirpated by his father, he added Egyptian rites to their number. The tyranny which he practiced was likewise of an Egyptian cast, including, as it did, the exaction of forced labor from his subjects (Jeremiah 22:13), an old custom of the Pharaohs, and it is quite possible that his "passion for building splendid and costly houses" (Ewald) was awakened by his knowledge of the magnificence which characterized the monarchs of the Saitic dynasty, who revived in Egypt the architectural glories of the Ramessides (see Herod., 2:153, 175, 176).



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And he did
וַיַּ֥עַשׂ (way·ya·‘aś)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

evil
הָרַ֖ע (hā·ra‘)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

in the sight
בְּעֵינֵ֣י (bə·‘ê·nê)
Preposition-b | Noun - cdc
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

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

just as
כְּכֹ֥ל (kə·ḵōl)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

his fathers
אֲבֹתָֽיו׃ (’ă·ḇō·ṯāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1: Father

had done.
עָשׂ֖וּ (‘ā·śū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make


Links
2 Kings 23:37 NIV
2 Kings 23:37 NLT
2 Kings 23:37 ESV
2 Kings 23:37 NASB
2 Kings 23:37 KJV

2 Kings 23:37 BibleApps.com
2 Kings 23:37 Biblia Paralela
2 Kings 23:37 Chinese Bible
2 Kings 23:37 French Bible
2 Kings 23:37 Catholic Bible

OT History: 2 Kings 23:37 He did that which was evil (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 23:36
Top of Page
Top of Page