What does 2 Kings 17:31 mean?
"And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim." - 2 Kings 17:31
The Bible verse 2 Kings 17:31 in the King James Version reads: "And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim."
This verse comes from the book of 2 Kings, which is part of the historical books of the Old Testament. The book of 2 Kings covers the final years of the divided kingdom of Israel, detailing the reign of the kings of both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. It also documents the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel to the Assyrians and the subsequent exile of the Israelites.
This particular verse focuses on the practices of the foreign peoples who were brought in to settle in the lands of Israel after the Israelites were exiled. The Avites and the Sepharvites were among the nations that were resettled in the land, and they brought with them their own pagan religious practices.
The mention of Nibhaz, Tartak, Adrammelech, and Anammelech in this verse refers to the foreign gods and idols that these people worshipped. These were deities of the Assyrian and Babylonian pantheons, and the Avites and Sepharvites adopted these gods as their own.
The practice of burning their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech is a reference to the horrific and barbaric act of child sacrifice. This was a common practice among certain pagan religions of the ancient Near East, where children were offered as sacrifices to appease the gods or to seek their favor. This practice was strongly condemned by the God of Israel, as it was considered abhorrent and contrary to His commands.
In the broader context of the book of 2 Kings, this verse serves as a stark illustration of the moral and spiritual decay that had taken hold of the people of Israel. The Israelites had turned away from the worship of the true God and had embraced the gods and practices of the surrounding pagan nations. This departure from their covenant with God ultimately led to their downfall and exile.
The themes present in this verse are those of idolatry, false worship, and the corrupting influence of foreign cultures. Throughout the Old Testament, the worship of false gods and the practice of child sacrifice are repeatedly condemned, as they stand in direct opposition to the commands of the one true God.
Symbolically, this verse serves as a powerful reminder of the dangers of forsaking God and chasing after the gods of this world. It highlights the consequences of turning away from the truth and embracing falsehood, as well as the destructive nature of idolatry and the worship of anything other than the Creator.
In conclusion, 2 Kings 17:31 is a sobering reminder of the spiritual and moral decline that can occur when people turn away from the true God and indulge in idolatry and false worship. It serves as a warning against the allure of foreign gods and practices, and the devastating consequences that can result from abandoning the ways of the Lord. The verse stands as a poignant example of the timeless truth that true fulfillment and blessing can only be found in a wholehearted devotion to the one true God.
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2 Kings 17:31 Artwork
2 Kings 17:31 - "And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim." The image should not depict explicit or offensive content but be symbolic.
"And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim." - 2 Kings 17:31
2 Kings 15:31 - "And the rest of the acts of Pekah, and all that he did, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel."
2 Kings 17:2 - "And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as the kings of Israel that were before him."
2 Kings 19:17 - "Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands,"
2 Chronicles 31:17 - "Both to the genealogy of the priests by the house of their fathers, and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their charges by their courses;"
2 Kings 9:31 - "And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master?"
1 Kings 17:2 - "And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,"
2 Kings 17:40 - "Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner."
2 Kings 19:31 - "For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this."
2 Kings 17:8 - "And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made."
2 Kings 21:17 - "¶ Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and his sin that he sinned, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?"
2 Kings 6:31 - "Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day."
2 Kings 17:17 - "And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger."
"And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as the kings of Israel that were before him." - 2 Kings 17:2
"And the rest of the acts of Pekah, and all that he did, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel." - 2 Kings 15:31
"Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands," - 2 Kings 19:17
2 Kings 17:19 - "Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made."
2 Kings 17:5 - "¶ Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years."
2 Kings 24:17 - "¶ And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father's brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah."
2 Kings 17:22 - "For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them;"
2 Kings 17:12 - "For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing."
2 Kings 17:14 - "Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God."
2 Kings 11:17 - "¶ And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD'S people; between the king also and the people."
2 Kings 17:3 - "Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents."
2 Kings 10:31 - "But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin."
2 Kings 17:10 - "And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree:"
2 Kings 14:17 - "¶ And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years."
2 Kings 2:17 - "And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not."
2 Kings 6:17 – "And Elisha prayed, 'Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.' Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes."