The Meaning of 2 Kings 17:12 Explained

2 Kings 17:12

KJV: For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.

YLT: and serve the idols, of which Jehovah said to them, 'Ye do not do this thing;'

Darby: and they served idols, as to which Jehovah had said to them, Ye shall not do this thing.

ASV: and they served idols, whereof Jehovah had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does 2 Kings 17:12 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 17:1-12 - The Cause Of Israel's Weakness
This chapter reads like a page from the books of the great white throne. Hoshea, the last king of Israel, did not follow in all the evil deeds of his eighteen predecessors, but the degeneracy of the nation was too far advanced for anything to arrest its collapse. The dry-rot had eaten its way through the specious covering. Worldly policy was the immediate cause of the nation's downfall. Had they obeyed God simply and absolutely, they could have trusted Him to maintain their independence. But they chose to enter into alliances, now with Syria, and then with Egypt, and so became entangled in the wars of their allies. See Hosea 7:11; Hosea 9:3; Hosea 9:6; Hosea 12:1, etc.
Let us read carefully the bill of divorce which the Heavenly Husband gave to the recreant people whom he put away. It is a pathetic document from 2 Kings 17:7 onward; but none can say that Jehovah had not good and sufficient cause for acting as he did. The wonder is that He bore so long with the apostate race. Read Hosea 1:1-11; Hosea 2:1-23; Hosea 3:1-5 to learn how the divine heart was rent when the hour of separation came: but let us not forget the assurances of Romans 11:1-36, that the true Israel shall ultimately be saved. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 17:12 mean?

For they served idols of which had said Yahweh to them not You shall do - thing this
וַיַּֽעַבְד֖וּ הַגִּלֻּלִ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ לָהֶ֔ם לֹ֥א תַעֲשׂ֖וּ אֶת־ הַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה

וַיַּֽעַבְד֖וּ  For  they  served 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
הַגִּלֻּלִ֑ים  idols 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גִּלּוּלִים  
Sense: idols.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר  of  which 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
אָמַ֤ר  had  said 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לָהֶ֔ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
תַעֲשׂ֖וּ  You  shall  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַדָּבָ֥ר  thing 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הַזֶּֽה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.