The Meaning of 2 Kings 17:37 Explained

2 Kings 17:37

KJV: And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods.

YLT: and the statutes, and the judgments, and the law, and the command, that He wrote for you, ye observe to do all the days, and ye do not fear other gods;

Darby: And the statutes and the ordinances and the law, and the commandment which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods.

ASV: and the statutes and the ordinances, and the law and the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the statutes,  and the ordinances,  and the law,  and the commandment,  which he wrote  for you, ye shall observe  to do  for evermore;  and ye shall not fear  other  gods. 

What does 2 Kings 17:37 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 17:27-41 - They Feared The Lord And Served Their Own Gods
The policy of peopling Israel with other races was intended to keep the land under cultivation, and to break the ties of fatherland, which are the spring of patriotism. Men will not fight for a land which does not pull at their heart-strings. These newly-imported peoples believed that each country was under the care of its own local deity. They therefore deemed it advisable, that, without renouncing their own gods, they should give the God of Israel some sort of recognition. Samaritan religion of this kind is still very popular. Too many people feel that they ought to do something to show their respect for God. They attend to the outward forms of worship, lest they should lose caste; but in their hearts they enthrone worldly and worthless ideals.
The Jews, as we learn from John 4:9, hated the Samaritans, as a kind of mongrel race. But how generous was the Savior, ministering to the woman of Sychar, healing the Samaritan leper, and making one of this despised people the central figure in his parable of mercy, thus compelling the world to speak of the good Samaritan! [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 17:37 mean?

And the statutes the ordinances and the law and the commandment which He wrote for you you shall be careful to observe all forever and not you shall fear gods other
וְאֶת־ הַחֻקִּ֨ים הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֜ים וְהַתּוֹרָ֤ה וְהַמִּצְוָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּתַ֣ב לָכֶ֔ם תִּשְׁמְר֥וּן לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת כָּל־ הַיָּמִ֑ים וְלֹ֥א תִֽירְא֖וּ אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִֽים

הַחֻקִּ֨ים  the  statutes 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: חֹק  
Sense: statute, ordinance, limit, something prescribed, due.
הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֜ים  the  ordinances 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
וְהַתּוֹרָ֤ה  and  the  law 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: תֹּורָה  
Sense: law, direction, instruction.
וְהַמִּצְוָה֙  and  the  commandment 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְוָה  
Sense: commandment.
כָּתַ֣ב  He  wrote 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּתַב  
Sense: to write, record, enrol.
לָכֶ֔ם  for  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
תִּשְׁמְר֥וּן  you  shall  be  careful 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת  to  observe 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
הַיָּמִ֑ים  forever 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
וְלֹ֥א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תִֽירְא֖וּ  you  shall  fear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
אֱלֹהִ֥ים  gods 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אֲחֵרִֽים  other 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: אַחֵר  
Sense: another, other, following.