The Meaning of 2 Kings 17:14 Explained

2 Kings 17:14

KJV: 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.

YLT: and they have not hearkened, and harden their neck, like the neck of their fathers, who did not remain stedfast in Jehovah their God,

Darby: But they would not hear, and hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, who did not believe in Jehovah their God.

ASV: Notwithstanding, they would not hear, but hardened their neck, like to the neck of their fathers, who believed not in Jehovah their God.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 2 Kings 17:14 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 17:13-26 - The End Of Stiff-Necked Disobedience
There are three leading counts in this terrible indictment against Judah and Israel: (1) idolatry; (2) the ignoring of the Law; and (3) disregard of the many warnings brought them by prophets and seers. And all were aggravated by the fact that they sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt. How greatly the complexion of our sins is deepened, when we remember the anguish by which we have been redeemed!
Interwoven with the black catalogue of sin are golden threads of tender love, 2 Kings 17:13. But note the remarkable expression of 2 Kings 17:15, that we resemble the objects we adore, Psalms 115:8. Israel, as we have seen, was never restored. Those that returned to Judah with Ezra were for the most part Jews. Yet many Hebrews became believers in Christ, and were added to the Church at Pentecost and afterward, 1 Peter 1:1-2. Paul gives us a far horizon in Romans 11:25-27; and who can tell, in these days when the Turkish Empire is trembling to its foundations, whether we are not very near that hour of the restoration of Israel and the restitution of all things! [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 17:14 mean?

And nevertheless not they would hear but stiffened - their necks like the necks of their fathers who not did believe in Yahweh their God
וְלֹ֖א שָׁמֵ֑עוּ וַיַּקְשׁ֤וּ אֶת־ עָרְפָּם֙ כְּעֹ֣רֶף אֲבוֹתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א הֶאֱמִ֔ינוּ בַּֽיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם

וְלֹ֖א  And  nevertheless  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
שָׁמֵ֑עוּ  they  would  hear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
וַיַּקְשׁ֤וּ  but  stiffened 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: קָשָׁה  
Sense: to be hard, be severe, be fierce, be harsh.
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.
עָרְפָּם֙  their  necks 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: עֹרֶף  
Sense: neck, back of the neck, back.
כְּעֹ֣רֶף  like  the  necks 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֹרֶף  
Sense: neck, back of the neck, back.
אֲבוֹתָ֔ם  of  their  fathers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
הֶאֱמִ֔ינוּ  did  believe 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָמַן 
Sense: to support, confirm, be faithful.
בַּֽיהוָ֖ה  in  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם  their  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).