The Meaning of 2 Kings 17:10 Explained

2 Kings 17:10

KJV: And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree:

YLT: and set up for them standing-pillars and shrines on every high height, and under every green tree,

Darby: And they set them up columns and Asherahs on every high hill and under every green tree;

ASV: and they set them up pillars and Asherim upon every high hill, and under every green tree;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And they set them up  images  and groves  in every high  hill,  and under every green  tree: 

What does 2 Kings 17:10 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 17:10 mean?

And they set up for themselves [sacred] pillars and wooden images on every hill high and under tree green
וַיַּצִּ֧בוּ לָהֶ֛ם מַצֵּב֖וֹת וַאֲשֵׁרִ֑ים עַ֚ל כָּל־ גִּבְעָ֣ה גְבֹהָ֔ה וְתַ֖חַת עֵ֥ץ רַעֲנָֽן

וַיַּצִּ֧בוּ  And  they  set  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: הֻצַּב 
Sense: to stand, take one’s stand, stand upright, be set (over), establish.
לָהֶ֛ם  for  themselves 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
מַצֵּב֖וֹת  [sacred]  pillars 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: מַצֵּבָה  
Sense: pillar, mastaba, stump.
וַאֲשֵׁרִ֑ים  and  wooden  images 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural
Root: אֲשֵׁרָה  
Sense: a Babylonian (Astarte)-Canaanite goddess (of fortune and happiness), the supposed consort of Baal, her images.
כָּל־  every 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
גִּבְעָ֣ה  hill 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: גִּבְעָה  
Sense: hill.
גְבֹהָ֔ה  high 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: גָּבֹהַּ  
Sense: high, exalted.
וְתַ֖חַת  and  under 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
עֵ֥ץ  tree 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵץ  
Sense: tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows.
רַעֲנָֽן  green 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רָעַן 
Sense: (Palel) to be or grow luxuriant or fresh or green adj.