The Meaning of 2 Kings 17:16 Explained

2 Kings 17:16

KJV: And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.

YLT: And they forsake all the commands of Jehovah their God, and make to them a molten image -- two calves, and make a shrine, and bow themselves to all the host of the heavens, and serve Baal,

Darby: And they forsook all the commandments of Jehovah their God, and made them molten images, two calves, and made an Asherah, and worshipped all the host of the heavens, and served Baal;

ASV: And they forsook all the commandments of Jehovah their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made an Asherah, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And they left  all the commandments  of the LORD  their God,  and made  them molten images,  [even] two  calves,  and made  a grove,  and worshipped  all the host  of heaven,  and served  Baal. 

What does 2 Kings 17:16 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 17:16 mean?

So they left - all the commandments of Yahweh their God and made for themselves a molded image two [and] two calves a wooden image and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal
וַיַּעַזְב֗וּ אֶת־ כָּל־ מִצְוֺת֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֔ם וַיַּעֲשׂ֥וּ לָהֶ֛ם מַסֵּכָ֖ה [שנים] (שְׁנֵ֣י) עֲגָלִ֑ים אֲשֵׁירָ֗ה וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲווּ֙ לְכָל־ צְבָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיַּעַבְד֖וּ הַבָּֽעַל

וַיַּעַזְב֗וּ  So  they  left 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָזַב 
Sense: to leave, loose, forsake.
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.
מִצְוֺת֙  the  commandments 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: מִצְוָה  
Sense: commandment.
יְהוָ֣ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֔ם  their  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וַיַּעֲשׂ֥וּ  and  made 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
לָהֶ֛ם  for  themselves 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
מַסֵּכָ֖ה  a  molded  image 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מַסֵּכָה 
Sense: a pouring, libation, molten metal, cast image, drink offering.
[שנים]  two 
Parse: Number, mdc
(שְׁנֵ֣י)  [and]  two 
Parse: Number, mdc
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
עֲגָלִ֑ים  calves 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: עֵגֶל  
Sense: calf, bull-calf.
אֲשֵׁירָ֗ה  a  wooden  image 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲשֵׁרָה  
Sense: a Babylonian (Astarte)-Canaanite goddess (of fortune and happiness), the supposed consort of Baal, her images.
וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲווּ֙  and  worshiped 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁחָה  
Sense: to bow down.
צְבָ֣א  the  host 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם  of  heaven 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
וַיַּעַבְד֖וּ  and  served 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
הַבָּֽעַל  Baal 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּעַל  
Sense: supreme male divinity of the Phoenicians or Canaanites.