And the men of Babylon made Succothbenoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,

2 KINGS 17:30KJV
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2 Kings 17:30 (KJV)

What does 2 Kings 17:30 mean?

2 Kings 17:30 lists the different idols that people from various foreign cities made after being resettled in Samaria. The verse names the gods created by the men of Babylon, Cuth, and Hamath—Succothbenoth, Nergal, and Ashima—showing how these groups brought their own religious practices into Israel.

This verse is part of a larger passage describing how, after the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel, the king of Assyria brought people from other nations to live in the land. These newcomers each made their own gods, setting up shrines and idols according to their traditions. The verse highlights the mixing of different religious customs in Samaria, which the biblical writer presents as a problem.

Why 2 Kings 17:30 matters

  • 2 Kings 17:30 helps explain why the biblical text criticizes the religious practices in Samaria after Israel’s exile, showing that the land became a place of mixed and foreign worship.
  • The verse connects to the broader theme in 2 Kings 17, where the author explains Israel’s downfall as a result of abandoning exclusive worship of the LORD.
  • By naming specific idols and their origins, the verse gives historical detail about the kinds of foreign influences present in Samaria, making the narrative more concrete and specific.

Where else these words appear

“Cuth” Hebrew H3575 · used in 2 verses

  • 2 Kings 17:24 And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.

“Hamath” Hebrew H2574 · used in 35 verses

  • Numbers 13:21 So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath.
  • 2 Kings 23:33 And Pharaohnechoh put him in bands at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and put the land to a tribute of an hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold.
  • Isaiah 37:13 Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arphad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah?