2 Kings 17:31 (KJV)

What does 2 Kings 17:31 mean?

2 Kings 17:31 describes how certain groups brought into Israel by the Assyrians—specifically the Avites and the Sepharvites—continued to worship their own gods, including making idols and even burning their children as sacrifices to these gods. The verse lists the names of these foreign gods and the practices associated with them.

This verse is part of a larger explanation for why Israel fell: the people had turned away from the God of Israel, and the new settlers brought their own religious customs, some of which were especially harsh or shocking, like child sacrifice. The writer is explaining to the reader that these practices were happening openly in the land that once belonged to Israel, showing how far things had moved away from worship of the God of Israel.

The Hebrew behind 2 Kings 17:31

• אֲוִים (Avites, 'avim): This word refers to one of the groups of people resettled in Israel. Mentioning their name highlights the diversity of foreign influences in the land.
• נִבְחַז (Nibhaz, nivchaz) and תַּרְתָּק (Tartak, tartak): These are the names of gods worshipped by the Avites. The text does not describe these gods, but naming them shows the specific, foreign nature of their worship.
• שְׁפַרְוַיִם (Sepharvites, shepharvayim): This term identifies another group, the Sepharvites, and connects them to the practice of burning children.
• שָׂרְפוּ (burnt, sarfu): This verb means "burned," specifically referring to the act of burning children as sacrifices, which is presented as especially horrific.
• אַדְרַמֶּלֶךְ (Adrammelech, adrammelech) and עֲנַמֶּלֶךְ (Anammelech, anammelech): These are the gods of Sepharvaim to whom the children were burned, emphasizing the seriousness of the practices being described.

Why 2 Kings 17:31 matters

• This verse clarifies that the religious practices brought in by foreign settlers included not just idol worship but also extreme acts like child sacrifice, which the writer presents as deeply wrong.
• Naming the gods and groups involved shows the specific, historical nature of these events and helps the reader understand the real cultural changes happening in Israel at this time.
• The verse helps explain the spiritual and moral decline described in the surrounding chapters, connecting these foreign practices to the larger story of Israel’s downfall.