SIL Translator’s Notes on 2 Kings 17:15

17:15a They rejected His statutes and the covenant He had made with their fathers,

They despised Yahweh’s rules and the covenant/treaty that he had made with their ancestors.

-or-

They refused to obey the instructions that Yahweh had given them. ⌊They broke⌋ the solemn agreement that he had made with their forefathers.

17:15b as well as the decrees He had given them.

They despised/ignored⌋ the warnings he had given them.

-or-

They paid/gave no attention to⌋ his warnings.

17:15c They pursued worthless idols and themselves became worthless,

The idols that they worshiped were of no value/worth, and so they themselves lost their value/worth.

-or-

They served idols that were useless and could not help them. So they themselves became useless and helpless.

17:15d going after the surrounding nations

They followed/copied ⌊the ways/customs of⌋ the nations living around them,

-or-

They chose to do the same ⌊evil⌋ things that the ⌊pagan/foreign⌋ peoples near them did.

17:15e that the LORD had commanded them not to imitate.

even though Yahweh had forbidden them to act/behave like them.

-or-

But Yahweh had commanded them not to act like those people.

17:15d-e (reordered)

Yahweh had commanded the people of Israel not to act like the ⌊pagan⌋ nations around them. But they did so anyway.

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