2 Kings 17:30

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 17:24-41

Never was land lost, we say, for want of an heir. When the children of Israel were dispossessed, and turned out of Canaan, the king of Assyria soon transplanted thither the supernumeraries of his own country, such as it could well spare, who should be servants to him and masters to the Israelites that remained; and here we have an account of these new inhabitants, whose story is related here that we may take our leave of Samaria, as also of the Israelites that were carried captive into... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 17:30

And the men of Babylon made Succothbenoth ,.... That is, those that came from Babylon made and served an idol of this name, which, according to the Jewish writers F21 T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 63. 2. , were the figures of an hen and chickens; but others suppose them to be the Pleiades, or seven stars, the stars being had in great veneration by the Babylonians; though others rather think those Succothbenoth, "tabernacles", or "booths of the daughters", as the words may be rendered, have... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Kings 17:30

The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth - This, literally, signifies the tabernacles of the daughters or young women, and most evidently refers to those public prostitutions of young virgins at the temple of Melitta or Venus among the Babylonians. See at the end of the chapter, 2 Kings 17:41 ; (note). From benoth it is probable that the word Venus came, the B being changed into V, as is frequently the case, and the th into s, benoth , Venos . The rabbins say that her emblem... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 17:1-41

THE REIGN OF HOSHEA OVER ISRAEL . DESTRUCTION OF THE ISRAELITE KINGDOM , AND THE GROUNDS OF IT RE - PEOPLING OF THE KINGDOM BY ASSYRIAN COLONISTS . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 17:24-41

Re-peopling of the kingdom of Israel by Assyrian colonists , and formation of a mixed religion . The writer, before dismissing the subject of the Israelite kingdom, proceeds to inform us of certain results of the conquest. Having removed the bulk of the native inhabitants, the Assyrians did not allow the country to lie waste, but proceeded to replace the population which they had carried off by settlers from other localities ( 2 Kings 17:24 ). These settlers were, after a short time,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 17:24-41

The absurdity and uselessness of a mixed religion. Syncretism has been at all times a form which religion is apt to assume in mixed communities. Theoretically, religions are antithetic, exclusive, mutually repulsive. Practically, where they coexist, they tend to give and take, to approximate one to the other, to drop differences, to blend together into an apparent, if not a real, union. Christianity had at first those who would sit in an idol-temple, and partake of idol-sacrifices ( 1... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 17:24-41

Samaria and its religion. I. ITS EARLY GODLESSNESS . The land of Samaria was now deprived of its Israelitish inhabitants. The King of Assyria colonized it with heathen immigrants. "At the beginning of their dwelling there, they feared not the Lord." What a mistake to go anywhere without taking God's presence with us! How many journeys are undertaken, how many a business is entered on, without ever a word of prayer being offered to God! How many a home life is commenced without a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 17:24-41

Subjects worth thinking about. "And the King of Assyria brought men from Babylon," etc. This fragment of Israelitish history brings under our notice four subjects which run through all human history, and which find their illustration in the events of modern as well as ancient life. I. THE TYRANNY OF MAN . Here we find the Assyrians committing two great enormities on the men of Israel—driving them out of their own land into Assyria, and taking possession of their own country and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 17:24-41

Heathen occupants of the land. The narrative of the fall of the northern kingdom concludes with an account of the arrangements made by the King of Assyria for resettling the land of Israel. I. THE NEW SETTLERS . 1. Their foreign origin . The policy of removing rebellious populations to distant parts—at this time a favorite one with the Assyrians—led not only to the Israelites being carried away to Assyria, but to foreign settlers being brought and put down in their place.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 17:30

And the men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth. There is no deity of this name in the Assyrian or Babylonian lists. The explanation of the word as "tents" or "huts of daughters," which Satisfied Selden, Calmer, Gesenius, Winer, Keil, and others, is rendered absolutely impossible by the context, which requires that the word, whatever its meaning, should be the name of a deity. The Septuagint interpreters, while as much puzzled as others by the word itself, at least saw this, and rendered the... read more

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