2 Kings 22:17 - Exposition

Because they have forsaken me. This was the gist of their offence, the thing that was unpardonable. Against this were all the chief warnings in the Law ( Deuteronomy 12:19 ; Deuteronomy 29:25-28 ; Deuteronomy 31:16 , Deuteronomy 31:17 ; Deuteronomy 32:15 , etc.) and the prophets ( 10:13 ; 1 Samuel 8:8 ; 1 Samuel 12:9 ; 1 Kings 9:9 ; 1 Kings 11:33 ; 1 Kings 18:18 ; Isaiah 1:4 ; Isaiah 65:11 ; Jeremiah 1:16 ; Jeremiah 2:13 , etc.). It was not merely that they broke the commandments, but they turned from God altogether, and "cast him behind their back." And have burned incense unto other gods , that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands ; i.e. "with the idols that they have made for themselves" (Keil). Therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place— i.e. against Jerusalem— and shall not be quenched. Here lies the whole point of the answer. God's threatenings against nations are for the most part conditional, and may be escaped, or at least their fulfillment may be deferred indefinitely, by repentance, as we learn from the example of Nineveh ( Jonah 3:1-10 ). But if a nation persists long in evil-doing, there comes a time when the sentence can be no longer averted. A real repentance has become impossible, and a mock one does but provoke God the more. For such a state of things there is "no remedy" ( 2 Chronicles 36:16 ), and this was the state of things reached by the Jews. God's anger against them could not be quenched.