2 Kings 17:11

They burned incense on all the high places like the nations that the LORD had driven out before them. They did wicked things, provoking the LORD to anger.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The narrative recounts the northern kingdom of Israel's actions following the Assyrian conquest, listing their idolatrous practices as the direct cause of their judgment. The author records their behavior rather than recording a direct speech to a specific audience.

The words — The Hebrew verb וַיְקַטְּרוּ (va/y.ka.te.ru) literally means "they made smoke" or "they burned incense," describing the ritual act performed on the elevated shrines. The noun בָּמוֹת (ba.Mot) refers specifically to those high places where the rites occurred.

The thread — The practice of offering incense at high places appears in 2 Chronicles 28:25, where Ahaz builds similar shrines in Judah to provoke Yahweh. The broader pattern of adopting foreign religious customs is noted in the surrounding verses of 2 Kings 17.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that ritual imitation of conquered peoples directly provokes divine judgment. Readers must see that religious syncretism is treated as active rebellion rather than mere cultural accommodation.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיְקַטְּרוּ־va/y.ka.te.ru-and/ they made smoke שָׁם֙shamthere בְּכָל־be./kholat/ all בָּמ֔וֹתba.Mot[the] high places כַּגּוֹיִ֕םka./go.Yimlike the/ nations אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-which הֶגְלָ֥הheg.Lahhe had taken into exile יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahweh מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑םmi./pe.nei./Hemfrom/ before/ them וַֽיַּעֲשׂוּ֙va/i.ya.'a.Suand/ they did דְּבָרִ֣יםde.va.Rimthings רָעִ֔יםra.'Imevil לְהַכְעִ֖יסle./hakh.'Isto/ provoke to anger אֶת־'et-<obj.>יְהוָֽה׃Yah.wehYahweh

King James Version

And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the Lord carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the Lord to anger:

Cross-references

1 Kings 13:1 Suddenly, as Jeroboam was standing beside the altar to burn incense, there came a man of God from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD.
2 Kings 21:6 He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.
2 Chronicles 28:25 In every city of Judah he built high places to offer incense to other gods, and so he provoked the LORD, the God of his fathers.
Psalms 78:56 But they tested and disobeyed God Most High, for they did not keep His decrees.
Jeremiah 44:17 Instead, we will do everything we vowed to do: We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and offer drink offerings to her, just as we, our fathers, our kings, and our officials did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food and good things, and we saw no disaster.