Bible Strands
2 Kings 18:12
This happened because they did not listen to the voice of the LORD their God, but violated His covenant—all that Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded—and would neither listen nor obey.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator explains the cause of the Assyrian exile to the Israelites. This historical assessment occurs immediately after describing their deportation to Halah, Gozan, and the cities of the Medes.
The words — The text highlights שָׁמְעוּ (sha.me.'U), meaning "they had listened," and וַיַּעַבְרוּ (va/i.ya.'av.Ru), meaning "and they had transgressed." These verbs frame the people's failure to heed Yahweh's voice and their breach of the Mosaic covenant.
The thread — This pattern of disobedience and covenant violation echoes the warnings in Deuteronomy 8:20 and Deuteronomy 11:28 regarding national destruction for ignoring divine commandments. It stands in direct contrast to the faithfulness attributed to Moses in Numbers 12:7.
Why it lands — The verse demands recognition that historical catastrophe stems from deliberate covenant unfaithfulness rather than divine caprice. It requires the reader to examine personal obedience to established divine instruction as the foundation for stability.
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
King James Version
Because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.
Cross-references
- Numbers 12:7 But this is not so with My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My house.
- Deuteronomy 8:20 Like the nations that the LORD has destroyed before you, so you will perish if you do not obey the LORD your God.
- Deuteronomy 11:28 but a curse if you disobey the commandments of the LORD your God and turn aside from the path I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known.
- Deuteronomy 29:24 So all the nations will ask, ‘Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land? Why this great outburst of anger?’
- Deuteronomy 31:17 On that day My anger will burn against them, and I will abandon them and hide My face from them, so that they will be consumed, and many troubles and afflictions will befall them. On that day they will say, ‘Have not these disasters come upon us because our God is no longer with us?’
- Deuteronomy 34:5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, as the LORD had said.
- Joshua 1:1 Now after the death of His servant Moses, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying,
- 1 Kings 9:6 But if indeed you or your sons turn away from following Me and do not keep the commandments and statutes I have set before you, and if you go off to serve and worship other gods,
- 2 Kings 17:7 All this happened because the people of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They had worshiped other gods
- Nehemiah 9:17 They refused to listen and failed to remember the wonders You performed among them. They stiffened their necks and appointed a leader to return them to their bondage in Egypt. But You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in loving devotion, and You did not forsake them.