2 Kings 22:17

because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. My wrath will be kindled against this place and will not be quenched.’

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The LORD speaks through a prophet to the royal messengers, delivering a warning of imminent calamity on Jerusalem and its inhabitants based on the covenant curses found in the recently discovered book of the law.

The words — עֲזָב֗וּ ('a.za.Vu.) literally means "they have forsaken," indicating a deliberate breaking of covenant ties, while וַֽ/יְקַטְּרוּ (va/y.ka.te.Ru) translates directly to "they made smoke," describing the physical act of offering incense to other gods.

The thread — This pattern of covenant abandonment and provoked divine anger recurs in 2 Kings 21:22, while Exodus 32:34 and Deuteronomy 29:24 establish the consistent scriptural principle that God executes settled judgment for idolatry rather than offering unmerited relief.

Why it lands — The passage requires readers to accept that corporate idolatry directly activates covenant curses, demanding a sober acknowledgment that divine wrath is a measured response to specific transgressions.

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

תַּ֣חַת׀Ta.chatbecause אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sherthat עֲזָב֗וּנִי'a.za.Vu./nithey have forsaken/ me וַֽיְקַטְּרוּ֙va/y.ka.te.Ruand/ they have made smoke לֵאלֹהִ֣יםle./lo.Himto/ gods אֲחֵרִ֔ים'a.che.Rimother לְמַ֙עַן֙le.Ma.'anso as הַכְעִיסֵ֔נִיhakh.'i.Se./nito provoke to anger/ me בְּכֹ֖לbe./Kholby/ all מַעֲשֵׂ֣הma.'a.Seh[the] work of יְדֵיהֶ֑םye.dei./Hemhands/ their וְנִצְּתָ֧הve./ni.tze.Tahand/ it will be kindled חֲמָתִ֛יcha.ma.T/ianger/ my בַּמָּק֥וֹםba./ma.Komin the/ place הַזֶּ֖הha./Zeh<the>/ this וְלֹ֥אve./Lo'and/ not תִכְבֶּֽה׃tikh.Behit will be quenched

King James Version

Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.

Cross-references

2 Kings 21:22 He abandoned the LORD, the God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of the LORD.
Exodus 32:34 Now go, lead the people to the place I described. Behold, My angel shall go before you. But on the day I settle accounts, I will punish them for their sin.”
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 32:15 But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked—becoming fat, bloated, and gorged. He abandoned the God who made him and scorned the Rock of his salvation.
Deuteronomy 32:22 For a fire has been kindled by My anger, and it burns to the depths of Sheol; it consumes the earth and its produce, and scorches the foundations of the mountains.
Judges 2:12 Thus they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they followed after various gods of the peoples around them. They bowed down to them and provoked the LORD to anger,
Judges 3:7 So the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs.
Judges 10:6 And again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD. They served the Baals, the Ashtoreths, the gods of Aram, Sidon, and Moab, and the gods of the Ammonites and Philistines. Thus they forsook the LORD and did not serve Him.
Judges 10:10 Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, saying, “We have sinned against You, for we have indeed forsaken our God and served the Baals.”
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,