2 Kings 17:8-12 Meaning: When We Follow the Crowd
8and walked in the statutes of the nations whom Yahweh cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they made.
9The children of Israel secretly did things that were not right against Yahweh their God; and they built high places for themselves in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city;
10and they set up for themselves pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree;
11and there they burned incense in all the high places, as the nations whom Yahweh carried away before them did; and they did wicked things to provoke Yahweh to anger;
12and they served idols, of which Yahweh had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.”
8And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made.
9And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the Lord their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.
10And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree:
11And 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:
12For they served idols, whereof the Lord had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.
8and walked in the statutes of the nations, whom Jehovah cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they made.
9And the children of Israel did secretly things that were not right against Jehovah their God: and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city;
10and they set them up pillars and Asherim upon every high hill, and under every green tree;
11and there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the nations whom Jehovah carried away before them; and they wrought wicked things to provoke Jehovah to anger;
12and they served idols, whereof Jehovah had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.
8and walk in the statutes of the nations that Jehovah dispossessed from the presence of the sons of Israel, and of the kings of Israel that they made;
9and the sons of Israel do covertly things that are not right against Jehovah their God, and build for them high places in all their cities, from a tower of the watchers unto the fenced city,
10and set up for them standing-pillars and shrines on every high height, and under every green tree,
11and make perfume there in all high places, like the nations that Jehovah removed from their presence, and do evil things to provoke Jehovah,
12and serve the idols, of which Jehovah said to them, `Ye do not do this thing;'
8and they walked in the statutes of the nations that Jehovah had dispossessed from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made.
9And the children of Israel did secretly against Jehovah their God things that were not right; and they built them high places in all their cities, from the watchmen's tower to the fortified city.
10And they set them up columns and Asherahs on every high hill and under every green tree;
11and there they burned incense on all the high places, as did the nations that Jehovah had carried away from before them, and they wrought wicked things to provoke Jehovah to anger;
12and they served idols, as to which Jehovah had said to them, Ye shall not do this thing.
Meaning in one sentence
God's people copied both the nations around them and their own kings. This passage shows how two sources of idolatry led to exile and warns us about hidden sin.
Context
This passage sits at the hinge of 2 Kings 17. The northern kingdom of Israel has just fallen to Assyria (v6). But its author does not blame Assyrian military power. He looks deeper: Israel had sinned against the God who rescued them from Egypt (v7). Now in verses 8-12, he names the specific shape of that sin. They did not invent a new religion. They copied what they saw, the customs of the Canaanite nations God had thrown out of the land, and the religious practices their own kings had invented. Their worship became a mix of borrowed rituals and royal decrees. The description moves from public high places to the secret things done under cover of darkness. It is a careful, sad inventory of how far they had drifted.
Key Words
The Hebrew verb behind “walked” in verse 8 is halak. It means more than taking a stroll; it describes a whole direction of life. Israel walked in the statutes of the nations and of the kings. Their feet found the path of someone else’s road map.
Then comes a rare word in verse 9: chapha, translated “did secretly.” It means to cover over, to disguise. Barnes and others note that the people likely tried to pass off their idolatry as worship of the Lord, they hid what was really going on, even from themselves. They knew it was wrong, so they covered it.
Finally, the passage ends with “they served idols”, the verb avad. It is the same word used elsewhere for serving God. The people were made to serve, but they gave their service to hollow things. These three words, walk, hide, serve, trace the slow drift from following God into following the crowd.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have found this passage a sobering mirror. Reformed readers often focus on covenant breaking: Israel rejected God’s exclusive claim on them. Wesleyan and Methodist commentators like Adam Clarke highlight the hidden iniquity, the things done in secret that infect the whole community. Catholic teaching on the first commandment reads these verses as a warning that idolatry is not just old statues but any creature given the place that belongs to God. Anglican commentators note the universal scale of the sin, from watchtower to fortified city, every hill had an altar. Each tradition agrees on the basic pattern: Israel looked around and did what everyone else was doing, forgetting that God had told them not to.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers assume the “kings of Israel” in verse 8 refers to foreign kings, that Israel was led astray by outsiders. In fact, the text names their own kings, like Jeroboam, who set up golden calves at Bethel and Dan (1 Kings 12:28). The sin was homegrown. Israel was not merely tempted by the nations around them; their own leaders gave them permission to worship wrongly. That makes the indictment sting even more.
Living This Out
The question this passage raises for this week might be uncomfortable: what am I doing simply because everyone else is? The Israelite way was to look at the nations, see what they did, and copy it. Then look at the king, see what he decreed, and follow that. Nobody stopped to ask what God had said. You might be in a workplace, a neighbourhood or even a church where certain practices are just normal, even if they feel off. The temptation is to blend in and not make a fuss. But this passage invites you to take an honest look, even at the things you cover up. You do not have to hide what you know is not right. There is mercy in the open air.
Main takeaway: Israel fell not because they were attacked but because they stopped asking which way God had told them to go.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God’s people started doing things that God said not to do. They did them even when they thought nobody was watching. But God saw.
For ages 9, 12
Sometimes it is easier to do what everyone else is doing than to do what is right. In this passage, God’s people copied both their neighbours and their kings, and they even hid some of their wrong choices. They thought it would be okay. But God had given them clear instructions. He wants us to follow Him, not just follow the crowd, even when it feels lonely.
Questions People Ask
What does 'did secretly' mean in verse 9?
The Hebrew word 'chapha' means to cover over or disguise. It suggests that the people tried to hide their idolatry, perhaps pretending it was still worship of the Lord. They knew it was wrong but kept doing it anyway.
Who are the 'kings of Israel' mentioned in verse 8?
These are Israel's own kings, especially Jeroboam, who set up golden calves at Bethel and Dan (1 Kings 12:28). The list also includes later kings like Ahab, who promoted Baal worship. The Bible holds them responsible for leading the nation into idolatry.
What were Asherah poles?
Asherah poles were wooden symbols or sacred trees dedicated to the Canaanite goddess Asherah, who was associated with fertility. God had commanded Israel to destroy these objects (Deuteronomy 12:3), but they set them up instead.
Why does the passage mention both the nations and the kings as sources?
This twofold indictment shows that Israel's idolatry came from outside (the nations God had driven out) and inside (their own leaders). It heightens their guilt: they had no excuse. They knew what the nations had done wrong, and their kings should have known better.
How do the verses 8-12 explain the fall of Israel?
The verses directly precede the account of Israel's exile to Assyria. They provide the theological reason: Israel persistently abandoned God's commands, adopted pagan worship, and served idols. Their destruction was not random but the logical consequence of breaking the covenant.
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