2 Kings 17:29 Meaning: Adding God Without Removing Idols
However every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities in which they lived.
Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt.
Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt.
and they are making each nation its gods, and place them in the houses of the high places that the Samaritans have made, each nation in their cities where they are dwelling.
And every nation madegods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places that the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities in which they dwelt.
Meaning in one sentence
Why did foreign settlers keep making their own gods after learning to fear Yahweh? This verse exposes the human habit of syncretism.
Context
The northern kingdom of Israel had been conquered by Assyria and its people carried away. In their place, the Assyrian king brought settlers from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and Sepharvaim. At first these newcomers did not acknowledge the God of Israel at all. Lions began killing them, and the king sent one of the exiled Israelite priests back to Bethel to teach them how to fear Yahweh. But as this verse records, the instruction only went so far. Each nation kept making the gods they had always worshipped and set them up in the very shrines the Israelites had used, the houses of the high places that littered the land. They did not stop serving their own deities; they simply added Yahweh to the list.
Key Words
The Hebrew word for gods here is elohim. In other contexts it refers to the one true God, but here it carries its ordinary plural sense: the handmade deities each nation brought with them. These were not immaterial ideas but physical objects they could carry, set down, and maintain.
The high places (bamah) were originally platforms built for worship, first for the God of Israel in ways later condemned, then for idols. Now the new settlers put their own gods right where the Israelites had placed theirs. The shrines were ready; they just swapped the images.
The verb for put (nuach) means to lay down, deposit, or let rest. It suggests a deliberate, settled act. These gods were not temporary. They were placed there to stay, in each city where the settlers lived. The verse paints a picture of people who knew about Yahweh but made a home for everything else.
How Christians Read This Verse
Across Christian traditions, commentators have seen this verse as a picture of syncretism. Matthew Henry notes that the settlers “made gods of their own” even after being taught the law. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown observe that they did not suppose the God of Israel to be the only God; they combined his worship with their own. The Cambridge Bible points out that the high places were already standing, so everything was ready for them to set up idols. Gill writes that they retained and served their own deities despite instruction. All these voices agree: the settlers did not convert. They added Yahweh to their pantheon while holding onto the gods they knew.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers assume that after the priest taught the settlers to fear Yahweh, they stopped worshipping other gods. But this verse shows otherwise. They continued making their own gods and placing them in the high places. In fact, they did not abandon their old religions at all. They simply added the God of Israel to the mix, treating him as one more deity to placate.
Living This Out
This verse is a question for your week: have you added God to your life without letting him displace anything else? The settlers were happy to learn about Yahweh, but they kept their old gods right where they were. You might do the same, attending worship, saying prayers, even reading Scripture, while other trusts stay firmly in place. Money, approval, control, a relationship, each can be a god you still serve, tucked into the high places of your heart. The issue is not that you lack knowledge. The issue is that you have made room for God without removing the rest.
Maybe this week you could name one thing you have been holding alongside God that actually competes with him. Not to feel guilty, but to let him be what he already is: the only one worthy of your trust.
Main takeaway: Adding God to a life already full of other trusts is not the same as letting him be the one true God.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Some people learned about God, but they kept their little statues of other gods too. They wanted God and their own pretend gods. God wants us to love only him, not to have other things that take his place in our hearts.
For ages 9, 12
The settlers from other lands heard about the God of Israel and even learned how to worship him. But they did not stop serving the idols they had brought from home. They just added God to their collection. This is a warning for us. Do we try to follow Jesus while still holding onto things that compete for our heart, like popularity, gaming, or getting our own way? God does not want to be one of several gods in your life. He wants to be the only one.
Questions People Ask
Who were the Samaritans in 2 Kings 17:29?
The term "Samaritans" here refers to the Israelites who had lived in Samaria before the Assyrian conquest. The high places they had built for idol worship remained standing after they were taken away, and the new settlers used those same shrines for their own gods.
Why did God send lions among the settlers?
The lions came because the new inhabitants did not fear Yahweh at all. In the ancient Near East, people believed that each land had its own god. By ignoring the God of Israel completely, they were dishonoring him, and the lions were a sign that he was not being acknowledged.
What does 'high places' mean in the Bible?
High places (bamah in Hebrew) were raised platforms or hilltop shrines used for worship. In Israel's history, they were sometimes used for the worship of Yahweh in ways later forbidden, and often for idol worship. After the northern kingdom fell, these existing shrines were reused by the foreign settlers for their own gods.
Did the foreign settlers eventually become true worshippers of God?
No. Although a priest came to teach them how to fear Yahweh, they continued serving their own gods. They blended the worship of Yahweh with their old idolatry. This mixed religion persisted for generations and is later seen in the Samaritan people of Jesus' day, who worshipped God differently from the Jews.
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