II Kings 17:35-39 · Bible study
2 Kings 17:35-39 Commentary: Covenant, Fear, and Deliverance
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the covenant command to fear only Yahweh, grounded in the Exodus, and its promise of deliverance from enemies.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The covenant demands exclusive worship of Yahweh, grounded in the Exodus, and promises deliverance to those who obey.
- Key words: 'Fear' (H3372) conveys reverence and loyal allegiance; 'covenant' (H1285) emphasizes a binding relationship; 'wrote' (H3789) underscores divine authorship of the law.
- Main debate: Whether the deliverance promised is conditional on human obedience or flows from God's grace, various Christian traditions emphasize one side more than the other.
- Theological theme: Covenant loyalty as exclusive devotion to the God who saves; syncretism as the root of judgment.
- Best use: A warning against divided loyalty and a call to remember God's saving acts as the basis for wholehearted worship.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
35For the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites and commanded them, “Do not worship other gods or bow down to them; do not serve them or sacrifice to them.
36Instead, worship the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm. You are to bow down to Him and offer sacrifices to Him.
37And you must always be careful to observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments He wrote for you. Do not worship other gods.
38Do not forget the covenant I have made with you. Do not worship other gods,
39but worship the LORD your God, and He will deliver you from the hands of all your enemies.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
35with whom Yahweh had made a covenant and commanded them, saying, “You shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them;
36but you shall fear Yahweh, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm, and you shall bow yourselves to him, and you shall sacrifice to him.
37The statutes and the ordinances, and the law and the commandment which he wrote for you, you shall observe to do forever more. You shall not fear other gods.
38You shall not forget the covenant that I have made with you. You shall not fear other gods.
39But you shall fear Yahweh your God, and he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.”
KJV King James Version 1769
35With whom the Lord had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:
36But the Lord, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice.
37And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods.
38And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods.
39But the Lord your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
35with whom Jehovah had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:
36but Jehovah, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm, him shall ye fear, and unto him shall ye bow yourselves, and to him shall ye sacrifice:
37and the statutes and the ordinances, and the law and the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods:
38and the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods:
39but Jehovah your God shall ye fear; and he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
35and Jehovah maketh with them a covenant, and chargeth them, saying, `Ye do not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them,
36but Jehovah who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a stretched-out arm, Him ye do fear, and to Him ye bow yourselves, and to Him ye do sacrifice;
37and the statutes, and the judgments, and the law, and the command, that He wrote for you, ye observe to do all the days, and ye do not fear other gods;
38and the covenant that I have made with you ye do not forget, and ye do not fear other gods;
39but Jehovah your God ye do fear, and He doth deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies;'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
35And Jehovah had made a covenant with them, and charged them saying, Ye shall not fear othergods, nor bow down yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them;
36but Jehovah alone, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched-out arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice.
37And the statutes and the ordinances and the law, and the commandment which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear othergods.
38And ye shall not forget the covenant that I have made with you, neither shall ye fear othergods;
39but ye shall fear Jehovah your God, and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
35With whom he made a covenant, and charged them, saying: You shall not fear strange gods, nor shall you adore them, nor worship them, nor sacrifice to them.
36But the Lord, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, with great power, and a stretched out arm, him shall you fear, and him shall you adore, and to him shall you sacrifice.
37And the ceremonies, and judgments, and law, and the commandment, which he wrote for you, you shall observe to do them always: and you shall not fear strange gods.
38And the covenant that he made with you, you shall not forget: neither shall ye worship strange Gods,
39But fear the Lord, your God, and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Kings 17:35
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree these verses present the heart of Israel's covenant obligations. Adam Clarke identifies three elements: the object of worship (Yahweh alone), the reason (the Exodus rescue), and the manner (fear, humility, sacrifice). Gill's Exposition connects the prohibitions directly to the first two commandments of the Decalogue. Barnes and the Cambridge Bible both emphasize that the author treats the whole law as divinely written and given in written form. The repeated refrain 'You shall not fear other gods' is not merely a ritual caution; it defines covenant loyalty. As Clarke puts it, fearing Yahweh means reverencing him as Lawgiver and Judge, bowing in humility, and offering sacrifice as atonement. The passage stands as a concise summary of exclusive devotion, with deliverance promised to those who keep it.
This is not abstract theology. The covenant was a life-and-death bond. To fear other gods was to break that bond. The text calls for a wholehearted allegiance that later generations of Christians have understood as a call to single-minded love for God in Christ.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The covenant demands exclusive worship of Yahweh, and any form of reverence or service to other gods is a direct violation of that bond.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'fear' | Christians agree 'fear' (yare) means reverence, awe, and loyal allegiance, not terror. | Some traditions (e.g., Reformed) emphasize fear as internal devotion and trust; others (e.g., Arminian) highlight obedient actions that flow from fear. |
| Conditionality of deliverance | All agree God promises deliverance to covenant-keepers. | Protestant traditions differ: some see the promise as conditional on faithful obedience (synergism), others as a guarantee for those already in covenant (monergism). Catholic teaching sees salvation as grace that requires human cooperation. |
| Role of the written law | The law is divinely authored and obligatory. | Christians differ on whether the ceremonial laws remain binding (some Protestant traditions say no; Catholic and Orthodox include moral, ceremonial, and judicial aspects, with some abrogated). |
| Exclusive worship | Worship belongs to God alone; idolatry is sin. | The definition of 'other gods', are they literal spiritual beings or symbols of human values? Some Christians interpret them as actual demons; others as misplaced priorities. |
Historical & Cultural Context
These verses sit within the larger tragedy of 2 Kings 17, which describes the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel to Assyria around 722 BC. The Assyrian policy of deportation and resettlement created a mixed population in Samaria. Verse 33 captures the resulting syncretism: 'They feared Yahweh, and also served their own gods.' The chapter repeatedly uses 'to this day' (vv. 34, 41) to show that the pattern persisted into the writer's own time.
The passage itself is a flashback to the original covenant made at Sinai. The compiler of Kings, as the Cambridge Bible notes, draws from Deuteronomy 4-6, and the language of 'statutes, ordinances, law, and commandment' (v. 37) echoes the legal traditions of the Pentateuch. The mention that God 'wrote for you' underscores divine authorship of the law, a point Barnes highlights as important for the text's view of Scripture's origin.
Cultural background adds depth. 'Fear' (Hebrew yare) in covenant contexts meant reverent loyalty, not terror. Bowing and sacrificing were acts of total allegiance. The Exodus reference, 'with great power and an outstretched arm', recites the foundational salvation event, making loyalty a matter of gratitude, not merely law. The writer holds up this pure covenant ideal against the backdrop of Israel's actual failure and the mixed worship of the new Samaritans.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this passage. The Hebrew Masoretic text is consistent across manuscripts, and the English translations agree closely on wording and structure.
Reception History
This passage has been read across Christian traditions as a foundational covenant text. The early church fathers, in their catechetical instruction, used it to teach the first commandment and the exclusive worship of the one God. The Reformers, especially Calvin and the Geneva Bible commentators, saw here a concise summary of the law's demand for single-hearted devotion. In modern preaching, the passage often serves as a warning against syncretism, the temptation to mix Christian faith with cultural idols. The repeated phrase 'You shall not fear other gods' has been applied to everything from materialism to nationalism. The promise of deliverance has given hope to believers facing persecution, reminding them that God's rescue is not only historical but ongoing for those who remain faithful.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- What we must not fear: Other gods. The prohibition is absolute and repeated for emphasis.
- Whom we must fear: Yahweh alone, the God who delivered Israel from Egypt with power.
- Why it matters: Covenant loyalty brings deliverance; unfaithfulness brings judgment.
Five-point outline
- The covenant foundation: God made a covenant with Israel and commanded exclusive worship.
- The negative command: No fearing, bowing, serving, or sacrificing to other gods.
- The positive command: Fear, bow, and sacrifice only to Yahweh, who delivered you from Egypt.
- The written law: Observe all statutes, ordinances, law, and commandment forever.
- The promised result: He will deliver you from all enemies.
Illustration hooks
- A married person who keeps a secret second relationship on the side. The covenant demands exclusive loyalty.
- Employees who give their best energy to a side project while collecting a paycheck from their primary employer. Divided loyalty is unfaithfulness.
- A nation that celebrates its founding story but then adopts the values and practices of surrounding cultures. The Exodus was Israel's founding story; forgetting it led to syncretism.
Questions your congregation is asking
- What counts as 'other gods' in my life today, money, career, comfort, approval?
- How do I know if I am truly fearing God or just going through religious motions?
- Is the promise of deliverance automatic if I obey, or is it more nuanced?
Leading a Discussion
This passage calls the people of God to exclusive loyalty. The setting is urgent: Israel had just fallen, and the new residents of Samaria were mixing worship of Yahweh with idolatry. The text looks back to the covenant commands to show where Israel went wrong. As you discuss, consider both the historical lesson and your own community's challenges to single-hearted devotion.
Discussion questions
- Read verses 35-39 aloud. What words or phrases stand out to you as most important?
- Why do you think the command not to fear other gods is repeated four times in this short passage?
- What does 'fearing' God mean in this context? How is it different from being afraid of God?
- The Exodus is given as the reason for worship. What events in your life call you to grateful loyalty to God?
- Verse 37 says 'he wrote for you.' What difference does it make that God himself wrote the law?
- How did the people of Israel and the new Samaritans fail to keep this command (see vv. 33-41)? What modern parallels do you see?
- What does the promise 'he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies' mean for Christians today? Is it always physical deliverance, or could it be spiritual?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 19:5 | Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine; |
| Exodus 19:6 | and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.” |
| Exodus 20:4 | “You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: |
| Exodus 20:5 | you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, |
| Exodus 24:6 | Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. |
| Exodus 24:8 | Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Look, this is the blood of the covenant, which Yahweh has made with you concerning all these words.” |
| Exodus 34:12 | Be careful, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be for a snare among you; |
| Exodus 34:17 | “You shall make no cast idols for yourselves. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke breaks worship into three parts: the object is Jehovah alone, the reason is His saving power, and the manner is fear, humility, and sacrifice. He stresses that sacrifice means acknowledging sin deserves death and offering a life in atonement, not merely a ritual.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes draws attention to two features of the Law: it existed as a written document given to Israel, not just an oral tradition, and its actual author was God Himself, not Moses or any human scribe.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary argues that the compiler of Kings believed the Law was divinely written for Israel. This implies Deuteronomy existed before the late date assigned by some critics, or at least that the compiler had no doubt about its early, Mosaic origin.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes stress that Israel's covenant with God demands exclusive fear and worship of Him alone, rejecting all other gods. This exclusive loyalty is rooted in God's powerful deliverance from Egypt and His written law. Faithfulness to this covenant ensures God's continued protection from enemies.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that the covenant at Sinai bound Israel to exclusive worship of God alone, rooted in gratitude for deliverance from Egypt. He distinguishes the moral commands (eternally binding) from ceremonial statutes (temporary till Christ), and defines the fear of God as both internal reverence and external worship.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange insists the phrase does not mean Hoshea was better than all his predecessors. It only says he was not as bad as the kings immediately before him. The text gives no evidence he abandoned calf-worship, only that he may have opposed some idolatry that had recently entered.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry points out that the new settlers of Samaria wanted to honor the Lord but only on their own terms, mixing His worship with their own idols. Their appointment of the lowest people as priests reveals they had no regard for true worship. This syncretism was not genuine fear of the Lord.