2 Kings 17:14-17
The Message
14-15 But they wouldn’t listen. If anything, they were even more bullheaded than their stubborn ancestors, if that’s possible. They were contemptuous of his instructions, the solemn and holy covenant he had made with their ancestors, and of his repeated reminders and warnings. They lived a “nothing” life and became “nothings”—just like the pagan peoples all around them. They were well-warned: God said, “Don’t!” but they did it anyway.
16-17 They threw out everything God, their God, had told them, and replaced him with two statue-gods shaped like bull-calves and then a phallic pole for the whore goddess Asherah. They worshiped cosmic forces—sky gods and goddesses—and frequented the sex-and-religion shrines of Baal. They even sank so low as to offer their own sons and daughters as sacrificial burnt offerings! They indulged in all the black arts of magic and sorcery. In short, they prostituted themselves to every kind of evil available to them. And God had had enough.
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2 Kings 17:14-16
New International Version
14 But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked(A) as their ancestors, who did not trust in the Lord their God. 15 They rejected his decrees and the covenant(B) he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols(C) and themselves became worthless.(D) They imitated the nations(E) around them although the Lord had ordered them, “Do not do as they do.”
16 They forsook all the commands of the Lord their God and made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves,(F) and an Asherah(G) pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts,(H) and they worshiped Baal.(I)
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