2 Kings 17:9 — Meaning and Application

For {so} it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods,

And 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.

And 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.

And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree: {images: Heb. statues}

And 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: