2 Kings 22:17

2Ki 22:17 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.

Ver. 17. Because they have forsaken me.] The reformation they make being but feigned and forced: as appeared by their revolt to idolatry and blood-guiltiness, presently after good Josiah’s death. {2Ki 24:3}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ki 22:17. Because they have forsaken me — The God of their fathers, and the only living and true God. And burned incense to other gods — Imaginary beings of their own devising, or the works of their hands —

Gods which they themselves have made. To provoke me to anger — As if they designed this, and worshipped these vanities for no other end but to provoke me; for in so doing they said, in effect, there is as much reason and propriety in worshipping the stock of a tree, as in worshipping Jehovah: and to worship these works of our hands, will be of as much service to us as to worship the author and end of all things! Therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place — And what is hell itself but the fire of God’s wrath kindled against sinners? Observe the degree and duration of it. It is so kindled, that it shall not be quenched. The decree is gone forth, and it is now too late to think of preventing it; for the iniquity of Jerusalem shall not be purged by sacrifice or offering. Thus hell is unquenchable fire.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The [works] of man’s hand here signify all that man inventeth beside the word of God, which are abominable in God’s service.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 17. My wrath shall be kindled] The decree is gone forth; Jerusalem shall be delivered into the hands of its enemies; the people will revolt more and more; towards them longsuffering is useless; the wrath of God is kindled, and shall not be quenched. This was a dreadful message.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(17) With all the works (work) of their hands.—With the idols they have made. See 1Ki_16:7, where the same phrase occurs. (Comp. also Isa_44:9-17; Psa_115:4 seq.).

Shall not be quenched.—Comp. Jer_4:4; Amo_5:6; Isa_1:31.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

17. works] R.V. work] of their hands] The Hebrew has the singular.

my wrath shall be kindled against this place and [R.V. adds it] shall not be quenched] The king in verse 13 used the expression ‘wrath of the Lord’. And the same expression is found in Lev_26:28, (though there both A.V. and R.V. have ‘fury’). The language of that book must have been present to the mind of both Josiah and Huldah.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Because they have forsaken me,.... My worship, as the Targum; his word and ordinances:

and have burnt incense unto other gods; to Baal, to the host of heaven, and other Heathen deities:

that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands: their idols of wood, stone, gold, and silver, which their hands had made, to worship; than which nothing was more provoking to God:

therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched; the decree for the destruction of Jerusalem was gone forth, and not to be called back; the execution of it could not be stopped or hindered by cries, prayers, entreaties, or otherwise; this wrath of God was an emblem of the unquenchable fire of hell, Mat 3:12.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Have burned incense - In the marginal reference the corresponding phrase is: “have served other gods, and worshipped them.” Its alteration to “have bnrned incense” points to the fact that the favorite existing idolatry was burning incense on the housetops to Baal Jer 19:13; Jer 32:29 and to the host of heaven 2Ki 21:3.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The works of their hands; gods made with hands. This she adds to aggravate their folly and contempt of God, in preferring such vain and idle things before him.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Because they have forsaken me. This was the gist of their offence, the thing that was unpardonable. Against this were all the chief warnings in the Law (Deu_12:19 Deu_29:25-28 Deu_31:16, 17 32:15, etc.) and the prophets (Jud_1:10:13; 1Sa_8:8 1Sa_12:9; 1Ki_9:9 1Ki_11:33 1Ki_18:18; Isa_1:4 Isa_65:11; Jer_1:16 Jer_2:13, etc) It was not merely that they broke the commandments, but they turned from God altogether, and "cast him behind their back." And have burned incense unto other gods (comp. 2Ki_23:5; and see also, Jer_1:18 Jer_7:9 Jer_11:13 Jer_44:19, etc.) that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; i.e. "with the idols that they have made for themselves" (Keil). (comp. 1Ki_16:7) Therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this placei.e. against Jerusalemand shall not be quenched. Here lies the whole point of the answer. God"s threatenings against nations are for the most part conditional, and may be escaped, or at least their fulfillment may be deferred indefinitely, by repentance, as we learn from the example of Nineveh. (Jon_3:1-10) But if a nation persists long in evil-doing, there comes a time when the sentence can be no longer averted. A real repentance has become impossible, and a mock one does but provoke God the more. For such a state of things there is "no remedy", (2Ch_36:16) and this was the state of things reached by the Jews. God"s anger against them could not be quenched.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The works - Gods made with hands.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

General Information:

The message Yahweh sent to King Josiah through Huldah, the prophetess, continues.

my anger has been kindled against this place, and it will not be extinguished

Yahweh's anger is spoken of as if it were a fire that was lit. AT: "my anger against this place is like a fire that cannot be put out" (See: Metaphor)

this place

Here "place" represents the people who live in Jerusalem and Judah. AT: "these people" (See: Metonymy)

About the words that you heard

Here "words" represents the message that Huldah just spoke. AT: "About the message that you heard" (See: Metonymy)

because your heart was tender

Here "heart" represents a person's inner being. Feeling sorry is spoken of as if the heart were tender. AT: "because you felt sorry" or "because you repented" (See: Metonymy and Metaphor)

that they would become a desolation and a curse

The abstract nouns "desolation" and "curse" can be stated as an adjective and a verb. AT: "that I would make the land desolate and would curse them" (See: Abstract Nouns)

torn your clothes

This is a symbolic action that indicates intense grief or sadness. (See: Symbolic Action)

this is Yahweh's declaration

Yahweh speaks of himself by name to express the certainty of what he is declaring. See how you translated this in 2 Kings 19:33. AT: "this is what Yahweh has declared" or "this is what I, Yahweh, have declared" (See: First, Second, or Third Person)

translationWords

forsake

incense

false god

anger

works

will of God

heart

humble

desolate

curse

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.