2 Kings 17:14

2 Kings 17:14 Meaning and Explanation

Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God.

King James Version (KJV)

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They refused to listen and stiffened their necks, just as their unbelieving ancestors had done.

What Does 2 Kings 17:14 Mean?

To all the prophets' pleading the people would not hear. They hardened their necks, an image of an ox refusing the yoke, stubborn against the One who would guide them. In this they were like their fathers, who did not believe in the Lord their God; the unbelief ran through the generations.

The opposite of faith here is not doubt but hardness, a will set against God's voice. Stubbornness can be inherited like a family trait, each generation passing on its refusal. Yet a heart can be softened as surely as it can be hardened. The cure for the stiff neck is belief, the simple trust that takes God at His word and bends to His good will.

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What does 2 Kings 17:14 mean?

They refused to listen and stiffened their necks, just as their unbelieving ancestors had done.

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