2 Kings 17:2 Meaning and Explanation
“And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as the kings of Israel that were before him.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Hoshea does evil, yet is judged less wicked than the kings who reigned before him.
What Does 2 Kings 17:2 Mean?
Each northern king has been measured against the same standard: he did evil in the sight of the Lord. Hoshea receives that verdict too, but with a qualification rare in these records, that he was not as bad as his predecessors. Even so, the long downward path of the kingdom is not reversed in him.
The faintness of this praise is its own warning. A man may be better than those before him and still walk in the wrong direction. God's measure is not how we compare to a corrupt age but whether we turn to Him. Relative goodness is no shelter on the day of reckoning; only true repentance brings a heart home.
2 Kings 17:2 in the Original Language
ra' (רַע), 'evil' -- what is wrong or harmful, here measured against God's own sight.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Kings 17:2
What does 2 Kings 17:2 mean?
Hoshea does evil, yet is judged less wicked than the kings who reigned before him.