2-Kings - 17:13



13 Yet Yahweh testified to Israel, and to Judah, by every prophet, and every seer, saying, "Turn from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets."

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of 2-Kings 17:13.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.
And the Lord testified to them in Israel and in Juda by the hand of all the prophets and seers, saying: Return from your wicked ways, and keep my precepts, and ceremonies, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers: and as I have sent to you in the hand of my servants the prophets.
And Jehovah testifieth against Israel, and against Judah, by the hand of every prophet, and every seer, saying, 'Turn back from your evil ways, and keep My commands, My statutes, according to all the law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent unto you by the hand of My servants the prophets;'
And he gave witness to Israel and Judah, by every prophet and seer, saying, Come back from your evil ways, and do my orders and keep my rules, and be guided by the law which I gave to your fathers and sent to you by my servants the prophets.
yet the LORD forewarned Israel, and Judah, by the hand of every prophet, and of every seer, saying: 'Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by the hand of My servants the prophets';
And the Lord testified to them, in Israel and in Judah, through the hand of all the prophets and seers, saying: "Return from your wicked ways, and keep my precepts and ceremonies, in accord with the entire law, which I instructed to your fathers, and just as I sent to you by the hand of my servants, the prophets."

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

God raised up a succession of prophets and seers, who repeated and enforced the warnings of the Law, and breathed into the old words a new life. Among this succession were, in Israel, Ahijah the Shilonite 1-Kings 14:2, Jehu the son of Hanani 1-Kings 16:1, Elijah, Micaiah the son of Imlah 1-Kings 22:8, Elisha, Jonah the son of Amittai 2-Kings 14:25, Oded 2-Chronicles 28:9, Amos, and Hosea; in Judah, up to this time, Shemaiah 2-Chronicles 11:2; 2-Chronicles 12:5, Iddo 2-Chronicles 12:15; 2-Chronicles 13:22, Azariah the son of Oded 2-Chronicles 15:1, Hanani 2-Chronicles 16:7, Jehu his son 2-Chronicles 19:2, Jahaziel the son of Zechariah 2-Chronicles 20:14, Eliezer the son of Dodavah (2-Chronicles 20:37), Zechariah the son of Jehoiada 2-Chronicles 24:20, another Zechariah 2-Chronicles 26:5, Joel, Micah, and Isaiah, besides several whose names are not known. Some of these persons are called "prophets," others "seers." Occasionally, the same person has both titles (as Iddo and Jehu the son of Hanani), which seems to show that there was no very important distinction between them.
Probably the conjecture is right that "prophet" נביא nâbı̂y' in strictness designates the official members of the prophetical order only, while "seer" חזה chôzeh is applicable to all, whether members of the order or not, who receive a prophetical revelation.

Yet the Lord testified against Israel - What rendered their conduct the more inexcusable was, that the Lord had preserved among them a succession of prophets, who testified against their conduct, and preached repentance to them, and the readiness of God to forgive, provided they would return unto him, and give up their idolatries.

Yet the Lord testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers,.... Against their sins, reproving them for them, dehorting them from them, exhorting them to repent and leave them; as in all preceding reigns, by Ahijah the Shilonite, by Elijah and Elisha, by Hosea, Amos, and Micah, and others:
saying, turn ye from your ways; repent of them, and reform from them, worship of the calves particularly:
and keep my commandments, and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers; which was given them and enjoined them at Mount Sinai:
and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets; by whom he put them in mind of them, explained them, and urged obedience to them.

Seers - To whom he declared his mind, by revelations and visions, and by whom he published it, bearing witness, from heaven to their doctrine by eminent and glorious miracles.

*More commentary available at chapter level.


Discussion on 2-Kings 17:13

User discussion of the verse.






*By clicking Submit, you agree to our Privacy Policy & Terms of Use.