2 Kings 17:37
New International Version
You must always be careful to keep the decrees and regulations, the laws and commands he wrote for you. Do not worship other gods.

New Living Translation
Be careful at all times to obey the decrees, regulations, instructions, and commands that he wrote for you. You must not worship other gods.

English Standard Version
And the statutes and the rules and the law and the commandment that he wrote for you, you shall always be careful to do. You shall not fear other gods,

Berean Standard Bible
And you must always be careful to observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments He wrote for you. Do not worship other gods.

King James Bible
And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods.

New King James Version
And the statutes, the ordinances, the law, and the commandment which He wrote for you, you shall be careful to observe forever; you shall not fear other gods.

New American Standard Bible
And the statutes, the ordinances, the Law, and the commandment which He wrote for you, you shall take care to do always; and you shall not fear other gods.

NASB 1995
“The statutes and the ordinances and the law and the commandment which He wrote for you, you shall observe to do forever; and you shall not fear other gods.

NASB 1977
“And the statutes and the ordinances and the law and the commandment, which He wrote for you, you shall observe to do forever; and you shall not fear other gods.

Legacy Standard Bible
And the statutes and the judgments and the law and the commandment which He wrote for you, you shall be careful to do forever; and you shall not fear other gods.

Amplified Bible
The statutes and the ordinances and the law and the commandment which He wrote for you [by the hand of Moses], you shall observe and do forever. You shall not fear (worship, serve) other gods.

Christian Standard Bible
You are to be careful always to observe the statutes, the ordinances, the law, and the commandments he wrote for you; do not fear other gods.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You are to be careful always to observe the statutes, the ordinances, the law, and the commandments He wrote for you; do not fear other gods.

American Standard Version
and the statutes and the ordinances, and the law and the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods:

Contemporary English Version
Never worship any other god, always obey my laws and teachings,

English Revised Version
and the statutes and the ordinances, and the law and the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Faithfully obey the laws, rules, teachings, and commands that he wrote for you: 'Never worship other gods.

Good News Translation
You shall always obey the laws and commands that I wrote for you. You shall not obey other gods,

International Standard Version
Furthermore, you are to be careful to observe forever the statutes, ordinances, law, and the commandment that he wrote for you. And you are not to fear other gods.

Majority Standard Bible
And you must always be careful to observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments He wrote for you. Do not worship other gods.

NET Bible
You must carefully obey at all times the rules, regulations, law, and commandments he wrote down for you. You must not worship other gods.

New Heart English Bible
The statutes and the ordinances, and the law and the commandment, which he wrote for you, you shall observe to do forevermore. You shall not fear other gods.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the commandment which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods.

World English Bible
The statutes and the ordinances, and the law and the commandment which he wrote for you, you shall observe to do forever more. You shall not fear other gods.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and the statutes, and the judgments, and the Law, and the command, that He wrote for you, you observe to do all the days, and you do not fear other gods;

Young's Literal Translation
and the statutes, and the judgments, and the law, and the command, that He wrote for you, ye observe to do all the days, and ye do not fear other gods;

Smith's Literal Translation
And the laws and the judgments, and the instruction and command which he wrote for you, ye shall watch to do all the days; and ye shall not fear other gods.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the ceremonies, and judgments, and law, and the commandment, which he wrote for you, you shall observe to do them always: and you shall not fear strange gods.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Also, the ceremonies, and judgments, and law, and commandment, which he wrote for you, you shall keep so that you do them for all days. And you shall not fear strange gods.

New American Bible
You must be careful always to observe the statutes and ordinances, the law and commandment, which he wrote for you; you must not venerate other gods.

New Revised Standard Version
The statutes and the ordinances and the law and the commandment that he wrote for you, you shall always be careful to observe. You shall not worship other gods;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the covenants and the ordinances and the laws and the commandments which he wrote for you, you shall observe to do for evermore; and you shall not revere other gods.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the covenants and the judgments and the laws and the commandments that he wrote to you, keep and do all the days. You shall not be in awe of other gods.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
and the statutes and the ordinances, and the law and the commandment, which He wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Ye shall observe continually the ordinances, and the judgments, and the law, and the commandments which he wrote for you to do; and ye shall not fear other gods.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Israel's Cities Resettled by Foreigners
36Instead, worship the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm. You are to bow down to Him and offer sacrifices to Him. 37And you must always be careful to observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments He wrote for you. Do not worship other gods. 38Do not forget the covenant I have made with you. Do not worship other gods,…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 6:17
You are to diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God and the testimonies and statutes He has given you.

Deuteronomy 4:1-2
Hear now, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances I am teaching you to follow, so that you may live and may enter and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. / You must not add to or subtract from what I command you, so that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God that I am giving you.

Deuteronomy 5:32-33
So be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you; you are not to turn aside to the right or to the left. / You must walk in all the ways that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.

Deuteronomy 11:1
You shall therefore love the LORD your God and always keep His charge, His statutes, His ordinances, and His commandments.

Deuteronomy 12:32
See that you do everything I command you; do not add to it or subtract from it.

Joshua 1:7-8
Above all, be strong and very courageous. Be careful to observe all the law that My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may prosper wherever you go. / This Book of the Law must not depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in all you do.

Psalm 119:4
You have ordained Your precepts, that we should keep them diligently.

Psalm 119:9
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your word.

Psalm 119:33-34
Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, and I will keep them to the end. / Give me understanding that I may obey Your law, and follow it with all my heart.

Psalm 119:60
I hurried without hesitating to keep Your commandments.

Matthew 5:17-19
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. / For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. / So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 7:24-27
Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. / The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because its foundation was on the rock. / But everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ...

John 14:15
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

John 14:21
Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.”

John 15:10
If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.


Treasury of Scripture

And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the commandment, which he wrote for you, you shall observe to do for ever more; and you shall not fear other gods.

the statutes

Leviticus 19:37
Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the LORD.

Deuteronomy 4:4,45
But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day…

Deuteronomy 5:31-33
But as for thee, stand thou here by me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it…

wrote for you

Deuteronomy 31:9,11
And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and unto all the elders of Israel…

Nehemiah 9:13,14
Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments: …

and ye shall not

2 Kings 17:35
With whom the LORD had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:

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Always Careful Command Commandment Commands Decrees Evermore Fear Forever Forevermore Gods Judgments Law Observe Orders Ordinances Rules Statutes Worship Writing Wrote
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Always Careful Command Commandment Commands Decrees Evermore Fear Forever Forevermore Gods Judgments Law Observe Orders Ordinances Rules Statutes Worship Writing Wrote
2 Kings 17
1. Hoshea the Last King of Israel
3. Being subdued by Shalmaneser, he conspires against him with So, king of Egypt
5. Samaria for sinning is led into captivity
24. The strange nations transplanted into Samaria make a mixture of religions.














You must always be careful
This phrase emphasizes the necessity of vigilance and diligence in spiritual practice. The Hebrew root for "be careful" is "שָׁמַר" (shamar), which means to guard, keep, or observe. It suggests an active, intentional effort to maintain faithfulness. In a historical context, this reflects the covenant relationship between God and Israel, where obedience was crucial for maintaining divine favor and protection.

to observe
The Hebrew word "עָשָׂה" (asah) is often translated as "to do" or "to make," but in this context, it implies a conscientious adherence to God's commands. Observance is not passive but involves active participation and commitment. This aligns with the broader biblical theme of living out one's faith through actions, not just beliefs.

the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments
These terms collectively refer to the comprehensive body of divine instructions given to Israel. "Statutes" (חֻקִּים, chukkim) are decrees that may not have an obvious rationale but are to be followed out of obedience. "Ordinances" (מִשְׁפָּטִים, mishpatim) are judgments or decisions that often relate to justice and social order. "Laws" (תּוֹרוֹת, torot) refer to teachings or instructions, often encompassing the broader Torah. "Commandments" (מִצְוֹת, mitzvot) are specific directives from God. Together, they represent the full spectrum of divine guidance intended to shape a holy and just society.

He wrote for you
This phrase underscores the personal and direct nature of God's communication with His people. The act of writing signifies permanence and authority. Historically, this reflects the belief that the laws were divinely inscribed, as seen in the tablets given to Moses. It highlights the personal relationship between God and Israel, where His laws are tailored for their guidance and well-being.

Do not worship other gods
This command is central to the monotheistic faith of Israel. The Hebrew word for "worship" is "עָבַד" (avad), which means to serve or work for. The prohibition against serving other gods is a recurring theme in the Old Testament, emphasizing exclusive devotion to Yahweh. Historically, this was crucial in a polytheistic context where Israel was surrounded by nations with multiple deities. The command serves as a reminder of the first commandment and the call to loyalty and faithfulness to the one true God.

Verse 37. - And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the Law, and the commandment, which he wrote for you - i.e., which, by his Providence, were given you in a written form (comp. Exodus 24:4; Deuteronomy 31:9; Joshua 8:34) - ye shall observe to do forevermore (comp. Leviticus 18:4, 5; Leviticus 19:37; Deuteronomy 4:6; Deuteronomy 5:1; Deuteronomy 6:24, 25, etc.); and ye shall not fear other gods (see the comment on ver. 35).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And
וְאֶת־ (wə·’eṯ-)
Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

you must always
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

be careful
תִּשְׁמְר֥וּן (tiš·mə·rūn)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

to observe
לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת (la·‘ă·śō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6213: To do, make

the statutes,
הַחֻקִּ֨ים (ha·ḥuq·qîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2706: Something prescribed or owed, a statute

ordinances,
הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֜ים (ham·miš·pā·ṭîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4941: A verdict, a sentence, formal decree, divine law, penalty, justice, privilege, style

laws,
וְהַתּוֹרָ֤ה (wə·hat·tō·w·rāh)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8451: Direction, instruction, law

and commandments
וְהַמִּצְוָה֙ (wə·ham·miṣ·wāh)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4687: Commandment

He wrote
כָּתַ֣ב (kā·ṯaḇ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3789: To grave, to write

for you.
לָכֶ֔ם (lā·ḵem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew

Do not
וְלֹ֥א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

worship
תִֽירְא֖וּ (ṯî·rə·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten

other
אֲחֵרִֽים׃ (’ă·ḥê·rîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 312: Hinder, next, other

gods.
אֱלֹהִ֥ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative


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OT History: 2 Kings 17:37 And the statutes and the ordinances (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 17:36
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