The consequence of Israel’s continual disobedience was exile, yet God’s remnant in Judah opened a path to redemption.
So the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them from His sight; none was left except the tribe of Judah. (2 Kings 17:18)
This verse occurs following the persistent rebellion of the northern kingdom of Israel, which repeatedly violated the covenant they had agreed to keep under Moses and turned to idolatry instead. Over centuries, God sent prophets to urge His people to return to Him, but they refused. Their final refusal led to their downfall at the hands of Assyria around 722 B.C., fulfilling the warnings that disobedience to the covenant would bring exile. The expression removed them from His sight paints a stark picture of the people’s separation from the LORD, who had brought them out of Egypt and established them in the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 28:64). None was left except the tribe of Judah indicates that only the southern kingdom remained, at least for a time, showing that God preserved a remnant of His people in the face of widespread rebellion.
When 2 Kings 17:18 declares that the LORD was “very angry with Israel,” it underscores how seriously God takes His covenant relationship with His people. The northern kingdom had pursued foreign deities, practiced child sacrifice, and sacrificed their loyalty by turning to pagan nations for help rather than trusting in the LORD’s provision (2 Kings 17:7-17). Their repeated violations compelled the LORD, as covenant Suzerain, to enact the disciplinary measures He had already outlined through Moses. Although He patiently sent warnings, His justice and faithfulness to His own word required these consequences to fall upon Israel when they refused to repent.
God’s removal of Israel from the land testifies both to His righteousness in judging sin and to His mercy in preserving a piece of the kingdom—none was left except the tribe of Judah. The tribe of Judah, dwelling in the south, would later experience its own exile to Babylon when it too broke the covenant, but God’s commitment to fulfill His promises never wavered. Through this tribe, God would ultimately bring forth the Messiah, the One who embodies the hope of restoration and the way out of spiritual exile for all who place their trust in Him (Isaiah 11:1; Matthew 1:1).
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2 Kings 17:18 meaning
So the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them from His sight; none was left except the tribe of Judah. (2 Kings 17:18)
This verse occurs following the persistent rebellion of the northern kingdom of Israel, which repeatedly violated the covenant they had agreed to keep under Moses and turned to idolatry instead. Over centuries, God sent prophets to urge His people to return to Him, but they refused. Their final refusal led to their downfall at the hands of Assyria around 722 B.C., fulfilling the warnings that disobedience to the covenant would bring exile. The expression removed them from His sight paints a stark picture of the people’s separation from the LORD, who had brought them out of Egypt and established them in the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 28:64). None was left except the tribe of Judah indicates that only the southern kingdom remained, at least for a time, showing that God preserved a remnant of His people in the face of widespread rebellion.
When 2 Kings 17:18 declares that the LORD was “very angry with Israel,” it underscores how seriously God takes His covenant relationship with His people. The northern kingdom had pursued foreign deities, practiced child sacrifice, and sacrificed their loyalty by turning to pagan nations for help rather than trusting in the LORD’s provision (2 Kings 17:7-17). Their repeated violations compelled the LORD, as covenant Suzerain, to enact the disciplinary measures He had already outlined through Moses. Although He patiently sent warnings, His justice and faithfulness to His own word required these consequences to fall upon Israel when they refused to repent.
God’s removal of Israel from the land testifies both to His righteousness in judging sin and to His mercy in preserving a piece of the kingdom—none was left except the tribe of Judah. The tribe of Judah, dwelling in the south, would later experience its own exile to Babylon when it too broke the covenant, but God’s commitment to fulfill His promises never wavered. Through this tribe, God would ultimately bring forth the Messiah, the One who embodies the hope of restoration and the way out of spiritual exile for all who place their trust in Him (Isaiah 11:1; Matthew 1:1).