the Avvites made Nibhaz and TartakThe Avvites were one of the groups resettled in Samaria by the Assyrians after the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Nibhaz and Tartak are deities associated with this group. Little is known about these gods, but their mention highlights the syncretism and idolatry that characterized the region after the Assyrian conquest. This reflects the broader biblical theme of the dangers of idolatry, as seen in the First Commandment (
Exodus 20:3).
and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech
The Sepharvites were another group brought to Samaria. The practice of child sacrifice, particularly by fire, was a grievous sin in the eyes of the God of Israel, explicitly condemned inLeviticus 18:21 andDeuteronomy 12:31. Adrammelech and Anammelech were gods of Sepharvaim, and their worship through such horrific means underscores the moral and spiritual decline that occurred when foreign practices infiltrated Israelite society. This act is reminiscent of the abominations committed by the Canaanites, which led to their judgment (Deuteronomy 9:4-5).
the gods of Sepharvaim
Sepharvaim was a city in Mesopotamia, and its gods were brought to Samaria by the exiled people. The introduction of these deities into Israelite territory represents the Assyrian policy of cultural assimilation and religious pluralism, which was intended to weaken national identities and prevent rebellion. This historical context illustrates the challenges faced by the Israelites in maintaining their covenantal identity amidst foreign influences. The presence of these gods in Israel is a stark contrast to the monotheistic worship of Yahweh, as emphasized throughout the Old Testament, particularly in the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-5).
Persons / Places / Events
1.
AvvitesA people group mentioned in the context of the Assyrian resettlement of Samaria. They brought their own gods, Nibhaz and Tartak, into the land.
2.
SepharvitesAnother group resettled in Samaria by the Assyrians. They practiced child sacrifice to their gods, Adrammelech and Anammelech.
3.
Nibhaz and TartakDeities worshiped by the Avvites. Little is known about these gods, but their mention indicates the syncretism and idolatry prevalent in Samaria.
4.
Adrammelech and AnammelechGods of the Sepharvites, associated with the horrific practice of child sacrifice, highlighting the depth of pagan worship.
5.
SamariaThe region where these foreign peoples were resettled, leading to a mixture of religious practices contrary to the worship of Yahweh.
Teaching Points
The Danger of SyncretismMixing true worship with pagan practices leads to spiritual corruption. Believers must guard against incorporating worldly or unbiblical elements into their faith.
The Sanctity of LifeThe practice of child sacrifice underscores the value God places on human life. Christians are called to uphold the sanctity of life in all its forms.
Faithfulness to God's CommandsThe Israelites' downfall was due to their disobedience and idolatry. Believers today must remain faithful to God's Word and avoid the temptations of cultural conformity.
The Consequences of IdolatryIdolatry leads to moral decay and divine judgment. Christians must identify and remove any idols in their lives, whether they be material, relational, or ideological.
God's Call to HolinessGod desires His people to be set apart and holy. This requires a commitment to living according to His standards and rejecting the sinful practices of the world.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of 2 Kings 17:31?
2.How does 2 Kings 17:31 illustrate the consequences of idolatry for Israel?
3.What can we learn about God's response to disobedience from 2 Kings 17:31?
4.How does 2 Kings 17:31 connect with the First Commandment in Exodus 20:3?
5.How can we guard against modern forms of idolatry in our lives today?
6.What steps can we take to ensure our worship aligns with biblical teachings?
7.Why did the Sepharvites sacrifice their children to Adrammelech and Anammelech in 2 Kings 17:31?
8.How does 2 Kings 17:31 reflect the consequences of idolatry in ancient Israel?
9.What historical evidence supports the events described in 2 Kings 17:31?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from 2 Kings 17?
11.Does Ezekiel 17:12-15's account of Zedekiah's rebellion against Babylon conflict with the historical timeline recorded in 2 Kings 24-25?
12.In 2 Chronicles 30:6, how could King Hezekiah send invitations throughout the northern kingdom if they had already been exiled according to 2 Kings 17?
13.Hosea 8:8: How do we reconcile Israel being 'swallowed up' by other nations with promises of their continued distinct identity?
14.2 Kings 17:24-29 - Does the portrayal of each nation setting up its own gods align with known cultural assimilation patterns or does it conflict with archaeological findings?What Does 2 Kings 17:31 Mean
The Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak“...the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak...” (2 Kings 17:31a)
• Avvites were one of the peoples the king of Assyria resettled in Israel after the northern tribes were exiled (2 Kings 17:24).
• Rather than seek the LORD, they formed or brought with them two idols—Nibhaz and Tartak—continuing the same kind of idolatry God had repeatedly warned His people to avoid (Exodus 20:3-5;Deuteronomy 12:29-31).
• This reveals how quickly foreign worship can infiltrate when God’s Word is ignored, echoing the earlier pattern inJudges 2:11-13.
• The narrative underscores that any worship created by human imagination rather than divine revelation is false, powerless, and offensive to God (Jeremiah 10:3-5;Psalm 115:4-8).
The Sepharvites burned their children in the fire“...and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire...” (2 Kings 17:31b)
• Sepharvites, another group transplanted into Samaria, practiced child sacrifice, the darkest form of pagan devotion (Leviticus 18:21;Deuteronomy 12:31).
• Such sacrifice was one reason God drove out Canaan’s original inhabitants (Leviticus 18:24-25). Now that same wickedness re-enters the land through imported settlers.
• Scripture states this practice “never entered” God’s mind as an acceptable act (Jeremiah 7:31), highlighting the vast moral gulf between the LORD and pagan deities.
• The intensity of this evil explains the seriousness of God’s judgment on all forms of idolatry (2 Kings 17:18;Romans 1:24-32).
To Adrammelech and Anammelech“...to Adrammelech and Anammelech...” (2 Kings 17:31c)
• These two idols were the specific recipients of the Sepharvites’ sacrifices. Like Molech in other regions (2 Kings 23:10), they demanded the ultimate price—children.
• Idols are often presented as benign cultural artifacts, yet Scripture reveals a demonic reality behind them (1 Corinthians 10:19-20;Deuteronomy 32:17).
• This detail reminds us that false gods may have different names, but their nature is uniformly destructive (John 10:10a).
The gods of Sepharvaim“...the gods of Sepharvaim.” (2 Kings 17:31d)
• The plural “gods” highlights the polytheism of the Sepharvites, the exact opposite of Israel’s confession: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4).
• By recording the specific practices of each group (2 Kings 17:30-31), Scripture contrasts the empty multiplicity of idols with the singular sovereignty of the LORD (Isaiah 45:5-7).
• God’s response later in the chapter—sending lions and a priest to teach “the manner of the God of the land” (2 Kings 17:25-28)—shows His desire for exclusive worship even among foreigners.
summary2 Kings 17:31 exposes the depravity of imported idolatry in Samaria: the Avvites fashioned powerless idols (Nibhaz, Tartak), while the Sepharvites practiced child sacrifice to Adrammelech and Anammelech, “gods of Sepharvaim.” The verse underscores the lethal fruit of turning from the one true God, contrasts human-invented religion with divine revelation, and warns believers against any compromise. True worship belongs to the LORD alone, whose commandments bring life and whose holiness tolerates no rival.
(31)
Nibhaz and
Tartak are unknown, but the forms have an Assyrio-Babylonian cast. (Comp. Nimrod, Nergal with the former, and Ishtar, Namtar, Merodach, Shadrach, with the latter.) Before Nibhaz the LXX. have another name,
Abaazar, or
Eblazer (?
'abal Ass-r "the Son of Assur").
Adrammelech.--Comp.2Kings 19:37. Identified by Schrader with the AssyrianAdar-malik,"Adar is prince" (?Adrum).
Anammelech--i.e., Anum-malik, "Anu is prince." Adar and Anu are well-known Assyrian gods.
Verse 31. -
And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak. "Nibhaz" and "Tartak" are very obscure. The Sabians are said to have acknowledged an evil demon, whom they called Nib'az or Nabaz (Norberg, 'Onomastieen,' p. 100); and Tartak has been derived by Gesenius from the Pehlevi
Tar-thak, "hero of darkness;" but these guesses cannot be regarded as entitled to much attention. We do not know what the religion of the Avites was, and need not be surprised that the names of their gods are new to us. The polytheism of the East was prolific of deities, and still more of divine names. Nibhaz and Tartak may have been purely local gods, or they may have been local names for gods worshipped under other appellations in the general pantheon of Babylonia.
And the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. The god principally worshipped at Sippara was Shamas, "the sun." It is probable that "Adrammelech" (equivalent to
adir-melek, "the glorious king," or
edir-malek, "the arranging king") was one of his titles. Shamas, in the Babylonian mythology, was always closely connected with Anunit, a sun-goddess; and it is probably this name which is represented by Anammelech, which we may regard as an intentional corruption, derisive and contemptuous.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
the Avvitesוְהָעַוִּ֛ים(wə·hā·‘aw·wîm)Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 5757:Avvites -- inhabitants of Avvamadeעָשׂ֥וּ(‘ā·śū)Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6213:To do, makeNibhazנִבְחַ֖ז(niḇ·ḥaz)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5026:A god of the Avvitesand Tartak,תַּרְתָּ֑ק(tar·tāq)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8662:A god of the Avvitesand the Sepharvitesוְהַסְפַרְוִ֗ים(wə·has·p̄ar·wîm)Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 5616:Sepharvites -- a Sepharviteburnedשֹׂרְפִ֤ים(śō·rə·p̄îm)Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 8313:To be, on firetheir childrenבְּנֵיהֶם֙(bə·nê·hem)Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 1121:A sonin the fireבָּאֵ֔שׁ(bā·’êš)Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 784:A fireto Adrammelechלְאַדְרַמֶּ֥לֶךְ(lə·’aḏ·ram·me·leḵ)Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 152:Adrammelech -- 'Adar is prince', an Assyrian idol, also a son of Sennacheriband Anammelechוַֽעֲנַמֶּ֖לֶךְ(wa·‘ă·nam·me·leḵ)Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6048:Anammelech -- an Assyrian godthe godsאֱלֹהֵ֥י(’ĕ·lō·hê)Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 433:God -- a deity, the Deityof Sepharvaim.סְפַרְוָֽיִם׃(sə·p̄ar·wā·yim)Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 5617:Sepharvaim -- a city conquered by the king of Assyr
Links
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OT History: 2 Kings 17:31 And the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg) 
