2 KINGS 17:9 — KING JAMES VERSION 0 0
“And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the Lord their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.”
The people of Israel secretly did things that were not right against the LORD their God. They built for themselves high places in all their towns, from watchtower to fortified city — Israel's apostasy was pervasive and institutionalized: high places (בָּמוֹת, *bamot*) existed in every settlement "from watchtower to fortified city," encompassing both small rural shrines and major urban centers. The phrase "secretly did things that were not right" (וַיִּבְנוּ לָהֶם בָּמוֹת, *way-yivnu lahem bamot*) suggests deliberate concealment or implicit understanding that these practices violated the covenant. The comprehensive nature of the high places—in all towns—indicates systematic institutional apostasy, not occasional lapses.
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