Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God.
But they refused to listen and became stubborn, just like their ancestors who didn't trust in the Lord their God.
The writer is saying that despite God's warnings, the Israelites stubbornly rejected Him just as their ancestors had done before them.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative of 2 Kings 17, this verse is part of a historical account describing the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel to the Assyrian empire around 722 BC, due to the people's ongoing idolatry and disobedience to God's laws. The phrase "hardened their necks" refers to a common biblical metaphor for stubborn resistance, similar to how their ancestors in the Exodus era refused to heed God's commands despite His deliverance. This highlights a pattern of rebellion that led to national exile and serves as a warning in the broader historical context of Israel's covenant unfaithfulness.
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