2 Kings 17:16

And they left[R.V. forsook] all the commandments The R.V. adopts the most usual rendering of the verb, which is stronger in such a combination than -left". It is noteworthy that the sin of the calves is connected with the casting away of all the divine law. As soon as any other object is set up instead of God, all that He values has perished from man's worship.

a grove R.V. an Asherah. See above on verse 10.

and worshipped all the host of heaven On the temptation to this worship of the heavenly bodies, and its prohibition, cf. Deuteronomy 4:19; Deuteronomy 17:3. See also what is said of Hezekiah's and Josiah's reformations. That God's people did fall into this sin we know from Jeremiah 8:2; Jeremiah 19:13; Zephaniah 1:5. Most likely it was introduced through the communications of Ahaz with Assyria.