2 Kings 17:41

How could the nations fear the true God and serve false gods?

PROBLEM: This text says plainly that “these nations feared the Lord” (cf. v. 32). Yet this same passage claims that they “served their own gods” (v. 33). Isn’t this a flat contradiction?

SOLUTION: Not all verbal contradictions are actual contradictions (see comments on Psalms 53:5). This is a good example of using the same word (“fear”) in different senses (see also comments on 1 John 4:18). The contrasting senses in which they feared God is revealed in verse 41 : “So these nations feared the Lord, yet served their carved images.” In other words, they feared God ingeneral, but not on this pa rticular matter. They did not cease being monotheists, but they were idolatrous ones.