2 Kings 17:31and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burnt their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.
The setting
Samaria, 722 BC. After Assyrian conquest, foreign settlers bring their gods to the land. Modern-day northern Israel/Palestine. Children's screams fill the air as parents sacrifice them to stone idols.
The emotion here: horrified at recording such evil
The original word
saraph (שָׂרַף) — to burn completely, consuming fire that leaves nothing
Why it matters
Adrammelech was a solar deity requiring the most precious sacrifice — firstborn children
Read with care
What most readers miss in 2 Kings 17:31
This wasn't ancient history to the original readers — it was their neighbors doing this
Common misconceptionPeople think this is just ancient barbarism, but child sacrifice through abortion, neglect, and abuse continues today in different forms.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 2 Kings 17:31
Bible Genome reading
2 Kings 17:31 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
2 Kings 17:31 comes from the book of 2 Kings, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include child sacrifice, extreme evil, moral abomination. Notable phrases: burnt their children in the fire.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does 2 Kings 17:31 mean to you, today?
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