“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.”
My Notes
What Does 2 Kings 17:14 Mean?
This verse appears in the narrator's theological summary of why the northern kingdom fell. After listing all the ways God had reached out to Israel—sending prophets, giving warnings, demonstrating patience—the writer delivers this damning assessment: "they would not hear, but hardened their necks." The image of a hardened neck comes from oxen that stiffen their necks to resist the yoke, refusing to be guided.
The comparison to "their fathers" extends the indictment across generations. This wasn't one generation's failure—it was an inherited pattern of resistance. Each generation watched the previous one refuse God and chose to do the same. The cycle didn't break because no generation was willing to be the one that turned.
The final phrase—"that did not believe in the LORD their God"—cuts to the root issue. The problem wasn't primarily behavioral. It wasn't that they couldn't follow the rules. It was that they didn't believe. Their disobedience grew from unbelief, and their unbelief was a choice—"they would not hear." Not "they could not." Would not. Scripture places the responsibility squarely on their willful refusal to trust the God who had proven Himself faithful over and over again.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Is there something God has been saying to you that you've been resisting? What does your 'hardened neck' look like in practice?
- 2.What patterns of spiritual resistance have you observed in your family or upbringing? Have you continued them or broken them?
- 3.What's the difference between genuine wrestling with God and simply refusing to hear Him?
- 4.If stubbornness is inherited through observation, what are the people watching your life learning about how to respond to God?
Devotional
"They would not hear." Four words that summarize an entire nation's downfall. Not that the message wasn't clear. Not that they didn't have access to truth. Not that God was silent or distant. They simply refused to listen.
The image of a hardened neck is visceral—picture an animal planting its feet and stiffening every muscle against being led. You know this feeling from the inside, even if you'd never describe it that way. It's the moment you sense God's conviction about something and your whole being tightens in resistance. The inner "I know, but I don't want to." The conversation with a friend where you nod along while internally dismissing everything they say.
What makes this verse especially sobering is the generational dimension: "like to the neck of their fathers." Stubbornness can be inherited—not genetically, but through observation. When children watch their parents resist God's correction, dismiss spiritual authority, or harden against truth, they learn that this is normal. The patterns you refuse to break don't just affect you. They shape the people watching you.
But here's the grace hidden in this grim verse: the fact that Scripture describes this as a choice—"would not"—means the opposite choice was always available. You can hear. You can soften. You can be the generation that breaks the pattern. It starts with the terrifyingly simple decision to stop resisting and actually listen to what God has been saying.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Notwithstanding, they would not hear,.... Their instructions, advice, and admonitions, and obey them:
but hardened…
To “harden” or “stiffen the neck” is a common Hebrew expression significative of unbending obstinacy and determined…
Though the destruction of the kingdom of the ten tribes was but briefly related, it is in these verses largely commented…
hardened their necks R.V. neck. The original has the singular, the people being regarded as one body. Israel throughout…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture