Unto this day they do after the former manners: they fear not the LORD, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the LORD commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel;
Ver. 34. They fear not the Lord.] Rightly they feared him not, because neither truly nor totally: their religion was a galimaufrey, a mixture of true and false, which is as good as none; for God will not part stakes with the devil at any hand. Such a religion is a mere irreligion, because contrary, (1.) To God's law, which rejecteth heathen rites; 2 Kings 17:34 ; 2 Kings 17:36,37 ; 2Ki 17:39-40 (2.) To God's covenant, which heathens have nothing to do with. 2 Kings 17:33 ; 2Ki 17:38 The mongrel religion of the Samaritans was afterwards refined by Manasseh, a Jewish priest, that in Alexander's time made a defection to them, and brought many Jews with him.