Literally, the words are as follows: “And the children of Israel concealed (or dissembled) words that were not right concerning the LORD their God.…

Did secretly. —The literal sense is covered. In this connection it is natural to remember that Heb. verbs of covering…

And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were
not right against the Lord their God

Although the destruction of the kingdom of the ten tribes was only briefly related, in these verses it is largely commented upon, and its reasons g…