“1 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of
Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years. 2 And he did [that
which was] evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as the kings of Israel
that were before him. 3 Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria;
and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents. 4 And the king of
Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent messengers to So
king of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of Assyria, as [he had
done] year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound
him in prison. 5 Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the
land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years. 6 In the
ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried
Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor [by] the
river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.”
“7 For [so] it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the
LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from
under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods, 8
And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from
before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they
had made. 9 And the children of Israel did secretly [those] things that
[were] not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high
places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced
city. 10 And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and
under every green tree: 11 And there they burnt incense in all the high
places, as [did] the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them; and
wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger: 12 For they served
idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.
13 Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the
prophets, [and by] all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways,
and keep my commandments [and] my statutes, according to all the law
which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants
the prophets. 14 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. 15 And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that
he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified
against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after
the heathen that [were] round about them, [concerning] whom the LORD had
charged them, that they should not do like them. 16 And they left all
the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images,
[even] two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of
heaven, and served Baal. 17 And they caused their sons and their
daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and
enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD,
to provoke him to anger. 18 Therefore the LORD was very angry with
Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the
tribe of Judah only. 19 Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD
their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made. 20 And
the LORD rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and
delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of
his sight. 21 For he rent Israel from the house of David; and they made
Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drave Israel from following
the LORD, and made them sin a great sin. 22 For the children of Israel
walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from
them; 23 Until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said
by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of
their own land to Assyria unto this day.”
“24 And the king of Assyria brought [men] from Babylon, and from
Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed
[them] in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and
they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof. 25 And [so] it
was at the beginning of their dwelling there, [that] they feared not the
LORD: therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which slew [some] of
them. 26 Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, saying, The
nations which thou hast removed, and placed in the cities of Samaria,
know not the manner of the God of the land: therefore he hath sent lions
among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the
manner of the God of the land. 27 Then the king of Assyria commanded,
saying, Carry thither one of the priests whom ye brought from thence;
and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the manner of
the God of the land. 28 Then one of the priests whom they had carried
away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they
should fear the LORD. 29 Howbeit every nation made gods of their own,
and put [them] in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had
made, every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt. 30 And the men of
Babylon made Succothbenoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men
of Hamath made Ashima, 31 And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the
Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech,
the gods of Sepharvaim. 32 So they feared the LORD, and made unto
themselves of the lowest of them priests of the high places, which
sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places. 33 They feared the
LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom
they carried away from thence. 34 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; 35 With whom
the LORD had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not
fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor
sacrifice to them: 36 But the LORD, who brought you up out of the land
of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm, him shall ye fear,
and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice. 37 And the
statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the commandment, which he
wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not
fear other gods. 38 And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall
not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods. 39 But the LORD your God
ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your
enemies. 40 Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their
former manner. 41 So these nations feared the LORD, and served their
graven images, both their children, and their children’s children: as
did their fathers, so do they unto this day.” (2 Kings 17:1-41 AV)
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