2 Kings 17

1 In the twelfth year of the reign of Ahaz over Judah, Hoshea son of Elah became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria nine years.

2 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not like the kings of Israel who preceded him.

3 Shalmaneser king of Assyria attacked him, and Hoshea became his vassal and paid him tribute.

4 But the king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea had conspired to send envoys to King So of Egypt, and that he had not paid tribute to the king of Assyria as in previous years. Therefore the king of Assyria arrested Hoshea and put him in prison.

5 Then the king of Assyria invaded the whole land, marched up to Samaria, and besieged it for three years.

6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and carried away the Israelites to Assyria, where he settled them in Halah, in Gozan by the Habor River, and in the cities of the Medes.

7 All this happened because the people of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They had worshiped other gods

8 and walked in the customs of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites, as well as in the practices introduced by the kings of Israel.

9 The Israelites secretly did things against the LORD their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city, they built high places in all their cities.

10 They set up for themselves sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.

11 They burned incense on all the high places like the nations that the LORD had driven out before them. They did wicked things, provoking the LORD to anger.

12 They served idols, although the LORD had told them, “You shall not do this thing.”

13 Yet through all His prophets and seers, the LORD warned Israel and Judah, saying, “Turn from your wicked ways and keep My commandments and statutes, according to the entire Law that I commanded your fathers and delivered to you through My servants the prophets.”

14 But they would not listen, and they stiffened their necks like their fathers, who did not believe the LORD their God.

15 They rejected His statutes and the covenant He had made with their fathers, as well as the decrees He had given them. They pursued worthless idols and became worthless themselves, going after the surrounding nations that the LORD had commanded them not to imitate.

16 They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves two cast idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the host of heaven and served Baal.

17 They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire and practiced divination and soothsaying. They devoted themselves to doing evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.

18 So the LORD was very angry with Israel, and He removed them from His presence. Only the tribe of Judah remained,

19 and even Judah did not keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but lived according to the customs Israel had introduced.

20 So the LORD rejected all the descendants of Israel. He afflicted them and delivered them into the hands of plunderers, until He had banished them from His presence.

21 When the LORD had torn Israel away from the house of David, they made Jeroboam son of Nebat king, and Jeroboam led Israel away from following the LORD and caused them to commit a great sin.

22 The Israelites persisted in all the sins that Jeroboam had committed and did not turn away from them.

23 Finally, the LORD removed Israel from His presence, as He had declared through all His servants the prophets. So Israel was exiled from their homeland into Assyria, where they are to this day.

24 Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its towns.

25 Now when the settlers first lived there, they did not worship the LORD, so He sent lions among them, which killed some of them.

26 So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The peoples that you have removed and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the requirements of the God of the land. Because of this, He has sent lions among them, which are indeed killing them off.”

27 Then the king of Assyria commanded: “Send back one of the priests you carried off from Samaria, and have him go back to live there and teach the requirements of the God of the land.”

28 Thus one of the priests they had carried away came and lived in Bethel, and he began to teach them how they should worship the LORD.

29 Nevertheless, the people of each nation continued to make their own gods in the cities where they had settled, and they set them up in the shrines that the people of Samaria had made on the high places.

30 The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima,

31 the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech the gods of Sepharvaim.

32 So the new residents worshiped the LORD, but they also appointed for themselves priests of all sorts to serve in the shrines of the high places.

33 They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods according to the customs of the nations from which they had been carried away.

34 To this day they are still practicing their former customs. None of them worship the LORD or observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom He named Israel.

35 For the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites and commanded them, “Do not worship other gods or bow down to them; do not serve them or sacrifice to them.

36 Instead, worship the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm. You are to bow down to Him and offer sacrifices to Him.

37 And you must always be careful to observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments He wrote for you. Do not worship other gods.

38 Do not forget the covenant I have made with you. Do not worship other gods,

39 but worship the LORD your God, and He will deliver you from the hands of all your enemies.”

40 But they would not listen, and they persisted in their former customs.

41 So these nations worshiped the LORD but also served their idols, and to this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their fathers did.

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.

1 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hosea the son of Elah, nine years old, reigned over Israel in Samaria.

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 And against him went up Salma the Nasser, king of Assyria. And Hosea was subject unto him, that he gave him gifts.

4 And when the king of Assyria perceived that Hosea had made a covenant, and had sent messengers unto So king of Egypt, and had not presented gifts unto the king of Assyria every year, he besieged him, and put him in prison.

5 And the king of Assyria went throughout all the country, and unto Samaria, and besieged them three years.

6 And in the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and led Israel away to Assyria, and placed them in Halah, and in Habor, by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

7 For when the children of Israel sinned against the LORD their God, (who brought them up out of the land of Egypt, out of the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt,) and feared other gods

8 And they walked after the manner of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel. And they walked after the manner of the kings of Israel, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel;

9 And the children of Israel adorned their things against the LORD their God, which were not good: namely, they built them high places in every city, both in castles, and in strong cities,

10 And they set up pillars and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree;

11 And there they burned incense in every high place, as did the heathen whom the LORD had driven away before them, and did wickedly, that they might provoke the LORD to anger;

12 And they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them: Ye shall not do these things;

13 And when the LORD had testified in Israel and Judah by all the prophets and by all the showers, saying, Turn ye from your wicked ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent unto you by my servants the prophets:

14 So they hearkened not, but hardened their necks, as the necks of their fathers, which believed not on the LORD their God;

15 And they despised his commandments, and his covenant which he had made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he had done among them; but walked after their own vanity, and became vain after the heathen that dwelt about them, of whom the LORD commanded them that they should not do like them;

16 But they forsook all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them two cast calves, and groves; and worshipped all the hosts of heaven, and served Baal;

17 And they made their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and went about with divination and sorcery, and committed themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger;

18 And the LORD was very wroth with Israel, and removed them out of his sight; and there remained none but the tribe of Judah only.

19 Neither did Judah keep the commandments of the LORD their God, and walk after the manner of Israel, which they had done.

20 Therefore the LORD rejected all the seed of Israel, and pressed them, and delivered them into the hand of the spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight.

21 For Israel was cut off from the house of David, and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. And he turned Israel backward from the LORD, and made them to sin grievously.

22 So the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam, which he had committed, and departed not from them,

23 Till the LORD had removed Israel out of his sight, as he spake by all his servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away out of his land into Assyria unto this day.

24 And the king of Assyria sent from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hemath, and from Sepharvaim, and possessed the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel. And they took Samaria, and dwelt in the same. Cities.

25 And when they began to dwell there, and feared not the LORD, the LORD sent lions among them, and slew them.

26 And they said unto the king of Assyria, The heathen whom thou hast brought, and filled the cities of Samaria with them, know not the way of God in the land: therefore he hath sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the way of God in the land.

27 And the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Bring thither one of the priests that are carried away from thence, and go and dwell there; and he shall teach them the manner of God in the land.

28 And there came one of the priests which were carried away from Samaria, and sat in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD.

29 But every people made his god, and put them in the houses which the Samaritans made in the high places, every people in their cities where they dwelt.

30 They of Babylon made Sukhoth-benoth. Those of Chuth made Nergel. Those of Hemath made Asima.

31 Those of Ava made Nibehas and Tharthak. Those of Sepharvaim burned their sons to the. Adramelech and Anamelech, the gods of those of Sepharvaim.

32 And because they also feared the LORD, they made them priests in the high places out of the lowest of them, and put them in the houses in the high places.

33 So they feared the LORD, and served the gods after the manner of every people whence they were brought.

34 And unto this day they do after the manner of old, not fearing the LORD, nor doing their statutes and their judgments, according to the law and the commandment, which the LORD commanded the children of Jacob, whom he called Israel,

35 And he made a covenant with them, and commanded them, saying, Fear no other gods, neither worship them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice unto them,

36 But the LORD, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm, him fear, and him worship, and sacrifice unto him;

37 And the statutes, and the judgments, and the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments, which he hath commanded you to observe, that ye do them always, and fear not other gods;

38 and of the covenant which he hath made with you, forget not that ye fear not other gods,

39 But fear the LORD your God, which shall deliver you from all your enemies.

40 But these obeyed not, but did after their former manner.

41 So these nations feared the LORD, and served their idols also. So did their children, and their children's children, as their fathers did, unto this day.