2 Kings 17:21-41 ▼

21 for He has torn Israel from the house of David, and they make Jeroboam son of Nebat king, and Jeroboam drives Israel from after YHWH, and has caused them to sin a great sin,

22 and the sons of Israel walk in all the sins of Jeroboam that he did, they have not turned aside from them,

23 until YHWH has turned Israel aside from His presence, as He spoke by the hand of all His servants the prophets, and Israel is removed from off its land to Asshur, to this day.

24 And the king of Asshur brings in [people] from Babylon and from Cutha, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and causes [them] to dwell in the cities of Samaria instead of the sons of Israel, and they possess Samaria, and dwell in its cities;

25 and it comes to pass, at the commencement of their dwelling there, they have not feared YHWH, and YHWH sends the lions among them, and they are destroying among them.

26 And they speak to the king of Asshur, saying, “The nations that you have removed and place in the cities of Samaria have not known the custom of the God of the land, and He sends the lions among them, and behold, they are destroying them, as they do not know the custom of the God of the land.”

27 And the king of Asshur commands, saying, “Cause one of the priests to go there whom you removed from there, and they go and dwell there, and he teaches them the custom of the God of the land.”

28 And one of the priests whom they removed from Samaria comes in, and dwells in Beth-El, and he is teaching them how they fear YHWH,

29 and each nation is making its gods, and they place [them] in the houses of the high places that the Samaritans have made—each nation in their cities where they are dwelling.

30 And the men of Babylon have made Succoth-Benoth, and the men of Cuth have made Nergal, and the men of Hamath have made Ashima,

31 and the Avites have made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites are burning their sons with fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, gods of Sepharvim.

32 And they are fearing YHWH, and make for themselves from their extremities priests of high places, and they are working for them in the house of the high places.

33 They are fearing YHWH, and they are serving their gods, according to the custom of the nations from where they removed them.

34 To this day they are doing according to the former customs—they are not fearing YHWH, and are not doing according to their statutes, and according to their ordinances, and according to the Law, and according to the command, that YHWH commanded the sons of Jacob whose name He made Israel,

35 and YHWH makes a covenant with them and charges them, saying, “You do not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them,

36 but YHWH who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with an outstretched arm, Him you fear, and to Him you bow yourselves, and to Him you sacrifice;

37 and the statutes, and the judgments, and the Law, and the command, that He wrote for you, you observe to do all the days, and you do not fear other gods;

38 and you do not forget the covenant that I have made with you, and you do not fear other gods;

39 but you fear your God YHWH, and He delivers you out of the hand of all your enemies”;

40 and they have not listened, but they are doing according to their former custom,

41 and these nations are fearing YHWH, and they have served their carved images, both their sons and their sons’ sons; as their fathers did, they are doing to this day.