2 Kings 17:24-41
Read 2 Kings 17 in full →Exiled Men in the Cities of Samaria
24aAnd the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon and from Cuthah and from 1,bAvva and from cHamath and Sepharvaim, and settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the sons of Israel. So they possessed Samaria and lived in its cities. 25Now it happened at the beginning of their settlement there, that they adid not fear Yahweh; therefore Yahweh sent lions among them which were killing them. 26So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The nations whom you have taken away into exile and settled in the cities of Samaria do not know the custom of the god of the land; so he has sent lions among them, and behold, they are putting them to death because they do not know the custom of the god of the land.”
27Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, “Take there one of the priests whom you took away into 1exile and let 2him go and live there; and let him instruct them the custom of the god of the land.” 28So one of the priests whom they had taken away into exile from Samaria came and settled at Bethel, and instructed them how they should fear Yahweh.
29But each nation was still making gods of its own and put them ain the houses of the high places which the people of Samaria had made, each nation in their cities in which they lived. 30aAnd the men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and athe Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to bAdrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of the cSepharvaim. 32aThey were also fearing Yahweh and 1,bappointed from among all of themselves priests of the high places, and they were acting for them in the houses of the high places. 33They were fearing Yahweh and serving their own gods according to the custom of the nations from among whom they had been taken away into exile.
34To this day they are acting according to the earlier customs: they are not fearing Yahweh; they are not acting according to their statutes or their judgments or the law, or the commandment which Yahweh commanded the sons of Jacob, awhom He named Israel; 35with whom Yahweh cut a covenant and commanded them, saying, “aYou shall not fear other gods, nor bworship them nor cserve them nor sacrifice to them. 36“But Yahweh, awho brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and with ban outstretched arm, cHim you shall fear, and to Him you shall worship, and to Him you shall sacrifice. 37“And the statutes and the judgments and the law and the commandment which He wrote for you, ayou shall be careful to do forever; and you shall not fear other gods. 38“And the covenant that I have cut with you, ayou shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. 39“But Yahweh your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.” 40However, they did not listen, but they were acting according to their earlier custom. 41aSo while these nations were fearing Yahweh, they also were serving their graven images; their children likewise and their grandchildren, as their fathers acted, so they are acting this way to this day.