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以色列王何细亚

17 犹大亚哈斯第十二年,以拉的儿子何细亚撒玛利亚登基作以色列王九年。 他行耶和华眼中看为恶的事,只是不像在他以前的以色列诸王。 亚述撒缦以色上来攻击何细亚何细亚就服事他,向他进贡。 何细亚背叛,派使者到埃及那里[a],不照往年所行的向亚述王进贡。亚述王知道了,就逮捕他,把他囚在监里。 亚述王上来攻击以色列全地,上到撒玛利亚,围困这城三年。 何细亚第九年,亚述王攻取了撒玛利亚,把以色列人掳到亚述,安置在哈腊歌散哈博河边,以及玛代人的城镇。

这是因为以色列人得罪了那领他们出埃及地、脱离埃及王法老之手的耶和华—他们的 神,去敬畏别神, 随从耶和华在以色列人面前所赶出外邦人的风俗和以色列诸王所立的规条。 以色列人暗中行不正的事,违背耶和华—他们的 神,在他们所有的城镇,从瞭望楼直到坚固城,建筑丘坛; 10 在各高冈上、各青翠树下立柱像和亚舍拉 11 在各丘坛上烧香,效法耶和华在他们面前赶出的外邦人所行的,又行恶事,惹耶和华发怒。 12 他们事奉偶像,耶和华对他们说:“你们不可做这事。” 13 耶和华藉众先知、先见劝戒以色列犹大说:“当离开你们的恶行,谨守我的诫命律例,遵行我吩咐你们祖先、藉我仆人众先知所传给你们的一切律法。” 14 他们却不听从,竟硬着颈项,像他们祖先一样,不信服耶和华—他们的 神。 15 他们厌弃他的律例,和他与他们列祖所立的约,以及他劝戒他们的话,去随从虚无的神明[b],自己成为虚妄,效法周围的列国,就是耶和华嘱咐他们不可效法的。 16 他们离弃耶和华—他们 神的一切诫命,为自己铸造了两个牛犊的像,立了亚舍拉,敬拜天上的万象,事奉巴力 17 使他们的儿女经火,占卜,行法术,出卖自己,行耶和华眼中看为恶的事,惹他发怒。 18 所以耶和华向以色列大大发怒,从自己面前赶出他们,只剩下犹大一个支派。

19 但是,犹大也不遵守耶和华—他们 神的诫命,效法以色列所立的规条。 20 耶和华就厌弃以色列所有的后裔,使他们受苦,把他们交在抢夺他们的人手中,直到他把他们从自己面前赶出去。

21 当他使以色列大卫家分离出来的时候,他们立尼八的儿子耶罗波安作王。耶罗波安引诱以色列不随从耶和华,陷入大罪中。 22 以色列人行耶罗波安所犯的一切罪,总不离开, 23 以致耶和华把他们从自己面前赶出去,正如他藉他仆人众先知所说的。这样,以色列人从自己的土地被掳到亚述,直到今日。

亚述人定居于撒玛利亚

24 亚述王从巴比伦古他亚瓦哈马西法瓦音迁移人来,安置在撒玛利亚的城镇,代替以色列人;他们就占据了撒玛利亚,住在城中。 25 他们开始住在那里的时候,不敬畏耶和华,所以耶和华叫狮子进入他们中间,咬死了一些人。 26 有人对亚述王说:“你所迁移安置在撒玛利亚城镇的各国的人,他们不知道那地之 神的规矩,所以他叫狮子进入他们中间。看哪,狮子咬死了他们,因为他们不知道那地之 神的规矩。” 27 亚述王吩咐说:“当派一个从那里掳来的祭司回去,叫他住在那里,将那地之 神的规矩指导他们。” 28 于是有一个从撒玛利亚掳去的祭司回来,住在伯特利,教导他们怎样敬畏耶和华。

29 然而,各国的人在所住的城里为自己制造神像,安置在撒玛利亚人所建有丘坛的庙中。 30 巴比伦人造疏割‧比讷像;古他人造匿甲像;哈马人造亚示玛像; 31 亚瓦人造匿哈他珥他像;西法瓦音人用火焚烧儿女,献给西法瓦音的神明亚得米勒亚拿米勒 32 他们惧怕耶和华,却从他们中间立丘坛的祭司,在丘坛的庙中为他们献祭。 33 他们惧怕耶和华,但又事奉自己的神明,从何邦迁来,就随从那里的风俗, 34 直到如今仍照先前的风俗去行。

他们不敬畏耶和华,不遵守耶和华吩咐雅各后裔的律例、典章、律法、诫命;雅各就是从前耶和华起名叫以色列的。 35 耶和华曾与他们立约,吩咐他们说:“不可敬畏别神,不可跪拜事奉它们,也不可向它们献祭。 36 惟有那用大能和伸出来的膀臂领你们出埃及地的耶和华,你们当敬畏他,向他跪拜,向他献祭。 37 他给你们写的律例、典章、律法、诫命,你们应当永远谨守遵行。你们不可敬畏别神。 38 你们不可忘记我与你们所立的约,也不可敬畏别神。 39 只要敬畏耶和华—你们的 神,他必救你们脱离一切仇敌的手。” 40 他们却不听从,仍照先前的风俗去行。

41 这样,这些国家又惧怕耶和华,又事奉他们的偶像。他们子子孙孙也都照样行,效法他们的祖宗,直到今日。

Footnotes

  1. 17.4 “到埃及王梭那里”或译“到梭,埃及王那里”。
  2. 17.15 “虚无的神明”:原文是“虚无”。

Hoshea’s Reign over Israel

17 In the twelfth year of King Ahaz’s reign over Judah, Hoshea son of Elah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria for nine years. He did evil in the sight of[a] the Lord, but not to the same degree as the Israelite kings who preceded him. King Shalmaneser of Assyria marched up to attack[b] him; so Hoshea became his subject and paid him tribute. The king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea was planning a revolt.[c] Hoshea had sent messengers to King So[d] of Egypt and had not sent his annual tribute to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria arrested him and imprisoned him.[e] The king of Assyria marched through[f] the whole land. He attacked Samaria and besieged it for three years. In the ninth year of Hoshea’s reign, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the people of Israel[g] to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, along the Habor (the river of Gozan), and in the cities of the Medes.

A Summary of Israel’s Sinful History

This happened because the Israelites sinned against the Lord their God, who brought them up from the land of Egypt and freed them from the power of[h] Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped[i] other gods; they observed the practices[j] of the nations whom the Lord had driven out from before them,[k] and followed the example of the kings of Israel.[l] The Israelites said things about the Lord their God that were not right.[m] They built high places in all their towns, from watchtower to fortified city. 10 They set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. 11 They burned incense on all the high places just like the nations whom the Lord had driven away before them did. Their evil practices made the Lord angry.[n] 12 They worshiped[o] the disgusting idols[p] in blatant disregard of the Lord’s command.[q]

13 The Lord solemnly warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and all the seers, “Turn back from your evil ways; obey my commandments and rules that are recorded in the law. I ordered your ancestors to keep this law and sent my servants the prophets to remind you of its demands.”[r] 14 But they did not pay attention and were as stubborn as their ancestors,[s] who had not trusted the Lord their God. 15 They rejected his rules, the covenant he had made with their ancestors, and the laws he had commanded them to obey.[t] They paid allegiance to[u] worthless idols, and so became worthless to the Lord.[v] They copied the practices of the surrounding nations in blatant disregard of the Lord’s command.[w] 16 They abandoned all the commandments of the Lord their God; they made two metal calves and an Asherah pole, bowed down to all the stars in the sky,[x] and worshiped[y] Baal. 17 They passed their sons and daughters through the fire,[z] and practiced divination and omen reading. They committed themselves to doing evil in the sight of the Lord and made him angry.[aa]

18 So the Lord was furious[ab] with Israel and rejected them;[ac] only the tribe of Judah was left. 19 Judah also failed to keep the commandments of the Lord their God; they followed Israel’s example.[ad] 20 So the Lord rejected all of Israel’s descendants; he humiliated[ae] them and handed them over to robbers, until he had thrown them from his presence. 21 He tore Israel away from David’s dynasty, and Jeroboam son of Nebat became their king.[af] Jeroboam drove Israel away[ag] from the Lord and encouraged them to commit a serious sin.[ah] 22 The Israelites followed in the sinful ways of Jeroboam and did not repudiate[ai] them. 23 Finally[aj] the Lord rejected Israel[ak] just as he had warned he would do[al] through all his servants the prophets. Israel was deported from its land to Assyria and remains there to this very day.

The King of Assyria Populates Israel with Foreigners

24 The king of Assyria brought foreigners[am] from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the cities of Samaria[an] in place of the Israelites. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities. 25 When they first moved in,[ao] they did not worship[ap] the Lord. So the Lord sent lions among them and the lions were killing them. 26 The king of Assyria was told,[aq] “The nations whom you deported and settled in the cities of Samaria do not know the requirements of the God of the land, so he has sent lions among them. They are killing the people[ar] because they do not know the requirements of the God of the land.” 27 So the king of Assyria ordered, “Take back one of the priests whom you[as] deported from there. He must settle there and teach them the requirements of the God of the land.”[at] 28 So one of the priests whom they had deported from Samaria went back and settled in Bethel. He taught them how to worship[au] the Lord.

29 But each of these nations made[av] its own gods and put them in the shrines on the high places that the people of Samaria[aw] had made. Each nation did this in the cities where they lived. 30 The people from Babylon made Sukkoth Benoth,[ax] the people from Cuth made Nergal,[ay] the people from Hamath made Ashima,[az] 31 the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak,[ba] and the Sepharvites burned their sons in the fire as an offering to Adrammelech and Anammelech,[bb] the gods of Sepharvaim. 32 At the same time they worshiped[bc] the Lord. They appointed some of their own people to serve as priests in the shrines on the high places.[bd] 33 They were worshiping[be] the Lord and at the same time serving their own gods in accordance with the practices of the nations from which they had been deported.

34 To this very day they observe their earlier practices. They do not worship[bf] the Lord; they do not obey the rules, regulations, law, and commandments that the Lord gave[bg] the descendants of Jacob, whom he renamed Israel. 35 The Lord made a covenant with them[bh] and instructed them, “You must not worship other gods. Do not bow down to them, serve them, or offer sacrifices to them. 36 Instead you must worship the Lord, who brought you up from the land of Egypt by his great power and military ability;[bi] bow down to him and offer sacrifices to him. 37 You must carefully obey at all times the rules, regulations, law, and commandments he wrote down for you. You must not worship other gods. 38 You must never forget the covenant I made with you, and you must not worship other gods. 39 Instead you must worship the Lord your God; then he will rescue you from the power of all your enemies.” 40 But they[bj] paid no attention; instead they observed their earlier practices. 41 These nations were worshiping the Lord and at the same time serving their idols; their sons and grandsons are doing just as their fathers have done, to this very day.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 17:2 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
  2. 2 Kings 17:3 tn Heb “went up against.”
  3. 2 Kings 17:4 tn Heb “and the king of Assyria found in Hoshea conspiracy.”
  4. 2 Kings 17:4 sn For discussion of this name, see HALOT 744 s.v. סוֹא and M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 196.
  5. 2 Kings 17:4 tn Heb “and bound him in the house of confinement.”
  6. 2 Kings 17:5 tn Heb “went up against.”
  7. 2 Kings 17:6 tn The Hebrew text has simply “Israel” as the object of the verb.
  8. 2 Kings 17:7 tn Heb “and from under the hand of.” The words “freed them” for stylistic reasons replace the term “under.”
  9. 2 Kings 17:7 tn Heb “feared.”
  10. 2 Kings 17:8 tn Heb “walked in the customs.”
  11. 2 Kings 17:8 tn Heb “before the sons of Israel.”
  12. 2 Kings 17:8 tn Heb “and [the practices of] the kings of Israel which they did.”
  13. 2 Kings 17:9 tn The meaning of the verb וַיְחַפְּאוּ (vayekhappeʾu), translated here “said,” is uncertain. Some relate it to the verbal root חָפַה (khafah), “to cover,” and translate “they did it in secret” (see BDB 341 s.v. חָפָא). However, the pagan practices specified in the following sentences were hardly done in secret. Others propose a meaning “ascribe, impute,” which makes good contextual sense but has little etymological support (see HALOT 339 s.v. חפא). In this case Israel claimed that the Lord authorized their pagan practices.
  14. 2 Kings 17:11 tn Heb “and they did evil things, angering the Lord.”
  15. 2 Kings 17:12 tn Or “served.”
  16. 2 Kings 17:12 sn See the note at 1 Kgs 15:12.
  17. 2 Kings 17:12 tn Heb “about which the Lord had said to them, ‘You must not do this thing.’”
  18. 2 Kings 17:13 tn Heb “obey my commandments and rules according to all the law which I commanded your fathers and which I sent to you by the hand of my servants the prophets.”
  19. 2 Kings 17:14 tn Heb and they stiffened their neck like the neck of their fathers.”
  20. 2 Kings 17:15 tn Or “and his warnings he had given them.”
  21. 2 Kings 17:15 tn Heb “They went [or, ‘followed’] after.” This idiom probably does not mean much if translated literally. It is found most often in Deuteronomy or in literature related to the covenant. It refers in the first instance to loyalty to God and to His covenant or His commandments (1 Kgs 14:8; 2 Chr 34:31) with the metaphor of a path or way underlying it (Deut 11:28; 28:14). To “follow other gods” was to abandon this way and this loyalty (to “abandon” or “forget” God, Judg 2:12; Hos 2:13) and to follow the customs or religious traditions of the pagan nations (2 Kgs 17:15). The classic text on “following” God or another god is 1 Kgs 18:18, 21 where Elijah taunts the people with “halting between two opinions” whether the Lord was the true God or Baal was. The idiom is often found followed by “to serve and to worship” or “they served and worshiped” such and such a god or entity (Jer 8:2; 11:10; 13:10; 16:11; 25:6; 35:15).
  22. 2 Kings 17:15 tn Heb “they followed after the worthless thing/things and became worthless.” The words “to the Lord” are not in the Hebrew text but are implicit from the context. There is an obvious wordplay on the verb “became worthless” and the noun “worthless thing”, which is probably to be understood collectively and to refer to idols as it does in Jer 8:19; 10:8; 14:22; Jonah 2:8.
  23. 2 Kings 17:15 tn Heb “and [they walked] after the nations which were around them, concerning which the Lord commanded them not to do like them.”
  24. 2 Kings 17:16 tn The phrase כָל צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם (khol tsevaʾ hashamayim), traditionally translated “all the host of heaven,” refers to the heavenly lights, including stars and planets. In 1 Kgs 22:19 these heavenly bodies are pictured as members of the Lord’s royal court or assembly, but many other texts view them as the illegitimate objects of pagan and Israelite worship.
  25. 2 Kings 17:16 tn Or “served.”
  26. 2 Kings 17:17 sn See the note at 2 Kgs 16:3.
  27. 2 Kings 17:17 tn Heb “they sold themselves to doing what was evil in the eyes of the Lord, angering him.”
  28. 2 Kings 17:18 tn Heb “very angry.”
  29. 2 Kings 17:18 tn Heb “turned them away from his face.”
  30. 2 Kings 17:19 tn Heb “they walked in the practices of Israel which they did.”
  31. 2 Kings 17:20 tn Or “afflicted.”
  32. 2 Kings 17:21 tn Heb “and they made Jeroboam son of Nebat king.”
  33. 2 Kings 17:21 tc The consonantal text (Kethib) assumes the verb is נָדָא (nadaʾ), an alternate form of נָדָה (nadah), “push away.” The marginal reading (Qere) assumes the verb נָדָח (nadakh), “drive away.”
  34. 2 Kings 17:21 tn Heb “a great sin.”
  35. 2 Kings 17:22 tn Heb “turn away from.”
  36. 2 Kings 17:23 tn Heb “until.”
  37. 2 Kings 17:23 tn Heb “the Lord turned Israel away from his face.”
  38. 2 Kings 17:23 tn Heb “just as he said.”
  39. 2 Kings 17:24 tn The object is supplied in the translation.
  40. 2 Kings 17:24 sn In vv. 24-29 Samaria stands for the entire northern kingdom of Israel.
  41. 2 Kings 17:25 tn Heb “in the beginning of their living there.”
  42. 2 Kings 17:25 tn Heb “fear.”
  43. 2 Kings 17:26 tn Heb “and they said to the king of Assyria, saying.” The plural subject of the verb is indefinite.
  44. 2 Kings 17:26 tn Heb “Look, they are killing them.”
  45. 2 Kings 17:27 tc The second plural subject may refer to the leaders of the Assyrian army. However, some prefer to read “whom I deported,” changing the verb to a first person singular form with a third masculine plural pronominal suffix. This reading has some support from Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic witnesses.
  46. 2 Kings 17:27 tc Heb “and let them go and let them live there, and let him teach them the requirements of the God of the land.” The two plural verbs seem inconsistent with the preceding and following contexts, where only one priest is sent back to Samaria. The singular has the support of Greek, Syriac, and Latin witnesses.
  47. 2 Kings 17:28 tn Heb “fear.”
  48. 2 Kings 17:29 sn The verb “make” refers to the production of idols. See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 210-11.
  49. 2 Kings 17:29 tn Heb “Samaritans.” This refers to the Israelites who had been deported from the land.
  50. 2 Kings 17:30 sn No deity is known by the name Sukkoth Benoth in extant Mesopotamian literature. For speculation as to the identity of this deity, see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 211.
  51. 2 Kings 17:30 sn Nergal was a Mesopotamian god of the underworld.
  52. 2 Kings 17:30 sn This deity is unknown in extra-biblical literature. See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 211-12.
  53. 2 Kings 17:31 sn Nibhaz and Tartak were two Elamite deities. See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 212.
  54. 2 Kings 17:31 sn Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of the Sepharvaim are unknown in extra-biblical literature. See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 212.
  55. 2 Kings 17:32 tn Heb “feared.”
  56. 2 Kings 17:32 tn Heb “and they appointed for themselves from their whole people priests for the high places and they were serving for them in the house[s] of the high places.”
  57. 2 Kings 17:33 tn Heb “fearing.”
  58. 2 Kings 17:34 tn Heb “fear.”
  59. 2 Kings 17:34 tn Heb “commanded.”
  60. 2 Kings 17:35 sn That is, the descendants of Jacob/Israel (see v. 35b).
  61. 2 Kings 17:36 tn Heb “and outstretched arm.”
  62. 2 Kings 17:40 sn This refers to the foreigners whom the king of Assyria settled in the land (see v. 35a).

Hoshea Last King of Israel(A)

17 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea(B) son of Elah became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned nine years. He did evil(C) in the eyes of the Lord, but not like the kings of Israel who preceded him.

Shalmaneser(D) king of Assyria came up to attack Hoshea, who had been Shalmaneser’s vassal and had paid him tribute.(E) But the king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea was a traitor, for he had sent envoys to So[a] king of Egypt,(F) and he no longer paid tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. Therefore Shalmaneser seized him and put him in prison.(G) The king of Assyria invaded the entire land, marched against Samaria and laid siege(H) to it for three years. In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria(I) captured Samaria(J) and deported(K) the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan(L) on the Habor River and in the towns of the Medes.

Israel Exiled Because of Sin

All this took place because the Israelites had sinned(M) against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt(N) from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods and followed the practices of the nations(O) the Lord had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced. The Israelites secretly did things against the Lord their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city(P) they built themselves high places in all their towns. 10 They set up sacred stones(Q) and Asherah poles(R) on every high hill and under every spreading tree.(S) 11 At every high place they burned incense, as the nations whom the Lord had driven out before them had done. They did wicked things that aroused the Lord’s anger. 12 They worshiped idols,(T) though the Lord had said, “You shall not do this.”[b] 13 The Lord warned(U) Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers:(V) “Turn from your evil ways.(W) Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your ancestors to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.”(X)

14 But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked(Y) as their ancestors, who did not trust in the Lord their God. 15 They rejected his decrees and the covenant(Z) he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols(AA) and themselves became worthless.(AB) They imitated the nations(AC) around them although the Lord had ordered them, “Do not do as they do.”

16 They forsook all the commands of the Lord their God and made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves,(AD) and an Asherah(AE) pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts,(AF) and they worshiped Baal.(AG) 17 They sacrificed(AH) their sons and daughters in the fire. They practiced divination and sought omens(AI) and sold(AJ) themselves to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.

18 So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence.(AK) Only the tribe of Judah was left, 19 and even Judah did not keep the commands of the Lord their God. They followed the practices Israel had introduced.(AL) 20 Therefore the Lord rejected all the people of Israel; he afflicted them and gave them into the hands of plunderers,(AM) until he thrust them from his presence.(AN)

21 When he tore(AO) Israel away from the house of David, they made Jeroboam son of Nebat their king.(AP) Jeroboam enticed Israel away from following the Lord and caused them to commit a great sin.(AQ) 22 The Israelites persisted in all the sins of Jeroboam and did not turn away from them 23 until the Lord removed them from his presence,(AR) as he had warned(AS) through all his servants the prophets. So the people of Israel were taken from their homeland(AT) into exile in Assyria, and they are still there.

Samaria Resettled

24 The king of Assyria(AU) brought people from Babylon, Kuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim(AV) and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its towns. 25 When they first lived there, they did not worship the Lord; so he sent lions(AW) among them and they killed some of the people. 26 It was reported to the king of Assyria: “The people you deported and resettled in the towns of Samaria do not know what the god of that country requires. He has sent lions among them, which are killing them off, because the people do not know what he requires.”

27 Then the king of Assyria gave this order: “Have one of the priests you took captive from Samaria go back to live there and teach the people what the god of the land requires.” 28 So one of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria came to live in Bethel and taught them how to worship the Lord.

29 Nevertheless, each national group made its own gods in the several towns(AX) where they settled, and set them up in the shrines(AY) the people of Samaria had made at the high places.(AZ) 30 The people from Babylon made Sukkoth Benoth, those from Kuthah made Nergal, and those from Hamath made Ashima; 31 the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire as sacrifices to Adrammelek(BA) and Anammelek, the gods of Sepharvaim.(BB) 32 They worshiped the Lord, but they also appointed all sorts(BC) of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the shrines at the high places. 33 They worshiped the Lord, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought.

34 To this day they persist in their former practices. They neither worship the Lord nor adhere to the decrees and regulations, the laws and commands that the Lord gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he named Israel.(BD) 35 When the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites, he commanded them: “Do not worship(BE) any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them.(BF) 36 But the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched arm,(BG) is the one you must worship. To him you shall bow down and to him offer sacrifices. 37 You must always be careful(BH) to keep the decrees(BI) and regulations, the laws and commands he wrote for you. Do not worship other gods. 38 Do not forget(BJ) the covenant I have made with you, and do not worship other gods. 39 Rather, worship the Lord your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.”

40 They would not listen, however, but persisted in their former practices. 41 Even while these people were worshiping the Lord,(BK) they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their ancestors did.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 17:4 So is probably an abbreviation for Osorkon.
  2. 2 Kings 17:12 Exodus 20:4,5