⁵ The king of Assyria invaded the entire land, marched against Samaria and laid siege^(A) to it for three years. ⁶ In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria^(B) captured Samaria^(C) and deported^(D) the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan^(E) on the Habor River and in the towns of the Medes.

Israel Exiled Because of Sin

⁷ All this took place because the Israelites had sinned^(F) against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt^(G) from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods ⁸ and followed the practices of the nations^(H) the Lord had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced. ⁹ The Israelites secretly did things against the Lord their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city^(I) they built themselves high places in all their towns. ¹⁰ They set up sacred stones^(J) and Asherah poles^(K) on every high hill and under every spreading tree.^{(L) 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,^(M) though the Lord had said, “You shall not do this.”^[a]

¹⁶ They forsook all the commands of the Lord their God and made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves,^(A) and an Asherah^(B) pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts,^(C) and they worshiped Baal.^{(D) 17} They sacrificed^(E) their sons and daughters in the fire. They practiced divination and sought omens^(F) and sold^(G) 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.^(H) 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.^{(I) 20} Therefore the Lord rejected all the people of Israel; he afflicted them and gave them into the hands of plunderers,^(J) until he thrust them from his presence.^(K)