2 Kings 17
International Children’s Bible
Hoshea, Last King of Israel
17 Hoshea son of Elah became king over Israel. This was during Ahaz’s twelfth year as king of Judah. Hoshea ruled in Samaria nine years. 2 He did what the Lord said was wrong. But he was not as bad as the kings of Israel who had ruled before him.
3 Shalmaneser king of Assyria came to attack Hoshea. Hoshea had been Shalmaneser’s servant. He had made the payments to Shalmaneser that he had demanded. 4 But the king of Assyria found out that Hoshea had made plans against him. Hoshea had sent messengers to So, the king of Egypt. And Hoshea had quit giving Shalmaneser the payments he demanded. In the past Hoshea had paid him every year. So the king put Hoshea in prison. 5 Then the king of Assyria came and attacked all the land of Israel. He surrounded Samaria and attacked it for three years. 6 He defeated Samaria in the ninth year Hoshea was king. He took the Israelites away to Assyria. He settled some of them in Halah. Some were made to settle in Gozan on the Habor River. Others were settled in the cities of the Medes.
Israelites Punished for Sin
7 All these things happened because the Israelites had sinned against the Lord their God. He had brought them out of Egypt. He had rescued them from the power of the king of Egypt. But the Israelites had honored other gods. 8 They lived like the nations the Lord had forced out of the land ahead of them. They also lived as the evil kings had shown them. 9 They secretly sinned against the Lord their God. They built places in all their cities where false gods were worshiped. They built them everywhere from the watchtower to the strong, walled city. 10 They put up stone pillars for worshiping false gods. And they put up Asherah idols on every high hill and under every green tree. 11 The Israelites burned incense everywhere false gods were worshiped. The nations who lived there before them had done this. And the Lord had forced them out of the land. The Israelites did wicked things that made the Lord angry. 12 They served idols. And the Lord had said, “You must not do this.” 13 The Lord used every prophet and seer to warn Israel and Judah. He said, “Stop your evil ways. Obey my commands and laws. Follow all the teachings that I commanded your ancestors to obey. I sent you this law through my servants the prophets.”
14 But the people would not listen. They were stubborn, just as their ancestors had been. Their ancestors did not believe in the Lord their God. 15 They rejected the Lord’s laws and the agreement he had made with their ancestors. And they refused to listen to his warnings. They worshiped useless idols and became useless themselves. They did what the nations around them did. And the Lord had warned them not to do this.
16 The people disobeyed all the commands of the Lord their God. They made statues of two calves from melted metal. And they made an Asherah idol. They worshiped all the stars of heaven and served Baal. 17 They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire. And they tried to find out the future by magic and witchcraft. They always chose to do what the Lord said was wrong. And this made him angry. 18 So he was very angry with the people of Israel. He removed them from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah was left.
Judah Is Also Guilty
19 But even Judah did not obey the commands of the Lord their God. They did what the Israelites had done. 20 So the Lord rejected all the people of Israel. He punished them and let people destroy them. He threw them out of his presence. 21 The Lord separated them from the family of David. And the Israelites made Jeroboam son of Nebat their king. Jeroboam led the Israelites away from following the Lord. He caused them to sin greatly. 22 So they continued to do all the sins Jeroboam did. They did not stop doing these sins 23 until the Lord removed the people from his presence. This was just as he had said he would do. He had said this through all his servants the prophets. So the Israelites were taken out of their land to Assyria. And they have been there to this day.
The Beginning of the Samaritan People
24 The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim. He put them in the cities of Samaria to replace the Israelites. These people took over Samaria and lived in the cities. 25 At first they did not worship the Lord. So he sent lions among them. The lions killed some of them. 26 The king of Assyria was told this. It was said, “You sent foreigners into the cities of Samaria. They do not know the law of the god of the land. This is why that land’s god has sent lions among them. The lions are killing them because they don’t know what the god wants.”
27 Then the king of Assyria gave a command. He said, “You took Samaria’s priests away. Send back one of the priests to live there. Let him teach them what the god wants.” 28 So one of the priests who had been carried away from Samaria returned. He came to live in Bethel. And he taught the people how to worship the Lord.
29 But each nation made gods of its own. They put them in the cities where they lived. They put them in the temples where false gods were worshiped. These temples had been made by the Samaritans. 30 The men from Babylon made Succoth Benoth their god. The men from Cuthah worshiped Nergal. The men of Hamath worshiped Ashima. 31 The Avvites worshiped Nibhaz and Tartak. And the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire. They sacrificed them to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. 32 They also worshiped the Lord. But they chose priests for the places where false gods were worshiped. The priests were chosen from among themselves. And they made sacrifices for the people. 33 The people worshiped the Lord but also served their own gods. They served their gods as the nations did from which they had been brought. 34 Even today they do as they did in the past. They do not worship the Lord. They do not obey his rules and commands. They do not obey the teachings or the commands of the Lord. He gave these commands to the children of Jacob, whom the Lord had named Israel. 35 The Lord had made an agreement with them. He had commanded them, “Do not worship other gods. Do not bow down to them or serve them. Do not give sacrifices to them. 36 Worship the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. He did it with great power and strength. Bow to the Lord and make sacrifices to him. 37 Obey the rules, orders and the teachings. Obey the commands the Lord wrote for you. Obey and always do them. Do not worship other gods. 38 Do not forget the agreement I made with you. And do not worship other gods. 39 Instead worship the Lord your God. He will save you from all your enemies.”
40 But the Israelites did not listen. They kept on doing the same things they had done before. 41 So these nations worshiped the Lord but served their idols. And their children and grandchildren still do as their ancestors did.
2 Kings 17
English Standard Version
Hoshea Reigns in Israel
17 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, (A)Hoshea the son of Elah began to reign in Samaria over Israel, and he reigned nine years. 2 And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, yet not as the kings of Israel who were before him. 3 (B)Against him came up (C)Shalmaneser king of Assyria. And Hoshea became his vassal and paid him tribute. 4 But the king of Assyria found treachery in Hoshea, for he had sent messengers to So, king of Egypt, and offered no tribute 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 invaded all the land and came to Samaria, and for three years he besieged it.
The Fall of Israel
6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria (D)captured Samaria, (E)and he carried the Israelites away to Assyria (F)and placed them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of (G)Gozan, and in the cities of (H)the Medes.
Exile Because of Idolatry
7 And this occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, (I)who 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 (J)and walked in the customs of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel, (K)and in the customs that the kings of Israel had practiced. 9 And the people of Israel did secretly against the Lord their God things that were not right. They built for themselves high places in all their towns, (L)from watchtower to fortified city. 10 They set up for themselves (M)pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree, 11 and there they made offerings on all the high places, as the nations did whom the Lord carried away before them. And they did wicked things, provoking the Lord to anger, 12 and they served idols, (N)of which the Lord had said to them, “You shall not do this.” 13 Yet the Lord (O)warned Israel and Judah (P)by every prophet (Q)and every seer, saying, (R)“Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the Law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets.”
14 But they would not listen, (S)but were stubborn, as their fathers had been, who did not believe in the Lord their God. 15 They despised his statutes (T)and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after (U)false idols (V)and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the (W)Lord had commanded them that they should not do like them. 16 And they abandoned all the commandments of the Lord their God, and made for themselves metal images of (X)two calves; and they (Y)made an Asherah and (Z)worshiped all the host of heaven and served (AA)Baal. 17 (AB)And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings[a] and used (AC)divination and (AD)omens and (AE)sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. 18 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. None was left but (AF)the tribe of Judah only.
19 (AG)Judah also did not keep the commandments of the Lord their God, but walked in the customs that Israel had introduced. 20 And the Lord rejected all the descendants of Israel and afflicted them (AH)and gave them into the hand of plunderers, until he had cast them out of his sight.
21 (AI)When he had torn Israel from the house of David, (AJ)they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. And Jeroboam drove Israel from following the Lord (AK)and made them commit great sin. 22 The people of Israel walked in all the sins that Jeroboam did. They did not depart from them, 23 until the Lord removed Israel out of his sight, (AL)as he had spoken by all his servants the prophets. (AM)So Israel was exiled from their own land to Assyria until this day.
Assyria Resettles Samaria
24 (AN)And the king of Assyria brought people from (AO)Babylon, Cuthah, (AP)Avva, (AQ)Hamath, and (AR)Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the people of Israel. And they took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities. 25 And at the beginning of their dwelling there, they did not fear the Lord. Therefore the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them. 26 So the king of Assyria was told, “The nations that you have carried away and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the law of the god of the land. Therefore he has sent lions among them, and behold, they are killing them, because they do not know the law of the god of the land.” 27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, “Send there one of the priests whom you carried away from there, and let him[b] go and dwell there and teach them the law of the god of the land.” 28 So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and lived in (AS)Bethel and taught them how they should fear the Lord.
29 But every nation still made gods of its own and put them (AT)in the shrines of the high places that the Samaritans had made, every nation in the cities in which they lived. 30 The men of (AU)Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31 and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites (AV)burned their children in the fire to (AW)Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of (AX)Sepharvaim. 32 (AY)They also feared the Lord (AZ)and appointed from among themselves all sorts of people as priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of (BA)the high places. 33 So they feared the Lord but also served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away.
34 To this day they do according to the former manner. They do not fear the Lord, and they do not follow the statutes or the rules or the law or the commandment that the Lord commanded the children of Jacob, (BB)whom he named Israel. 35 The Lord made a covenant with them and commanded them, (BC)“You shall not fear other gods (BD)or bow yourselves to them or serve them or sacrifice to them, 36 but (BE)you shall fear the Lord, (BF)who brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and (BG)with an outstretched arm. You shall bow yourselves to him, and to him you shall sacrifice. 37 And the statutes and the rules and the law and the commandment that he wrote for you, (BH)you shall always be careful to do. (BI)You shall not fear other gods, 38 and (BJ)you shall not forget the covenant that I have made with you. (BK)You shall not fear other gods, 39 but (BL)you shall fear the Lord your God, and he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.” 40 However, they would not listen, but they did according to their former manner.
41 (BM)So these nations feared the Lord and also served their carved images. Their children did likewise, and their children's children—as their fathers did, so they do to this day.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 17:17 Or made their sons and their daughters pass through the fire
- 2 Kings 17:27 Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew them
2 Reyes 17
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
Causas de la caída del reino de Israel
17 En el año doce de Acaz, rey de Judá, Oseas, hijo de Ela(A), comenzó a reinar sobre Israel en Samaria, y reinó nueve años. 2 Hizo lo malo ante los ojos del Señor, aunque no como los reyes de Israel que habían sido antes de él. 3 Subió contra él Salmanasar(B), rey de Asiria, y Oseas fue hecho su siervo(C), y le pagaba tributo. 4 Pero el rey de Asiria descubrió una conspiración de[a] Oseas, quien había enviado mensajeros a So, rey de Egipto, y no había pagado tributo al rey de Asiria como había hecho año tras año. Por tanto el rey de Asiria lo detuvo y lo encadenó en la cárcel. 5 Entonces el rey de Asiria invadió todo el país y subió a Samaria(D), y le puso sitio por tres años. 6 En el año noveno de Oseas, el rey de Asiria tomó Samaria(E) y se llevó a Israel al destierro(F) en Asiria, y los puso en Halah y en Habor, río de Gozán(G), y en las ciudades de los medos(H).
7 Esto sucedió porque los israelitas habían pecado contra el Señor su Dios(I), que los había sacado de la tierra de Egipto de bajo la mano de Faraón, rey de Egipto(J), y habían reverenciado a otros dioses(K); 8 y anduvieron en las costumbres de las naciones que el Señor había arrojado de delante de los israelitas(L), y en las costumbres de los reyes de Israel que ellos habían introducido(M). 9 Los israelitas secretamente hicieron cosas[b] que no eran rectas contra el Señor su Dios. Además se edificaron lugares altos en todas sus ciudades, desde las torres de atalaya hasta las ciudades fortificadas(N). 10 Se erigieron pilares sagrados(O) y Aseras[c] sobre toda colina alta y bajo todo árbol frondoso(P). 11 Quemaron incienso allí en todos los lugares altos, como las naciones que el Señor se había llevado al destierro de delante de ellos; e hicieron cosas malas provocando al Señor. 12 Y sirvieron a ídolos, acerca de los cuales el Señor les había dicho: «Ustedes no harán esto(Q)».
13 El Señor amonestaba(R) a Israel y a Judá por medio de todos Sus profetas(S) y de todo vidente(T), diciendo: «Vuélvanse de sus malos caminos y guarden Mis mandamientos, Mis estatutos conforme a toda la ley que ordené a sus padres y que les envié por medio de Mis siervos los profetas(U)». 14 Sin embargo, ellos no escucharon, sino que fueron tercos[d] como sus padres, que no creyeron en el Señor su Dios(V). 15 Desecharon Sus estatutos(W) y el pacto que Él había hecho con sus padres(X), y Sus advertencias con las cuales los había amonestado. Siguieron la vanidad(Y) y se hicieron vanos(Z), y fueron en pos de las naciones que los rodeaban, respecto de las cuales el Señor les había ordenado que no hicieran como ellas(AA). 16 Y abandonaron todos los mandamientos del Señor su Dios, y se hicieron imágenes fundidas de dos becerros(AB); hicieron una Asera[e](AC), adoraron a todo el ejército de los cielos(AD) y sirvieron a Baal(AE). 17 Hicieron pasar por el fuego a sus hijos y a sus hijas(AF). Practicaron la adivinación y los encantamientos(AG), y se entregaron a hacer lo malo ante los ojos del Señor, provocándolo(AH). 18 Y el Señor se enojó en gran manera contra Israel(AI) y los quitó de su presencia. Solo quedó la tribu de Judá(AJ).
19 Tampoco Judá guardó los mandamientos del Señor su Dios(AK), sino que anduvieron en las costumbres[f] que Israel había introducido(AL). 20 Y el Señor desechó a toda la descendencia[g] de Israel, y los afligió y los entregó en mano de saqueadores, hasta que los echó de su presencia(AM). 21 Cuando Él arrancó a Israel de la casa de David(AN), ellos hicieron rey a Jeroboam(AO), hijo de Nabat. Entonces Jeroboam apartó a Israel de seguir al Señor, y les hizo cometer un gran pecado(AP). 22 Los israelitas anduvieron en todos los pecados que había cometido Jeroboam; no se apartaron de ellos, 23 hasta que el Señor quitó a Israel de Su presencia, como Él había hablado por medio de todos Sus siervos los profetas(AQ). E Israel fue llevado de su propia tierra al destierro, a Asiria(AR), hasta hoy.
24 El rey de Asiria trajo hombres de Babilonia, de Cuta, de Ava[h](AS), de Hamat(AT) y de Sefarvaim, y los puso en las ciudades de Samaria en lugar de los israelitas. Y tomaron posesión de Samaria y habitaron en sus ciudades(AU). 25 Al principio de habitar ellos allí, no temieron al Señor(AV), así que el Señor envió leones entre ellos que mataron a muchos de ellos. 26 Entonces hablaron al rey de Asiria: «Las naciones que ha llevado al destierro a las ciudades de Samaria, no conocen la costumbre del dios de la tierra; por eso él ha enviado leones entre ellos, y es la causa por la que los leones los matan porque ellos no conocen la costumbre del dios de la tierra».
27 Y el rey de Asiria ordenó: «Lleven allá a uno de los sacerdotes que ustedes llevaron al destierro, y que él vaya y habite allí; y que les enseñe la costumbre del dios de la tierra». 28 Y vino uno de los sacerdotes que habían llevado al destierro desde Samaria, y habitó en Betel[i], y les enseñó cómo habían de temer al Señor. 29 Pero cada nación continuó haciendo sus propios dioses, y los pusieron en las casas de los lugares altos que los samaritanos habían hecho(AW), cada nación en las ciudades en que habitaban. 30 Y los hombres de Babilonia hicieron a Sucot Benot; los hombres de Cuta(AX) hicieron a Nergal; los hombres de Hamat hicieron a Asima; 31 y los aveos hicieron a Nibhaz y a Tartac; y los de Sefarvaim quemaban a sus hijos en el fuego(AY) como ofrenda a Adramelec(AZ) y Anamelec, dioses de Sefarvaim(BA). 32 También temían al Señor(BB) pero nombraron de entre sí sacerdotes de los lugares altos, que oficiaban por ellos en las casas de los lugares altos(BC). 33 Temían al Señor pero servían a sus dioses conforme a la costumbre de las naciones de donde habían sido llevados al destierro.
34 Hasta el día de hoy siguen haciendo conforme a sus antiguas costumbres. No temen[j] al Señor, ni siguen sus estatutos ni sus ordenanzas ni la ley ni el mandamiento que el Señor había ordenado a los hijos de Jacob, a quien puso el nombre de Israel(BD), 35 con los cuales el Señor hizo un pacto y les ordenó: «No temerán[k] a otros dioses(BE) ni se inclinarán ante ellos, no los servirán ni les ofrecerán sacrificios(BF). 36 Sino que al Señor, que los hizo subir de la tierra de Egipto(BG) con gran poder y con brazo extendido(BH), a Él temerán[l] y ante Él se inclinarán(BI) y a Él ofrecerán sacrificios. 37 Y los estatutos, las ordenanzas, la ley y el mandamiento que Él les escribió(BJ), cuidarán de cumplirlos siempre, y no temerán a otros dioses. 38 Y el pacto que he hecho con ustedes, no lo olvidarán, ni temerán a otros dioses(BK). 39 Sino que al Señor su Dios temerán, y Él los librará de mano de todos sus enemigos».
40 Pero ellos no escucharon, sino que hicieron conforme a su antigua costumbre. 41 Y aunque estas naciones temían al Señor, también servían a sus ídolos(BL); y de la misma manera que hicieron sus padres, así hacen hasta hoy sus hijos y sus nietos.
Footnotes
- 17:4 Lit. en.
- 17:9 O pronunciaron palabras.
- 17:10 I.e. deidades femeninas.
- 17:14 Lit. endurecieron su cerviz.
- 17:16 I.e. deidad femenina.
- 17:19 Lit. los estatutos.
- 17:20 Lit. simiente.
- 17:24 En 2Rey. 18:34, Iva.
- 17:28 I.e. Casa de Dios.
- 17:34 O reverencian.
- 17:35 O reverenciarán.
- 17:36 O reverenciarán.
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Nueva Biblia de las Américas™ NBLA™ Copyright © 2005 por The Lockman Foundation
