¹⁷ They sacrificed^(A) their sons and daughters in the fire. They practiced divination and sought omens^(B) and sold^(C) 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.^(D) 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.^{(E) 20} Therefore the Lord rejected all the people of Israel; he afflicted them and gave them into the hands of plunderers,^(F) until he thrust them from his presence.^(G)

²⁹ Nevertheless, each national group made its own gods in the several towns^(A) where they settled, and set them up in the shrines^(B) the people of Samaria had made at the high places.^{(C) 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^(D) and Anammelek, the gods of Sepharvaim.^{(E) 32} They worshiped the Lord, but they also appointed all sorts^(F) 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.

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