2 Kings 17:24-41
1599 Geneva Bible
24 And the king of Assyria brought folk from Babylon, and from [a]Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: so they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.
25 ¶ And at the beginning of their dwelling there, they [b]feared not the Lord: therefore the Lord sent lions among them, which slew them.
26 Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, saying, The nations which thou hast removed and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land: therefore he hath sent Lions among them, and behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land.
27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry thither one of the Priests whom ye brought thence, and let him go and dwell there, and teach them the manner of the God [c]of the country.
28 So one of the Priests, which they had carried from Samaria, came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the Lord.
29 Howbeit, every nation made their gods, and put them in the houses of the high places, which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt.
30 For the men of Babylon made [d]Succoth Benoth: and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,
31 And the Avites made Nibhaz, and Tartak: and the Sepharvites burnt their children in the fire to Adrammelech, and Anammelech the gods of Sepharvaim.
32 Thus they feared the Lord, and appointed out Priests out of themselves for the high places, who prepared for them sacrifices in the houses of the high places.
33 (A)They [e]feared the Lord, but served their gods after the manner of the nations whom they carried thence.
34 Unto this day they do after the old manner: they neither fear God, neither do after [f]their ordinances, nor after their customs, nor after the Law, nor after the commandment, which the Lord commanded the children of Jacob (B)whom he named Israel,
35 And with whom the Lord had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, (C)Fear none other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:
36 But fear the Lord which brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power, and a stretched out arm: him fear ye, and worship him and sacrifice to him.
37 Also keep ye diligently the statutes and the ordinances and the law, and the commandment, which he wrote for you, that ye do them continually, and fear not other gods.
38 And forget not the covenant that I have made with you, neither fear ye other gods.
39 But fear the Lord your God, and he will deliver you out of the hands of all your enemies.
40 Howbeit they obeyed not, but did after their old custom.
41 So these [g]nations feared the Lord, and served their images also: so did their children, and their children’s children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Kings 17:24 Of these peoples came the Samaritans, whereof mention is so much made in the Gospel, and with whom the Jews would have nothing to do, John 4:9.
- 2 Kings 17:25 That is, they served him not: therefore, lest they should blaspheme him, as though there were no God, because he chastised the Israelites, he showeth his mighty power among them by this strange punishment.
- 2 Kings 17:27 That is, how to worship him: thus the wicked rather than to lose their commodities will change to all religions.
- 2 Kings 17:30 Meaning that every country served that idol, which was most esteemed in that place whence they came.
- 2 Kings 17:33 That is, they had a certain knowledge of God, and feared him because of the punishment, but they continued still idolaters as do the Papist, which worship both God and idols: but this is not to fear God, as appeareth verse 34.
- 2 Kings 17:34 He meaneth this by the Israelites to whom God had given his commandments.
- 2 Kings 17:41 That is, these strangers which were sent into Samaria by the Assyrians.
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