Samaria Resettled

24 The king of Assyria(A) brought people from Babylon, Kuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim(B) 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(C) 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(D) where they settled, and set them up in the shrines(E) the people of Samaria had made at the high places.(F) 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(G) and Anammelek, the gods of Sepharvaim.(H) 32 They worshiped the Lord, but they also appointed all sorts(I) 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.(J) 35 When the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites, he commanded them: “Do not worship(K) any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them.(L) 36 But the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched arm,(M) is the one you must worship. To him you shall bow down and to him offer sacrifices. 37 You must always be careful(N) to keep the decrees(O) and regulations, the laws and commands he wrote for you. Do not worship other gods. 38 Do not forget(P) 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,(Q) they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their ancestors did.

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Assyria Supplants the Northern Kingdom

24 Because the king of Assyria brought captives[a] from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sephar-vaim and settled them in the cities of Samaria to replace the Israelis, the settlers[b] possessed Samaria and lived in its cities. 25 When they first began to live there, the settlers[c] did not fear the Lord, so he sent lions among them, and they killed a few of them. 26 As a result, they reported to the king of Assyria, “Because the nations whom you exiled to live in the cities of Samaria don’t know the law[d] of the god of the land, he has sent lions among them. Look how the lions[e] are killing them, because they don’t know the law of the god of the land!”

27 So the king of Assyria[f] issued this order: “Take one of the priests whom you carried away and let him go back and live there. Let him teach them the law of the god of the land.” 28 So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria went to live in Bethel to teach them how they ought to fear the Lord.

Assyrian Settlers Create Lasting Corruption

29 Nevertheless, each nation continued to craft their own gods and install them in the temples on the high places that the people of Samaria had constructed—every nation in their own cities where they continued to live. 30 Settlers[g] from Babylon built Succoth-benoth, settlers[h] from Cuth built Nergal, settlers[i] from Hamath built Ashima, 31 and settlers[j] from Avva built Nibhaz and Tartak. The residents of Sephar-vaim burned their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sephar-vaim.

32 Because they feared the Lord, they also appointed from among themselves priests for the high places who acted on their behalf in the temples on the high places. 33 While they continued to fear the Lord, they served their own gods, following the custom of the nations whom they had carried away from there. 34 To this very day, they still follow the former customs: they don’t fear the Lord and they don’t live in accordance with the statutes, ordinances, laws, or commandments that the Lord had given to the descendants of Jacob—whom he renamed Israel— 35 and with whom the Lord had made a covenant when he gave these[k] orders to them:

“You are not to fear other gods, bow down to them, serve them, or sacrifice to them. 36 Instead, it is to be the Lord, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, showing great power and public demonstrations of might,[l] whom you are to fear, worship, and to whom you are to offer sacrifice. 37 Furthermore, you are to be careful to observe forever the statutes, ordinances, law, and the commandment that he wrote for you. And you are not to fear other gods. 38 You are not to forget the covenant that I’ve made with you, and you are not to fear other gods. 39 But you are to fear the Lord, and he will deliver you from the control[m] of all your enemies.”

40 But they wouldn’t listen. Instead, they did what they had been doing before. 41 These nations feared the Lord and also served their carved images. Their descendants did the same thing, as did their grandchildren. Just as their ancestors had done, they also do the same thing to this day.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 17:24 The Heb. lacks captives
  2. 2 Kings 17:24 The Heb. lacks the settlers
  3. 2 Kings 17:25 The Heb. lacks the settlers
  4. 2 Kings 17:26 Or justice
  5. 2 Kings 17:26 Lit. how they
  6. 2 Kings 17:27 This individual is thought to have been Sargon II (c. 721-705 BC).
  7. 2 Kings 17:30 Lit. Men
  8. 2 Kings 17:30 Lit. men
  9. 2 Kings 17:30 Lit. men
  10. 2 Kings 17:31 Lit. men
  11. 2 Kings 17:35 The Heb. lacks these
  12. 2 Kings 17:36 Lit. and with an outstretched arm
  13. 2 Kings 17:39 Lit. hand