2 Kings 17:24-33

241The king of Assyria brought men from Babylon and from Cuthah and from 23Avva and from 4Hamath and Sepharvaim, and settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the sons of Israel. So they possessed Samaria and lived in its cities. 25At the beginning of their living there, they 5did not fear the Lord; therefore the Lord sent lions among them which killed some of them. 26So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The nations whom you have carried away into exile in the cities of Samaria do not know the custom of the god of the land; so he has sent lions among them, and behold, they kill them because they do not know the custom of the god of the land.”

27Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, “Take there one of the priests whom you carried away into 6exile and let 7him go and live there; and let him teach them the custom of the god of the land.” 28So one of the priests whom they had carried away into exile from Samaria came and lived at Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the Lord.

29But every nation still made gods of its own and put them 8in the houses of the high places which the people of Samaria had made, every nation in their cities in which they lived. 309The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and 10the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to 11Adrammelech and Anammelech the gods of 12Sepharvaim. 3213They also feared the Lord and 1415appointed from among themselves priests of the high places, who acted for them in the houses of the high places. 33They feared the Lord and served their own gods according to the custom of the nations from among whom they had been carried away into exile.