2 Kings 17

Hoshea Reigns over Israel

1In the twelfthH8147H6240 yearH8141 of AhazH271 kingH4428 of JudahH3063, 1HosheaH1954 the sonH1121 of ElahH425 becameH4427 kingH4427 overH5921 IsraelH3478 in SamariaH8111, and reigned nineH8672 yearsH8141. 2He didH6213 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LordH3068, onlyH7534 not as the kingsH4428 of IsraelH3478 whoH834 were beforeH6440 him. 32ShalmaneserH8022 kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 cameH5927 up 3againstH5921 him, and HosheaH1954 becameH1961 his servantH5650 and paidH7725 him tributeH4503. 4But the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 foundH4672 conspiracyH7195 in HosheaH1954, whoH834 had sentH7971 messengersH4397 to SoH5471 kingH4428 of EgyptH4714 and had offeredH5927 noH3808 tributeH4503 to the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804, as he had done yearH8141 by yearH8141; so the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 shutH6113 him up and boundH631 him in prisonH1004H3608.

5Then the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 invadedH5927 the wholeH3605 landH776 and wentH5927 up to 4SamariaH8111 and besiegedH6696H5921 it threeH7969 yearsH8141.

Israel Captive

6In the ninthH8671 yearH8141 of HosheaH1954, 5the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 capturedH3920 SamariaH8111 and 6carriedH1540 IsraelH3478 awayH1540 into exileH1540 to AssyriaH804, and 7settledH3427 them in HalahH2477 and HaborH2249, on the riverH5104 of 8GozanH1470, and 9in the citiesH5892 of the MedesH4074.

Why Israel Fell

7Now 10this cameH1961 about becauseH3588 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 had sinnedH2398 against the LordH3068 their GodH430, 11who had broughtH5927 them up from the landH776 of EgyptH4714 from underH8478 the handH3027 of PharaohH6547, kingH4428 of EgyptH4714, 12and they had 13fearedH3372 otherH312 godsH430 8and 14walkedH1980 in the 15customsH2708 of the nationsH1471 whomH834 the LordH3068 had drivenH3423 out beforeH4480H6440 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478, and in the customs 16of the kingsH4428 of IsraelH3478 whichH834 they had 17introducedH6213. 9The sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 18didH2644 thingsH1697 secretlyH2644 whichH834 were not rightH3653 againstH5921 the LordH3068 their GodH430. Moreover, they builtH1129 for themselves highH1116 placesH1116 in allH3605 their townsH5892, from 19watchtowerH4026 to fortifiedH4013 cityH5892. 1020They setH5324 for themselves sacred pillarsH4676 and 2122AsherimH842 on everyH3605 highH1364 hillH1389 and underH8478 everyH3605 greenH7488 treeH6086, 11and thereH8033 they burnedH6999 incenseH6999 on allH3605 the highH1116 placesH1116 as the nationsH1471 did whichH834 the LordH3068 had carriedH1540 awayH1540 to exileH1540 beforeH4480H6440 them; and they didH6213 evilH7451 thingsH1697 provokingH3707 the LordH3068. 12They servedH5647 idolsH1544, 23concerning whichH834 the LordH3068 had saidH559 to them, “You shall not doH6213 thisH2088 thingH1697.” 13Yet the 24LordH3068 warnedH5749 IsraelH3478 and JudahH3063 25throughH3027 allH3605 His prophetsH5030 and 26everyH3605 seerH2374, sayingH559, “27TurnH7725 from your evilH7451 waysH1870 and keepH8104 My commandmentsH4687, My statutesH2708 according to allH3605 the lawH8451 whichH834 I commandedH6680 your fathersH1, and whichH834 I sentH7971 to you throughH3027 My servantsH5650 the prophetsH5030.” 14However, they did not listenH8085, but 28stiffenedH7185 their neckH6203 29like their fathersH1, whoH834 did not believeH539 in the LordH3068 their GodH430. 1530They rejectedH3988 His statutesH2706 and 31His covenantH1285 whichH834 He madeH3772 with their fathersH1 and His warningsH5715 with whichH834 He warnedH5749 them. And 32they followedH1980H310 vanityH1892 and 33becameH1891 vainH1891, and went afterH310 the nationsH1471 whichH834 surroundedH5439 them, concerning whichH834 the 34LordH3068 had commandedH6680 them not to doH6213 like them. 16They forsookH5800 allH3605 the commandmentsH4687 of the LordH3068 their GodH430 and madeH6213 for themselves moltenH4541 imagesH4541, even 35twoH8147 calvesH5695, and 36madeH6213 an 37AsherahH842 and 38worshipedH7812 allH3605 the hostH6635 of heavenH8064 and 39servedH5647 BaalH1168. 17Then 40they made their sonsH1121 and their daughtersH1323 passH5674 through the fireH784, and 41practicedH7080 divinationH7081 and enchantmentsH5172, and 42soldH4376 themselves to doH6213 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LordH3068, provokingH3707 Him. 18So the LordH3068 was veryH3966 angryH599 with IsraelH3478 and 43removedH5493 them from His 44sightH6440; 45noneH3808 was leftH7604 exceptH7534H905 the tribeH7626 of JudahH3063.

19AlsoH1571 46JudahH3063 did not keepH8104 the commandmentsH4687 of the LordH3068 their GodH430, but 47walkedH1980 in the 48customsH2708 49whichH834 IsraelH3478 had 50introducedH6213. 20The LordH3068 rejectedH3988 allH3605 the 51descendantsH2233 of IsraelH3478 and afflictedH6031 them and 52gaveH5414 them into the handH3027 of plunderersH8154, untilH5704H834 He had castH7993 them 53out of His sightH6440.

21WhenH3588 54He had tornH7167 IsraelH3478 from the houseH1004 of DavidH1732, 55they madeH4427 JeroboamH3379 the sonH1121 of NebatH5028 kingH4427. Then 56JeroboamH3379 droveH5067 IsraelH3478 awayH5067 from followingH310 the LordH3068 and made them 57commitH2398 a greatH1419 sinH2401. 22The sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 walkedH1980 in allH3605 the sinsH2403 of JeroboamH3379 whichH834 he didH6213; they did not departH5493 from them 2358untilH5704H834 the LordH3068 removedH5493 IsraelH3478 from His sightH6440, 59as He spokeH1696 throughH3027 allH3605 His servantsH5650 the prophetsH5030. 60So IsraelH3478 was carriedH1540 awayH1540 into exileH1540 from their own landH127 to AssyriaH804 untilH5704 thisH2088 dayH3117.

Cities of Israel Filled with Strangers

2461The kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 broughtH935 men from BabylonH894 and from CuthahH3575 and from 6263AvvaH5755 and from 64HamathH2574 and SepharvaimH5617, and settledH3427 them in the citiesH5892 of SamariaH8111 in placeH8478 of the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478. So they possessedH3423 SamariaH8111 and livedH3427 in its citiesH5892. 25At the beginningH8462 of their livingH3427 thereH8033, they 65did not fearH3372 the LordH3068; therefore the LordH3068 sentH7971 lionsH738 among them which killedH2026 some of them. 26So they spokeH559 to the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804, sayingH559, “The nationsH1471 whomH834 you have carriedH1540 awayH1540 into exileH1540 in the citiesH5892 of SamariaH8111 do not knowH3045 the customH4941 of the godH430 of the landH776; so he has sentH7971 lionsH738 among them, and beholdH2009, they killH4191 them becauseH834 they do not knowH3045 the customH4941 of the godH430 of the landH776.”

27Then the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 commandedH6680, sayingH559, “TakeH1980 thereH8033 oneH259 of the priestsH3548 whomH834 you carriedH1540 awayH1540 into 66exileH1540 and let 67him goH1980 and liveH3427 thereH8033; and let him teachH3384 them the customH4941 of the godH430 of the landH776.” 28So oneH259 of the priestsH3548 whomH834 they had carriedH1540 awayH1540 into exileH1540 from SamariaH8111 cameH935 and livedH3427 at BethelH1008, and taughtH3384 them howH349 they should fearH3372 the LordH3068.

29But everyH1471 nationH1471 still madeH6213 godsH430 of its own and putH5117 them 68in the housesH1004 of the highH1116 placesH1116 whichH834 the peopleH8118 of SamariaH8118 had madeH6213, everyH1471 nationH1471 in their citiesH5892 in whichH834 they livedH3427. 3069The menH376 of BabylonH894 madeH6213 Succoth-benothH5524, the menH376 of CuthH3575 madeH6213 NergalH5370, the menH376 of HamathH2574 madeH6213 AshimaH807, 31and the AvvitesH5757 madeH6213 NibhazH5026 and TartakH8662; and 70the SepharvitesH5616 burnedH8313 their childrenH1121 in the fireH784 to 71AdrammelechH152 and AnammelechH6048 the godsH430 of 72SepharvaimH5617. 3273They also fearedH3372 the LordH3068 and 7475appointedH6213 from amongH7098 themselves priestsH3548 of the highH1116 placesH1116, who actedH6213 for them in the housesH1004 of the highH1116 placesH1116. 33They fearedH3372 the LordH3068 and servedH5647 their own godsH430 according to the customH4941 of the nationsH1471 from among whomH834 they had been carriedH1540 awayH1540 into exileH1540.

34To thisH2088 dayH3117 they doH6213 according to the earlierH7223 customsH4941: they do not fearH3372 the LordH3068, norH369 do they 76followH6213 their statutesH2708 or their ordinancesH4941 or the lawH8451, or the commandmentsH4687 whichH834 the LordH3068 commandedH6680 the sonsH1121 of JacobH3290, 77whomH834 He namedH7760H8034 IsraelH3478; 35with whom the LordH3068 madeH3772 a covenantH1285 and commandedH6680 them, sayingH559, “78You shall not fearH3372 otherH312 godsH430, norH3808 79bowH7812 downH7812 yourselves to them norH3808 80serveH5647 them norH3808 sacrificeH2076 to them. 36But the LordH3068, 81whoH834 broughtH5927 you up from the landH776 of EgyptH4714 with greatH1419 powerH3581 and with 82an outstretchedH5186 armH2220, 83Him you shall fearH3372, and to Him you shall bowH7812 yourselves downH7812, and to Him you shall sacrificeH2076. 37The statutesH2706 and the ordinancesH4941 and the lawH8451 and the commandmentH4687 whichH834 He wroteH3789 for you, 84you shall observeH8104 to doH6213 foreverH3605H3117; and you shall not fearH3372 otherH312 godsH430. 38The covenantH1285 that I have madeH3772 with you, 85you shall not forgetH7911, norH3808 shall you fearH3372 otherH312 godsH430. 39But the LordH3068 your GodH430 you shall fearH3372; and He will deliverH5337 you from the handH3027 of allH3605 your enemiesH340.” 40However, they did not listenH8085, but they didH6213 according to their earlierH7223 customH4941. 4186So while theseH428 nationsH1471 fearedH3372 the LordH3068, they also servedH5647 their 87idolsH6456; their childrenH1121 likewiseH1571 and their grandchildrenH1121, as their fathersH1 didH6213, so they doH6213 to thisH2088 dayH3117.