2 Kings 17:7-41

7Now 1this cameH1961 about becauseH3588 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 had sinnedH2398 against the LordH3068 their GodH430, 2who had broughtH5927 them up from the landH776 of EgyptH4714 from underH8478 the handH3027 of PharaohH6547, kingH4428 of EgyptH4714, 3and they had 4fearedH3372 otherH312 godsH430 8and 5walkedH1980 in the 6customsH2708 of the nationsH1471 whomH834 the LordH3068 had drivenH3423 out beforeH4480H6440 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478, and in the customs 7of the kingsH4428 of IsraelH3478 whichH834 they had 8introducedH6213. 9The sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 9didH2644 thingsH1697 secretlyH2644 whichH834 were not rightH3653 againstH5921 the LordH3068 their GodH430. Moreover, they builtH1129 for themselves highH1116 placesH1116 in allH3605 their townsH5892, from 10watchtowerH4026 to fortifiedH4013 cityH5892. 1011They setH5324 for themselves sacred pillarsH4676 and 1213AsherimH842 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, 14concerning whichH834 the LordH3068 had saidH559 to them, “You shall not doH6213 thisH2088 thingH1697.” 13Yet the 15LordH3068 warnedH5749 IsraelH3478 and JudahH3063 16throughH3027 allH3605 His prophetsH5030 and 17everyH3605 seerH2374, sayingH559, “18TurnH7725 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 19stiffenedH7185 their neckH6203 20like their fathersH1, whoH834 did not believeH539 in the LordH3068 their GodH430. 1521They rejectedH3988 His statutesH2706 and 22His covenantH1285 whichH834 He madeH3772 with their fathersH1 and His warningsH5715 with whichH834 He warnedH5749 them. And 23they followedH1980H310 vanityH1892 and 24becameH1891 vainH1891, and went afterH310 the nationsH1471 whichH834 surroundedH5439 them, concerning whichH834 the 25LordH3068 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 26twoH8147 calvesH5695, and 27madeH6213 an 28AsherahH842 and 29worshipedH7812 allH3605 the hostH6635 of heavenH8064 and 30servedH5647 BaalH1168. 17Then 31they made their sonsH1121 and their daughtersH1323 passH5674 through the fireH784, and 32practicedH7080 divinationH7081 and enchantmentsH5172, and 33soldH4376 themselves to doH6213 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LordH3068, provokingH3707 Him. 18So the LordH3068 was veryH3966 angryH599 with IsraelH3478 and 34removedH5493 them from His 35sightH6440; 36noneH3808 was leftH7604 exceptH7534H905 the tribeH7626 of JudahH3063.

19AlsoH1571 37JudahH3063 did not keepH8104 the commandmentsH4687 of the LordH3068 their GodH430, but 38walkedH1980 in the 39customsH2708 40whichH834 IsraelH3478 had 41introducedH6213. 20The LordH3068 rejectedH3988 allH3605 the 42descendantsH2233 of IsraelH3478 and afflictedH6031 them and 43gaveH5414 them into the handH3027 of plunderersH8154, untilH5704H834 He had castH7993 them 44out of His sightH6440.

21WhenH3588 45He had tornH7167 IsraelH3478 from the houseH1004 of DavidH1732, 46they madeH4427 JeroboamH3379 the sonH1121 of NebatH5028 kingH4427. Then 47JeroboamH3379 droveH5067 IsraelH3478 awayH5067 from followingH310 the LordH3068 and made them 48commitH2398 a greatH1419 sinH2401. 22The sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 walkedH1980 in allH3605 the sinsH2403 of JeroboamH3379 whichH834 he didH6213; they did not departH5493 from them 2349untilH5704H834 the LordH3068 removedH5493 IsraelH3478 from His sightH6440, 50as He spokeH1696 throughH3027 allH3605 His servantsH5650 the prophetsH5030. 51So IsraelH3478 was carriedH1540 awayH1540 into exileH1540 from their own landH127 to AssyriaH804 untilH5704 thisH2088 dayH3117.

2452The kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 broughtH935 men from BabylonH894 and from CuthahH3575 and from 5354AvvaH5755 and from 55HamathH2574 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 56did 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 57exileH1540 and let 58him 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 59in the housesH1004 of the highH1116 placesH1116 whichH834 the peopleH8118 of SamariaH8118 had madeH6213, everyH1471 nationH1471 in their citiesH5892 in whichH834 they livedH3427. 3060The 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 61the SepharvitesH5616 burnedH8313 their childrenH1121 in the fireH784 to 62AdrammelechH152 and AnammelechH6048 the godsH430 of 63SepharvaimH5617. 3264They also fearedH3372 the LordH3068 and 6566appointedH6213 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 67followH6213 their statutesH2708 or their ordinancesH4941 or the lawH8451, or the commandmentsH4687 whichH834 the LordH3068 commandedH6680 the sonsH1121 of JacobH3290, 68whomH834 He namedH7760H8034 IsraelH3478; 35with whom the LordH3068 madeH3772 a covenantH1285 and commandedH6680 them, sayingH559, “69You shall not fearH3372 otherH312 godsH430, norH3808 70bowH7812 downH7812 yourselves to them norH3808 71serveH5647 them norH3808 sacrificeH2076 to them. 36But the LordH3068, 72whoH834 broughtH5927 you up from the landH776 of EgyptH4714 with greatH1419 powerH3581 and with 73an outstretchedH5186 armH2220, 74Him 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, 75you shall observeH8104 to doH6213 foreverH3605H3117; and you shall not fearH3372 otherH312 godsH430. 38The covenantH1285 that I have madeH3772 with you, 76you 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. 4177So while theseH428 nationsH1471 fearedH3372 the LordH3068, they also servedH5647 their 78idolsH6456; their childrenH1121 likewiseH1571 and their grandchildrenH1121, as their fathersH1 didH6213, so they doH6213 to thisH2088 dayH3117.