2 Kings 17:1-9

1In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, 1Hoshea the son of Elah became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned for nine years. 2He did evil in the sight of the Lord, only not as the kings of Israel who preceded him. 32Shalmaneser the king of Assyria marched 3against him, and Hoshea became his servant and paid him tribute. 4But the king of Assyria uncovered a conspiracy by Hoshea, who had sent messengers to So, king of Egypt, and had then brought no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year; so the king of Assyria arrested him and confined him in prison.

5Then the king of Assyria invaded the entire land, and went up to 4Samaria and besieged it for three years. 6In the ninth year of Hoshea, 5the king of Assyria captured Samaria and 6led the people of Israel into exile to Assyria, and 7settled them in Halah and Habor, on the river of 8Gozan, and 9in the cities of the Medes.

7Now 10this came about because the sons of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, 11who had brought them up from the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; 12and they had 13feared other gods. 8They also 1415followed the 16customs of the nations whom the Lord had driven out from the sons of Israel, and in the customs 17of the kings of Israel which they had 18introduced. 9And the sons of Israel 19did things secretly against the Lord their God which were not right. Moreover, they built for themselves high places in all their towns, from 20watchtower to fortified city.