2 Kings 17:23-29

231until the Lord removed Israel from His sight, 2just as He had spoken through all His servants the prophets. 3So Israel went into exile from their own land to Assyria until this day.

244Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, 56Avva, 7Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the sons of Israel. So they took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities. 25And at the beginning of their living there, they 8did not fear the Lord; therefore the Lord sent lions among them that were killing some of them. 26So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The nations whom you have taken into exile and settled 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 are killing them because they do not know the custom of the God of the land.”

27Then the king of Assyria issued commands, saying, “Take one of the priests there whom you led into 9exile, and have 10him go and live there; and have him teach them the custom of the God of the land.” 28So one of the priests whom they had led into exile from Samaria came and lived in Bethel, and taught them how they were to fear the Lord.

29But every nation was still making gods of its own, and they put them 11in the houses of the high places which the people of Samaria had made, every nation in their cities in which they lived.