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 for nineH8672 yearsH8141. 2He didH6213 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LordH3068, onlyH7534 not as the kingsH4428 of IsraelH3478 whoH834 precededH1961H6440 him. 32ShalmaneserH8022 the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 marchedH5927 3againstH5921 him, and HosheaH1954 becameH1961 his servantH5650 and paidH7725 him tributeH4503. 4But the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 uncoveredH4672 a conspiracyH7195 by HosheaH1954, whoH834 had sentH7971 messengersH4397 to SoH5471, kingH4428 of EgyptH4714, and had then broughtH5927 noH3808 tributeH4503 to the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804, as he had done yearH8141 by yearH8141; so the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 arrestedH6113 him and confinedH631 him in prisonH1004H3608.

5Then the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 invadedH5927 the entireH3605 landH776, and wentH5927 upH5927 to 4SamariaH8111 and besiegedH6696H5921 it for threeH7969 yearsH8141.

Israel Captive

6In the ninthH8671 yearH8141 of HosheaH1954, 5the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 capturedH3920 SamariaH8111 and 6ledH1540 the people of IsraelH3478 intoH1540 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 aboutH1961 becauseH3588 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 had sinnedH2398 against the LordH3068 their GodH430, 11who had broughtH5927 them upH5927 from the landH776 of EgyptH4714, from underH8478 the handH3027 of PharaohH6547, kingH4428 of EgyptH4714; 12and they had 13fearedH3372 otherH312 godsH430. 8They also 1415followedH1980 the 16customsH2708 of the nationsH1471 whomH834 the LordH3068 had drivenH3423 outH3423 from the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478, and in the customs 17of the kingsH4428 of IsraelH3478 whichH834 they had 18introducedH6213. 9And the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 19didH2644 thingsH1697 secretlyH2644 againstH5921 the LordH3068 their GodH430 whichH834 were not rightH3653. Moreover, they builtH1129 for themselves highH1116 placesH1116 in allH3605 their townsH5892, from 20watchtowerH4026 to fortifiedH4013 cityH5892. 10And 21they setH5324 upH5324 for themselves memorialH4676 stonesH4676 and 2223AsherimH842 on everyH3605 highH1364 hillH1389 and underH8478 everyH3605 greenH7488 treeH6086, 11and thereH8033 they burnedH6999 incenseH6999 on allH3605 the highH1116 placesH1116 as the nationsH1471 did that the LordH3068 had takenH1540 intoH1540 exileH1540 beforeH4480H6440 them; and they didH6213 evilH7451 thingsH1697, provokingH3707 the LordH3068. 12They servedH5647 idolsH1544, 24concerning whichH834 the LordH3068 had saidH559 to them, “You shall not doH6213 thisH2088 thingH1697.” 13Yet the 25LordH3068 warnedH5749 IsraelH3478 and JudahH3063 2627throughH3027 allH3605 His prophetsH5030 and 28everyH3605 seerH2374, sayingH559, “29TurnH7725 backH7725 from your evilH7451 waysH1870 and keepH8104 My commandmentsH4687 and My statutesH2708 in accordance with allH3605 the LawH8451 whichH834 I commandedH6680 your fathersH1, and whichH834 I sentH7971 to you 30throughH3027 My servantsH5650 the prophetsH5030.” 14However, they did not listenH8085, but 31stiffenedH7185 their neckH6203 32like their fathersH1, whoH834 did not believeH539 in the LordH3068 their GodH430. 1533They rejectedH3988 His statutesH2706 and 34His covenantH1285 whichH834 He madeH3772 with their fathersH1, and His warningsH5715 whichH834 He 35gaveH5749 them. And 36they followedH1980H310 37idolsH1892 and 38becameH1891 emptyH1891, and followedH310 the nationsH1471 that surroundedH5439 them, about whichH834 the 39LordH3068 had commandedH6680 them not to doH6213 as they did. 16And they abandonedH5800 allH3605 the commandmentsH4687 of the LordH3068 their GodH430 and madeH6213 for themselves castH4541 metalH4541 imagesH4541: 40twoH8147 calvesH5695. And they 41madeH6213 an 42AsherahH842, and 43worshipedH2331 allH3605 the heavenlyH8064 44lightsH6635, and 45servedH5647 BaalH1168. 17Then 46they made their sonsH1121 and their daughtersH1323 passH5674 through the fireH784, and they 47practicedH7080 divinationH7081 and interpretingH5172 omensH5172, and 48gaveH4376 themselves overH4376 to doH6213 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LordH3068, provokingH3707 Him. 18So the LordH3068 was veryH3966 angryH599 with IsraelH3478, and He 49removedH5493 them from His 50sightH6440; 51noH3808 one was leftH7604 exceptH7534H905 the tribeH7626 of JudahH3063.

1952JudahH3063 did not keepH8104 the commandmentsH4687 of the LordH3068 their GodH430 eitherH1571, but they 5354followedH1980 the 55customsH2708 56whichH834 IsraelH3478 had 57introducedH6213. 20So the LordH3068 rejectedH3988 allH3605 the 58descendantsH2233 of IsraelH3478 and afflictedH6031 them and 59handedH5414H3027 them overH5414 to plunderersH8154, untilH5704H834 He had castH7993 them 60outH7993 of His sightH6440.

21WhenH3588 61He had tornH7167 IsraelH3478 from the houseH1004 of DavidH1732, 62they madeH4427 JeroboamH3379 the sonH1121 of NebatH5028 kingH4427. Then 63JeroboamH3379 droveH5067 IsraelH3478 awayH5067 from followingH310 the LordH3068 and misledH2398 them into a greatH1419 sinH2401. 22And the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 walkedH1980 in allH3605 the sinsH2403 of JeroboamH3379 whichH834 he committedH6213; they did not desistH5493 from them 2364untilH5704H834 the LordH3068 removedH5493 IsraelH3478 from His sightH6440, 65justH3512 asH3512 He had spokenH1696 throughH3027 allH3605 His servantsH5650 the prophetsH5030. 66So IsraelH3478 wentH1540 intoH1540 exileH1540 from their own landH127 to AssyriaH804 untilH5704 thisH2088 dayH3117.

Cities of Israel Filled with Strangers

2467Then the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 broughtH935 people from BabylonH894, CuthahH3575, 6869AvvaH5755, 70HamathH2574, and SepharvaimH5617, and settledH3427 them in the citiesH5892 of SamariaH8111 inH8478 placeH8478 ofH8478 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478. So they tookH3423 possessionH3423 of SamariaH8111 and livedH3427 in its citiesH5892. 25And at the beginningH8462 of their livingH3427 thereH8033, they 71did not fearH3372 the LordH3068; therefore the LordH3068 sentH7971 lionsH738 among them that were killingH2026 some of them. 26So they spokeH559 to the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804, sayingH559, “The nationsH1471 whomH834 you have takenH1540 intoH1540 exileH1540 and settledH3427 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 are killingH4191 them becauseH834 they do not knowH3045 the customH4941 of the GodH430 of the landH776.”

27Then the kingH4428 of AssyriaH804 issuedH6680 commandsH6680, sayingH559, “TakeH1980 oneH259 of the priestsH3548 thereH8033 whomH834 you ledH1540 intoH1540 72exileH1540, and have 73him goH1980 and liveH3427 thereH8033; and have him teachH3384 them the customH4941 of the GodH430 of the landH776.” 28So oneH259 of the priestsH3548 whomH834 they had ledH1540 intoH1540 exileH1540 from SamariaH8111 cameH935 and livedH3427 in BethelH1008, and taughtH3384 them howH349 they were to fearH3372 the LordH3068.

29But everyH1471 nationH1471 was still makingH6213 godsH430 of its own, and they putH5117 them 74in the housesH1004 of the highH1116 placesH1116 whichH834 the peopleH8118 ofH8118 SamariaH8118 had madeH6213, everyH1471 nationH1471 in their citiesH5892 in whichH834 they livedH3427. 3075The 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 76the SepharvitesH5616 were burningH8313 their childrenH1121 in the fireH784 to 77AdrammelechH152 and AnammelechH6048, the godsH430 of 78SepharvaimH5617. 3279They also fearedH3372 the LordH3068 and 8081appointedH6213 from their entireH7098 populationH7098 priestsH3548 of the highH1116 placesH1116, who actedH6213 for them in the housesH1004 of the highH1116 placesH1116. 33They fearedH3372 the LordH3068, yet they were servingH5647 their own godsH430 in accordance with the customH4941 of the nationsH1471 from among whomH834 they had been takenH1540 intoH1540 exileH1540.

34To thisH2088 dayH3117 they actH6213 in accordance with the earlierH7223 customsH4941: they do not fearH3372 the LordH3068, norH369 do they 82followH6213 their statutesH2708, their ordinancesH4941, the LawH8451, or the commandmentsH4687 whichH834 the LordH3068 commandedH6680 the sonsH1121 of JacobH3290, 83whomH834 He namedH7760H8034 IsraelH3478. 35The LordH3068 madeH3772 a covenantH1285 with them and commandedH6680 them, sayingH559, “84You shall not fearH3372 otherH312 godsH430, norH3808 85bowH2331 downH2331 to them, norH3808 86serveH5647 them, norH3808 sacrificeH2076 to them. 36But the LordH3068, 87whoH834 broughtH5927 you upH5927 from the landH776 of EgyptH4714 with greatH1419 powerH3581 and with 88an outstretchedH5186 armH2220, 89Him you shall fearH3372, and to Him you shall bowH2331 downH2331, and to Him you shall sacrificeH2076. 37And the statutesH2706, the ordinancesH4941, the LawH8451, and the commandmentH4687 whichH834 He wroteH3789 for you, 90you shall takeH8104 careH8104 to doH6213 alwaysH3605H3117; and you shall not fearH3372 otherH312 godsH430. 38The covenantH1285 that I have madeH3772 with you, 91you shall not forgetH7911, norH3808 shall you fearH3372 otherH312 godsH430. 39But you shall fearH3372 the LordH3068 your GodH430; and He will saveH5337 you from the handH3027 of allH3605 your enemiesH340.” 40However, they did not listenH8085, but they kept actingH6213 in accordance with their earlierH7223 customH4941. 4192So while theseH428 nationsH1471 fearedH3372 the LordH3068, they also servedH5647 their 93idolsH6456; their childrenH1121 likewiseH1571 and their grandchildrenH1121, justH3512 asH3512 their fathersH1 didH6213, they doH6213 to thisH2088 dayH3117.