2 Kings 17:24-41

The Repopulation of Samaria

²⁴ And the king of Asshur bringeth in from Babylon and from Cutha, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and causeth 'them' to dwell in the cities of Samaria instead of the sons of Israel, and they possess Samaria, and dwell in its cities; ²⁵ and it cometh to pass, at the commencement of their dwelling there, they have not feared Jehovah, and Jehovah doth send among them the lions, and they are destroying among them. ²⁶ And they speak to the king of Asshur, saying, 'The nations that thou hast removed, and dost place in the cities of Samaria, have not known the custom of the God of the land, and He sendeth among them the lions, and lo, they are destroying them, as they do not know the custom of the God of the land.' ²⁷ And the king of Asshur commandeth, saying, 'Cause to go thither one of the priests whom ye removed thence, and they go and dwell there, and he doth teach them the custom of the God of the land.' ²⁸ And one of the priests whom they removed from Samaria cometh in, and dwelleth in Beth-El, and he is teaching them how they do fear Jehovah, ²⁹ and they are making each nation its gods, and place 'them' in the houses of the high places that the Samaritans have made, each nation in their cities where they are dwelling. ³⁰ And the men of Babylon have made Succoth-Benoth, and the men of Cuth have made Nergal, and the men of Hamath have made Ashima, ³¹ and the Avites have made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites are burning their sons with fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, gods of Sepharvim. ³² And they are fearing Jehovah, and make to themselves from their extremities priests of high places, and they are acting for them in the house of the high places. ³³ Jehovah they are fearing, and their gods they are serving, according to the custom of the nations whence they removed them. ³⁴ Unto this day they are doing according to the former customs—they are not fearing Jehovah, and are not doing according to their statutes, and according to their ordinances, and according to the law, and according to the command, that Jehovah commanded the sons of Jacob whose name He made Israel, ³⁵ and Jehovah maketh with them a covenant, and chargeth them, saying, 'Ye do not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them, ³⁶ but Jehovah who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a stretched-out arm, Him ye do fear, and to Him ye bow yourselves, and to Him ye do sacrifice; ³⁷ and the statutes, and the judgments, and the law, and the command, that He wrote for you, ye observe to do all the days, and ye do not fear other gods; ³⁸ and the covenant that I have made with you ye do not forget, and ye do not fear other gods; ³⁹ but Jehovah your God ye do fear, and He doth deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies;' ⁴⁰ and they have not hearkened, but according to their former custom they are doing, ⁴¹ and these nations are fearing Jehovah, and their graven images they have served, both their sons and their sons' sons; as their fathers did, they are doing unto this day.