2 Kings 17:6-41

2 Kings 17:6-41

[6] In the ninth  year  of Hoshea  the king  of Assyria  took  Samaria,  Israel  away  into Assyria,  and placed  them in Halah  and in Habor  by the river  of Gozan,  and in the cities  of the Medes.  [7] For so it was, that the children  of Israel  had sinned  against the LORD  their God,  which had brought them up  out of the land  of Egypt,  from under the hand  of Pharaoh  king  of Egypt,  and had feared  other  gods,  [8] in the statutes  of the heathen,  whom the LORD  cast out  from before  the children  of Israel,  and of the kings  of Israel,  which they had made.  [9] And the children  of Israel  did secretly  those things  that were not right against the LORD  their God,  and they built  them high places  in all their cities,  from the tower  of the watchmen  to the fenced  city.  [10] And they set them up  images  and groves  in every high  hill,  and under every green  tree:  [11] And there they burnt incense  in all the high places,  as did the heathen  whom the LORD  carried away  before  them; and wrought  wicked  things  to provoke the LORD  to anger:  [12] For they served  idols,  whereof the LORD  had said  unto them, Ye shall not do  this thing.  [13] Yet the LORD  testified  against Israel,  and against Judah,  by  all the prophets,  and by all the seers,  saying,  Turn  ye from your evil  ways,  and keep  my commandments  and my statutes,  according to all the law  which I commanded  your fathers,  and which I sent  to you by  my servants  the prophets.  [14] Notwithstanding they would not hear,  but hardened  their necks,  of their fathers,  that did not believe  in the LORD  their God.  [15] And they rejected  his statutes,  and his covenant  that he made  with their fathers,  and his testimonies  which he testified  vanity,  and became vain,  and went after  the heathen  that were round about  them, concerning whom the LORD  had charged  them, that they should not do  like them. [16] And they left  all the commandments  of the LORD  their God,  and made  them molten images,  even two  calves,  and made  a grove,  and worshipped  all the host  of heaven,  and served  Baal.  [17] And they caused their sons  and their daughters  to pass  through the fire,  and used  divination  and enchantments,  and sold  themselves to do  evil  in the sight  of the LORD,  to provoke him to anger.  [18] Therefore the LORD  was very  angry  with Israel,  and removed  them out of his sight:  there was none left  but the tribe  of Judah  [19] Also Judah  kept  not the commandments  of the LORD  their God,  in the statutes  of Israel  which they made.  [20] And the LORD  rejected  all the seed  of Israel,  and afflicted  them, and delivered  them into the hand  of spoilers,  until he had cast  them out of his sight.  [21] For he rent  Israel  from the house  of David;  and they made Jeroboam  the son  of Nebat  king:  and Jeroboam  Israel  from following  the LORD,  and made them sin  a great  sin.  [22] For the children  of Israel  in all the sins  of Jeroboam  which he did;  they departed  [23] Until the LORD  removed  Israel  out of his sight,  as he had said  by  all his servants  the prophets.  So was Israel  carried away  out of their own land  to Assyria  unto this day.  [24] And the king  of Assyria  brought  men from Babylon,  and from Cuthah,  and from Ava,  and from Hamath,  and from Sepharvaim,  and placed  them in the cities  of Samaria  instead of the children  of Israel:  and they possessed  Samaria,  and dwelt  in the cities  [25] And so it was at the beginning  of their dwelling  there, that they feared  not the LORD:  sent  lions  among them, which slew  some of them. [26] Wherefore they spake  to the king  of Assyria,  saying,  The nations  which thou hast removed,  and placed  in the cities  of Samaria,  know  not the manner  of the God  of the land:  therefore he hath sent  lions  among them, and, behold, they slay  them, because they know  not the manner  of the God  of the land.  [27] Then the king  of Assyria  commanded,  saying,  thither one  of the priests  whom ye brought  and dwell  there, and let him teach  them the manner  of the God  of the land.  [28] Then one  of the priests  whom they had carried away  from Samaria  came  and dwelt  in Bethel,  and taught  them how they should fear  the LORD.  [29] Howbeit every nation  made  gods  of their own, and put  them in the houses  of the high places  which the Samaritans  had made,  every nation  in their cities  wherein they dwelt.  [30] of Babylon  made  Succothbenoth,  of Cuth  made  Nergal,  of Hamath  made  Ashima,  [31] And the Avites  made  Nibhaz  and Tartak,  and the Sepharvites  burnt  their children  in fire  to Adrammelech  and Anammelech,  of Sepharvaim.  [32] and made  unto themselves of the lowest  of them priests  of the high places,  which sacrificed  for them in the houses  of the high places.  [33] the LORD,  and served  their own gods,  after the manner  of the nations  whom they carried away  [34] Unto this day  they do  after the former  manners:  not the LORD,  neither do  they after their statutes,  or after their ordinances,  or after the law  and commandment  which the LORD  commanded  the children  of Jacob,  whom he named  Israel;  [35] With whom the LORD  had made  a covenant,  and charged  them, saying,  Ye shall not fear  other  gods,  nor bow  yourselves to them, nor serve  them, nor sacrifice  to them: [36] But the LORD,  who brought you up  out of the land  of Egypt  with great  power  and a stretched out  arm,  him shall ye fear,  and him shall ye worship,  and to him shall ye do sacrifice.  [37] And the statutes,  and the ordinances,  and the law,  and the commandment,  which he wrote  for you, ye shall observe  to do  for evermore;  and ye shall not fear  other  gods.  [38] And the covenant  that I have made  with you ye shall not forget;  neither shall ye fear  other  gods.  [39] But the LORD  your God  ye shall fear;  and he shall deliver  you out of the hand  of all your enemies.  [40] Howbeit they did not hearken,  but they did  after their former  manner.  [41] So these nations  the LORD,  and served  their graven images,  both their children,  as did  their fathers,  so do  they unto this day.