2 Kings chapter .xvij.
¶ In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Iuda, Hosea son of Elah began to reign in Samaria upon Israel, and continued nine years,
and did that displeased the LORD, but not so evil as did the kings of Israel that were before him.
And Salmanasar king of Assiria came upon him, and Hosea became his servant and gave him presents.
And the king of Assiria found treason in Hosea, because he had sent messengers to Sua king of Egypt, and sent no presents unto the king of Assiria, as he was yearly wont to do. Therefore the king of Assiria besieged him and put him in prison.
And then the king of Assiria came thorowout all the land, and came to Samaria and besieged it three years.
And in the ninth year of Hosea, the king of Assiria took Samaria and carried Israel away unto Assiria and put them in Hala, in Habor on the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
¶ For the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God which brought them out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharao king of Egypt, and feared other gods.
And they walked in the ordinance of the heathen which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel, and in the things which the kings of Israel had made.
And the children of Israel wrapped themselves in things that were not well toward the LORD their God. And they built them Hillaltars in all their cities, both in the towers where they kept watch and also in the strong towns.
And they made them Images and groves on every high hill and under every green tree.
And there they sacrificed in the Hillaltars, as did the heathen which the LORD carried away at their coming, and wrought wicked deeds, to anger the LORD withal.
And they served Idols, whereof the LORD had said to them: ye shall not do so.
And the LORD testified to Israel and to Iuda, by all the prophets and by all the sears, saying: Turn from your wicked ways and keep my commandments and mine ordinances according to all the laws which I commanded your fathers, and as I sent to you by my servants the prophets.
Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the necks of their fathers that did not believe the LORD their God.
And they refused his ordinances and his appointment that he had made with their fathers, and the witness which he had witnessed to them and followed vanity and became vain, like to the heathen that were round about them, of which the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them.
But they left the commandments of the LORD their God and made them Images of metal, even two calves: and made groves and bowed themselves unto all the Host of heaven, and served Baal.
And they sacrificed their sons and their daughters in fire, and used witchcraft and enchantments, and were sold to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, for to anger him.
Wherefore the LORD was exceeding wroth with Israel and put them out of his sight, that there was left but the tribe of Iuda onely,
and thereto Iuda kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the ordinances of Israel which they had made.
Therefore the LORD cast up all the seed of Israel and vexed them and delivered them into the hands of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight.
And Israel divided themselves, from the house of David, and made Ieroboam the son of Nabat king. Which Ieroboam thrust Israel away from the LORD and made them sin a great sin.
And so the children of Israel walked in all the sin of Ieroboam which he had set up, and departed not therefrom,
until the LORD had put Israel away out of his sight, as he said by all his servants the prophets. And so he translated Israel out of their land to Assiria, even unto this day.
¶ And the king of Assiria brought from Babylon and from Cutha, and from Ava and from Hemath and from Sepharuaim, and put them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel. And they possessed Samaria and dwelt in the cities thereof.
But at the beginning of their dwelling, they feared not the LORD. Wherefore the LORD sent lions upon them which slew them.
Then men told the king of Assiria, saying: The nations which thou hast translated and put in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land, and therefore he hath sent lions upon them, which slay them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land.
Then the king of Assiria commanded saying: carry thither one of the priests which ye brought thence, and let him go and dwell there, and teach them the fashion how to serve the God of the country.
And then one of the priests which they had carried thence, went and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD.
How be it every nation made their own gods and put them in the houses of the Hillaltars which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities where they dwelt.
The men of Babylon made Socoth, Benoth. The men of Cuth made Nergal. They of Hemath made Asima.
The Evites made Nebahaz, and Tharthak. And the Sepharuites burnt their children in fire unto Adramelech and Anamelech, the gods of Sepharuites.
And they feared the LORD, yet they made them priests of the lowest of the people, for the Hillaltars, which sacrificed for them in the houses of the Hillaltars.
And so they feared the LORD, and yet served their own gods after the manner of the people from whence they were brought.
Unto this day they do after the old manner: they neither fear the LORD, neither do after their own ordinances and customs, and after the law and commandment which the LORD commanded the children of Iacob whose name he called Israel,
and made an appointment with them and charged them saying: Fear not any other gods, nor bow yourselves to them nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:
But to the LORD which brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm: him fear and to him bow and to him do sacrifice.
And the ordinances, customs, law and commandment which I wrote for you, see that ye be diligent to do for evermore, and fear not any other gods.
And the appointment that I have made with you, see ye forget not, and that you fear none other gods:
but the LORD your God ye shall fear, and he shall deliver you out of the hands of all your enemies.
How be it they heard not, but did after the old manner.
And even so did these nations fear the LORD and serve their images thereto: and so did their children, and their children's children too. Even as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.
Praise the Everlasting Lord for His Faithful Word.