1 In the twelfth{H8147}{H6240} year{H8141} of Ahaz{H271} king{H4428} of Judah{H3063} began Hoshea{H1954} the son{H1121} of Elah{H425} to reign{H4427}{(H8804)} in Samaria{H8111} over Israel{H3478} nine{H8672} years{H8141}.

2 And he did{H6213}{(H8799)} that which was evil{H7451} in the sight{H5869} of the LORD{H3068}, but not as the kings{H4428} of Israel{H3478} that were before{H6440} him.

3 Against him came up{H5927}{(H8804)} Shalmaneser{H8022} king{H4428} of Assyria{H804}; and Hoshea{H1954} became his servant{H5650}, and gave{H7725}{(H8686)} him presents{H4503}.

4 And the king{H4428} of Assyria{H804} found{H4672}{(H8799)} conspiracy{H7195} in Hoshea{H1954}: for he had sent{H7971}{(H8804)} messengers{H4397} to So{H5471} king{H4428} of Egypt{H4714}, and brought{H5927}{(H8689)} no present{H4503} to the king{H4428} of Assyria{H804}, as he had done year{H8141} by year{H8141}: therefore the king{H4428} of Assyria{H804} shut him up{H6113}{(H8799)}, and bound{H631}{(H8799)} him in prison{H1004}{H3608}.

5 Then the king{H4428} of Assyria{H804} came up{H5927}{(H8799)} throughout all the land{H776}, and went up{H5927}{(H8799)} to Samaria{H8111}, and besieged{H6696}{(H8799)} it three{H7969} years{H8141}.

6 In the ninth{H8671} year{H8141} of Hoshea{H1954} the king{H4428} of Assyria{H804} took{H3920}{(H8804)} Samaria{H8111}, and carried{H1540} Israel{H3478} away{H1540}{(H8686)} into Assyria{H804}, and placed{H3427}{(H8686)} them in Halah{H2477} and in Habor{H2249} by the river{H5104} of Gozan{H1470}, and in the cities{H5892} of the Medes{H4074}.

7 For so it was, that the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} had sinned{H2398}{(H8804)} against the LORD{H3068} their God{H430}, which had brought them up{H5927}{(H8688)} out of the land{H776} of Egypt{H4714}, from under the hand{H3027} of Pharaoh{H6547} king{H4428} of Egypt{H4714}, and had feared{H3372}{(H8799)} other{H312} gods{H430},

8 And walked{H3212}{(H8799)} in the statutes{H2708} of the heathen{H1471}, whom the LORD{H3068} cast out{H3423}{(H8689)} from before{H6440} the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478}, and of the kings{H4428} of Israel{H3478}, which they had made{H6213}{(H8804)}.

9 And the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} did secretly{H2644}{(H8762)} those things{H1697} that were not right against the LORD{H3068} their God{H430}, and they built{H1129}{(H8799)} them high places{H1116} in all their cities{H5892}, from the tower{H4026} of the watchmen{H5341}{(H8802)} to the fenced{H4013} city{H5892}.

10 And they set them up{H5324}{(H8686)} images{H4676} and groves{H842} in every high{H1364} hill{H1389}, and under every green{H7488} tree{H6086}:

11 And there they burnt incense{H6999}{(H8762)} in all the high places{H1116}, as did the heathen{H1471} whom the LORD{H3068} carried away{H1540}{(H8689)} before{H6440} them; and wrought{H6213}{(H8799)} wicked{H7451} things{H1697} to provoke the LORD{H3068} to anger{H3707}{(H8687)}:

12 For they served{H5647}{(H8799)} idols{H1544}, whereof the LORD{H3068} had said{H559}{(H8804)} unto them, Ye shall not do{H6213}{(H8799)} this thing{H1697}.

13 Yet the LORD{H3068} testified{H5749}{(H8686)} against Israel{H3478}, and against Judah{H3063}, by{H3027} all the prophets{H5030}, and by all the seers{H2374}, saying{H559}{(H8800)}, Turn{H7725}{(H8798)} ye from your evil{H7451} ways{H1870}, and keep{H8104}{(H8798)} my commandments{H4687} and my statutes{H2708}, according to all the law{H8451} which I commanded{H6680}{(H8765)} your fathers{H1}, and which I sent{H7971}{(H8804)} to you by{H3027} my servants{H5650} the prophets{H5030}.

14 Notwithstanding they would not hear{H8085}{(H8804)}, but hardened{H7185}{(H8686)} their necks{H6203}, like to the neck{H6203} of their fathers{H1}, that did not believe{H539}{(H8689)} in the LORD{H3068} their God{H430}.

15 And they rejected{H3988}{(H8799)} his statutes{H2706}, and his covenant{H1285} that he made{H3772}{(H8804)} with their fathers{H1}, and his testimonies{H5715} which he testified{H5749}{(H8689)} against them; and they followed{H3212}{(H8799)}{H310} vanity{H1892}, and became vain{H1891}{(H8799)}, and went after{H310} the heathen{H1471} that were round about{H5439} them, concerning whom the LORD{H3068} had charged{H6680}{(H8765)} them, that they should not do{H6213}{(H8800)} like them.

16 And they left{H5800}{(H8799)} all the commandments{H4687} of the LORD{H3068} their God{H430}, and made{H6213}{(H8799)} them molten images{H4541}, even two{H8147} calves{H5695}, and made{H6213}{(H8799)} a grove{H842}, and worshipped{H7812}{(H8691)} all the host{H6635} of heaven{H8064}, and served{H5647}{(H8799)} Baal{H1168}.

17 And they caused their sons{H1121} and their daughters{H1323} to pass{H5674}{(H8686)} through the fire{H784}, and used{H7080}{(H8799)} divination{H7081} and enchantments{H5172}{(H8762)}, and sold{H4376}{(H8691)} themselves to do{H6213}{(H8800)} evil{H7451} in the sight{H5869} of the LORD{H3068}, to provoke him to anger{H3707}{(H8687)}.

18 Therefore the LORD{H3068} was very{H3966} angry{H599}{(H8691)} with Israel{H3478}, and removed{H5493}{(H8686)} them out of his sight{H6440}: there was none left{H7604}{(H8738)} but the tribe{H7626} of Judah{H3063} only.

19 Also Judah{H3063} kept{H8104}{(H8804)} not the commandments{H4687} of the LORD{H3068} their God{H430}, but walked{H3212}{(H8799)} in the statutes{H2708} of Israel{H3478} which they made{H6213}{(H8804)}.

20 And the LORD{H3068} rejected{H3988}{(H8799)} all the seed{H2233} of Israel{H3478}, and afflicted{H6031}{(H8762)} them, and delivered{H5414}{(H8799)} them into the hand{H3027} of spoilers{H8154}{(H8802)}, until he had cast{H7993}{(H8689)} them out of his sight{H6440}.

21 For he rent{H7167}{(H8804)} Israel{H3478} from the house{H1004} of David{H1732}; and they made Jeroboam{H3379} the son{H1121} of Nebat{H5028} king{H4427}{(H8686)}: and Jeroboam{H3379} drave{H5080}{(H8686)}{(H8675)}{H5077}{(H8686)} Israel{H3478} from following{H310} the LORD{H3068}, and made them sin{H2398}{(H8689)} a great{H1419} sin{H2401}.

22 For the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} walked{H3212}{(H8799)} in all the sins{H2403} of Jeroboam{H3379} which he did{H6213}{(H8804)}; they departed{H5493}{(H8804)} not from them;

23 Until the LORD{H3068} removed{H5493}{(H8689)} Israel{H3478} out of his sight{H6440}, as he had said{H1696}{(H8765)} by{H3027} all his servants{H5650} the prophets{H5030}. So was Israel{H3478} carried away{H1540}{(H8799)} out of their own land{H127} to Assyria{H804} unto this day{H3117}.

24 And the king{H4428} of Assyria{H804} brought{H935}{(H8686)} men from Babylon{H894}, and from Cuthah{H3575}, and from Ava{H5755}, and from Hamath{H2574}, and from Sepharvaim{H5617}, and placed{H3427}{(H8686)} them in the cities{H5892} of Samaria{H8111} instead of the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478}: and they possessed{H3423}{(H8799)} Samaria{H8111}, and dwelt{H3427}{(H8799)} in the cities{H5892} thereof.

25 And so it was at the beginning{H8462} of their dwelling{H3427}{(H8800)} there, that they feared{H3372}{(H8804)} not the LORD{H3068}: therefore the LORD{H3068} sent{H7971}{(H8762)} lions{H738} among them, which slew{H2026}{(H8802)} some of them.

26 Wherefore they spake{H559}{(H8799)} to the king{H4428} of Assyria{H804}, saying{H559}{(H8800)}, The nations{H1471} which thou hast removed{H1540}{(H8689)}, and placed{H3427}{(H8686)} in the cities{H5892} of Samaria{H8111}, know{H3045}{(H8804)} not the manner{H4941} of the God{H430} of the land{H776}: therefore he hath sent{H7971}{(H8762)} lions{H738} among them, and, behold, they slay{H4191}{(H8688)} them, because they know{H3045}{(H8802)} not the manner{H4941} of the God{H430} of the land{H776}.

27 Then the king{H4428} of Assyria{H804} commanded{H6680}{(H8762)}, saying{H559}{(H8800)}, Carry{H3212}{(H8685)} thither one{H259} of the priests{H3548} whom ye brought{H1540}{(H8689)} from thence; and let them go{H3212}{(H8799)} and dwell{H3427}{(H8799)} there, and let him teach{H3384}{(H8686)} them the manner{H4941} of the God{H430} of the land{H776}.

28 Then one{H259} of the priests{H3548} whom they had carried away{H1540}{(H8689)} from Samaria{H8111} came{H935}{(H8799)} and dwelt{H3427}{(H8799)} in Bethel{H1008}, and taught{H3384}{(H8688)} them how they should fear{H3372}{(H8799)} the LORD{H3068}.

29 Howbeit every nation{H1471} made{H6213}{(H8802)} gods{H430} of their own, and put{H3240}{(H8686)} them in the houses{H1004} of the high places{H1116} which the Samaritans{H8118} had made{H6213}{(H8804)}, every nation{H1471} in their cities{H5892} wherein they dwelt{H3427}{(H8802)}.

30 And the men{H582} of Babylon{H894} made{H6213}{(H8804)} Succothbenoth{H5524}, and the men{H582} of Cuth{H3575} made{H6213}{(H8804)} Nergal{H5370}, and the men{H582} of Hamath{H2574} made{H6213}{(H8804)} Ashima{H807},

31 And the Avites{H5757} made{H6213}{(H8804)} Nibhaz{H5026} and Tartak{H8662}, and the Sepharvites{H5616} burnt{H8313}{(H8802)} their children{H1121} in fire{H784} to Adrammelech{H152} and Anammelech{H6048}, the gods{H430} of Sepharvaim{H5617}.

32 So they feared{H3373} the LORD{H3068}, and made{H6213}{(H8799)} unto themselves of the lowest{H7098} of them priests{H3548} of the high places{H1116}, which sacrificed{H6213}{(H8802)} for them in the houses{H1004} of the high places{H1116}.

33 They feared{H3373} the LORD{H3068}, and served{H5647}{(H8802)} their own gods{H430}, after the manner{H4941} of the nations{H1471} whom they carried away{H1540}{(H8689)} from thence.

34 Unto this day{H3117} they do{H6213}{(H8802)} after the former{H7223} manners{H4941}: they fear{H3373} not the LORD{H3068}, neither do{H6213}{(H8802)} they after their statutes{H2708}, or after their ordinances{H4941}, or after the law{H8451} and commandment{H4687} which the LORD{H3068} commanded{H6680}{(H8765)} the children{H1121} of Jacob{H3290}, whom he named{H7760}{(H8804)}{H8034} Israel{H3478};

35 With whom the LORD{H3068} had made{H3772}{(H8799)} a covenant{H1285}, and charged{H6680}{(H8762)} them, saying{H559}{(H8800)}, Ye shall not fear{H3372}{(H8799)} other{H312} gods{H430}, nor bow{H7812}{(H8691)} yourselves to them, nor serve{H5647}{(H8799)} them, nor sacrifice{H2076}{(H8799)} to them:

36 But the LORD{H3068}, who brought you up{H5927}{(H8689)} out of the land{H776} of Egypt{H4714} with great{H1419} power{H3581} and a stretched out{H5186}{(H8803)} arm{H2220}, him shall ye fear{H3372}{(H8799)}, and him shall ye worship{H7812}{(H8691)}, and to him shall ye do sacrifice{H2076}{(H8799)}.

37 And the statutes{H2706}, and the ordinances{H4941}, and the law{H8451}, and the commandment{H4687}, which he wrote{H3789}{(H8804)} for you, ye shall observe{H8104}{(H8799)} to do{H6213}{(H8800)} for evermore{H3117}; and ye shall not fear{H3372}{(H8799)} other{H312} gods{H430}.

38 And the covenant{H1285} that I have made{H3772}{(H8804)} with you ye shall not forget{H7911}{(H8799)}; neither shall ye fear{H3372}{(H8799)} other{H312} gods{H430}.

39 But the LORD{H3068} your God{H430} ye shall fear{H3372}{(H8799)}; and he shall deliver{H5337}{(H8686)} you out of the hand{H3027} of all your enemies{H341}{(H8802)}.

40 Howbeit they did not hearken{H8085}{(H8804)}, but they did{H6213}{(H8802)} after their former{H7223} manner{H4941}.

41 So these nations{H1471} feared{H3373} the LORD{H3068}, and served{H5647}{(H8802)} their graven images{H6456}, both their children{H1121}, and their children's{H1121} children{H1121}: as did{H6213}{(H8804)} their fathers{H1}, so do{H6213}{(H8802)} they unto this day{H3117}.